Medicinal electrophoresis in cosmetology: the effectiveness of the method

Electricity is rightfully considered one of the greatest discoveries of mankind, and it is now almost impossible to imagine your life without it. It is very difficult to list all the advantages of this discovery, since the entire modern world is based on the use of electric current. What are only modern medical devices that can function thanks to electricity. People have found the use of electric current in absolutely all areas of their lives. Electric current treatment is effectively used in modern cosmetology. Among the many types of electrotherapy, medicinal electrophoresis deserves special attention, which estet-portal.com talks about.

Features of the use of drug electrophoresis in modern cosmetology

Electrotherapy includes physiotherapeutic methods, which are based on the use of a dosed effect of electric currents on the body. This section of physiotherapy is the most extensive and includes methods based on the use of direct and alternating current of various frequencies and pulse shapes.

Medicinal electrophoresis belongs to the category of electrotherapeutic methods based on the use of direct electric current of low voltage.

For the first time, medicinal electrophoresis was used in 1802 by the scientist Rossi, who used a combination of direct current with medicinal substances to influence the body.

Medication electrophoresis:

• how does the transport of substances occur during drug electrophoresis;
• galvanic current as an essential component of drug electrophoresis;
• advantages of drug administration by drug electrophoresis.

How does the transport of substances occur during drug electrophoresis

Medicinal electrophoresis – It is a method of administering drugs through the skin using low voltage direct current. Thus, two factors act on the body: galvanic current and a drug. Fat-soluble substances penetrate the epidermis quite well, but water-soluble or hydrophilic – do not pass well through the skin's natural waterproof barrier. The electric current used in drug electrophoresis causes the ions to move towards poles of opposite polarity, thus carrying out the transport of drugs. In addition, the current increases the permeability of the skin and creates a directed movement of the tissue fluid, coinciding with the direction of movement of the ions.

Galvanic current  as an essential component of drug electrophoresis

Galvanic current used for drug electrophoresis – this is a direct electric current with a power of up to 50 mA and a voltage of 30 to 80 V. In response to its influence, various physiological reactions of the body of a local and general nature occur. In the skin, under the influence of galvanic current, biologically active substances are released: heparin, acetylcholine, histamine, prostaglandins and even endorphins. Under their action, hyperemia develops, contributing to the improvement of many physiological processes in the body.  Galvanic current has a sedative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, detoxifying, metabolic, regenerative and some other positive effects on the body.

Benefits of drug administration by drug electrophoresis

Not all medicinal substances can be used for electrophoresis, as some of them, under the influence of current, can change their pharmacological properties and have a harmful effect on the body.

For the administration of medicinal substances using galvanic current, a universal solvent dimethyl sulfoxide is used, which does not change the pharmacological properties of the drug and facilitates its penetration through the skin.

The main advantages of using drug electrophoresis compared to conventional methods of drug administration are as follows:

• the pharmacological activity of the medicinal substance entering the body in the form of ions increases;
• the substance acts against the background of a changed electrochemical regime of tissues and cells;
• under the influence of the current, a "skin depot" is formed, which increases the duration of the effect of the administered drug;
• there is no irritation of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract;
• the therapeutic effect is manifested at low concentrations of medicinal substances;
• a high concentration of the substance is created directly in the pathological focus;
• It is possible to administer several medicinal compounds at the same time.