Galvanic devices operate on which form of current?

• A. Direct current
• B. Alternating current
• C. Pulsed current
• D. Waveform current

Answer: (A)

Galvanic devices rely on a steady, unidirectional flow of electricity. This direct current pushes ions in one fixed direction, which is essential for the electrochemical effects these devices produce—such as driving active ingredients into the skin (iontophoresis) or inducing chemical changes in surface substances (desincrustation). If the current were to reverse direction or break up into pulses, the ions wouldn’t be driven consistently in one direction, and the controlled chemical reactions wouldn’t occur in the same way. Pulsed or waveform currents won’t provide the continuous, one-way flow that galvanic treatments depend on, so the direct current is the correct form.