How it works

The outer layer of the skin - the stratum corneum - serves as an epidermal barrier. In order to protect the skin from harmful substances it practically blocks the absorption of most substances by the skin. Most therapeutic preparations cannot penetrate this barrier, they can only be absorbed through sweat glands and hair follicles.

Electroporation successfully penetrates the epidermal barrier, by emitting controlled, high voltage electromagnetic pulses into the skin. The pulses increase electrical conductivity of the cell membrane and disrupt the lipid structure in the stratum corneum, leading to the temporary formation of micro-channels in the outer layer of the skin. These micro-channels allow applied actives to be absorbed deep in the skin. Electroporation disrupts the lipid structure of the cell membrane only temporarily. Once the electrical pulses stop, the intact structure of the cell membrane is restored. It does not damage the cell membrane or the epidermal barrier.

Iontophoresis works by applying a local low intensity electrical current through an electrode placed on the skin which repels (or pushes) ions with the same charge as the electrode into the skin, across membranes. It also creates a uniform electric field which increases the permeability of skin cells and stimulates electrophoresis - dispersion of the solution ions across the dermal tissue.

Iontophoresis on its own pushes ionic substances into the skin and increases skin permeability, but the only paths into the tissues are through hair follicles and sweat glands. Electroporation on its own creates microchannels in the stratum corneum, but solution absorption is passive. By combining these two technologies the Apollo Duet actively ‘pushes’ charged therapeutic solutions deeper into the skin tissues through hair follicles, sweat glands and temporary microchannels. Maximum absorption = Maximum impact.