Researchers have developed a wearable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device for hair loss treatment that can be worn like a regular hat. The device has demonstrated the ability to suppress aging of hair follicle cells—a key factor in hair loss progression—by approximately 92%.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced Wednesday that a research team led by Professor Choi Kyung-cheol of the School of Electrical Engineering developed the non-invasive hair loss treatment technology in collaboration with Professor Yun Chi's team at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The team created a treatment method that causes no physical damage by applying specialized OLED light sources to a flexible, fabric-like wearable platform in the shape of a hat.
Existing light-based hair loss treatment devices have been limited by their rigid and heavy helmet-like structures. The research team integrated near-infrared OLEDs into the inside of a hat, designing the light source to naturally conform to the curvature of the scalp. This enables uniform light stimulation across the entire scalp.
The team also leveraged the principle that cellular responses vary depending on light wavelength, extending wavelength control technology previously used in display OLEDs for therapeutic purposes. Through this approach, they developed customized OLEDs that selectively emit near-infrared light in the 730-740 nanometer range—optimal for activating dermal papilla cells, which are located at the base of hair follicles and regulate hair growth. Cell aging assessments confirmed that near-infrared OLED exposure suppressed cell aging by approximately 92% compared to the control group, outperforming conventional red light exposure conditions.
"We presented a wearable phototherapy platform that can be used in daily life by implementing fabric-based OLEDs as soft as cloth in a hat form," said Dr. Cho Eun-hae, the study's first author. "The key achievement is confirming that precisely designed light wavelengths can effectively suppress hair follicle cell aging."
The research was published online on January 10 in the international journal Nature Communications.