Scalp Electroporation (S-DEP) in Singapore

No. Mesotherapy and injectable scalp treatments use needles to place substances through the skin. Electroporation uses electrical pulses to temporarily alter skin permeability and support topical or transdermal delivery without injections.

Electroporation is a delivery technology, not a diagnosis-specific hair-growth drug. Whether a patient experiences improvement depends on the underlying cause of hair loss, the active formulation, protocol, concurrent treatment and individual biology. It is more accurate to view S-DEP as a possible adjunct than as a guaranteed regrowth treatment.

There is no evidence-based single schedule for every patient and every formulation. A treatment course should be individualised after assessment. Progress is reviewed over time rather than promising a fixed number of sessions.

It may be considered as an adjunct in selected patients, but pattern hair loss has established medical and surgical treatment pathways. The clinician should first confirm the pattern and discuss options with better-established evidence before deciding whether electroporation adds value.

Telogen effluvium is a shedding disorder in which identifying the trigger is central. Electroporation does not correct iron deficiency, thyroid disease, medication effects or other systemic causes. It should not replace appropriate history, examination and investigations.

Not automatically. Itching or sensitivity can signal dermatitis, psoriasis, infection or contact allergy. Active inflammation, infection or broken skin should be assessed and treated first. Once the scalp is stable, suitability can be reconsidered.

Potential combinations depend on the specific product, diagnosis, timing, tolerability and medical history. Do not assume that every topical medication should be used with an electroporation device. The clinician should determine what is appropriate and when it should be applied.

Prompt assessment is appropriate for sudden patchy loss, rapidly progressive shedding, scalp pain, pustules, bleeding, marked redness, scarring, loss of follicular openings or hair loss accompanied by systemic symptoms. These findings may point to conditions that need specific medical treatment.

Most patients describe tingling, a mild prickling sensation or warmth rather than pain. It is needle-free, and discomfort is generally less than with injectable scalp treatments. Tell the operator if any sensation becomes sharp or uncomfortable, as parameters can be adjusted.

All three aim to overcome the skin barrier by different means. Iontophoresis uses a low continuous current to move charged molecules; microneedling creates physical microchannels; electroporation uses short higher-voltage pulses to transiently increase permeability. They are not interchangeable and suit different molecules.

Short electrical pulses are thought to create transient aqueous pathways through the lipid structure of the stratum corneum, which reseal afterwards. The effect is temporary and reversible by design, which is why it is described as a delivery technique rather than a treatment in itself.

Not automatically, and this is the key limitation. Delivering more of a substance into the scalp only matters if that substance has demonstrated benefit for your diagnosis at the dose reaching the target. Efficient delivery of something ineffective remains ineffective.

This varies by protocol and is a fair question to ask directly. The evidence supporting any session rests on the active ingredients rather than on the device, so you are entitled to know what is being applied and what is known about it.

You must declare it. Implanted electronic devices, including pacemakers and defibrillators, are a specific contraindication for treatments delivering electrical current, and this is not something to leave unmentioned.

Elective procedures are conventionally deferred, and several topical hair-loss actives are unsuitable in pregnancy. Postpartum shedding is also usually telogen effluvium, which typically resolves on its own without procedural treatment.

Advice depends on the formulation used, since washing too soon may remove product still in place. Follow the specific instruction given rather than a general rule.

Months, not weeks. Hair follicles cycle slowly, and for pattern hair loss the first realistic objective is often stabilisation rather than visible regrowth. Assessment should use standardised photographs rather than impression.

Not necessarily. Some hair treatments cause a temporary increase in shedding as follicles synchronise into a new cycle, which can be an early sign of activity rather than harm. Report it so it can be assessed rather than stopping unilaterally.

No. Those have established randomised evidence for pattern hair loss. Electroporation is a delivery method that may support a topical regimen, not a replacement for treatments with demonstrated efficacy.

No, and using it could delay necessary care. Scarring alopecias destroy follicles permanently and need prompt diagnosis and condition-specific medical treatment. Redness, scale, pain, pustules or loss of follicular openings warrant urgent assessment.

Only if the history or examination suggests a systemic contributor such as iron deficiency, thyroid disease or a hormonal cause. Targeted testing is more useful than a routine hair-loss panel for everyone.

Treatment for cosmetic indications is generally not claimable. Where care addresses a diagnosed medical scalp condition the position may differ, so check directly with your insurer.