[KBS Daejeon] [Anchor]

KAIST researchers have developed a 'surface-emitting micro LED patch' with excellent skin whitening effect.

It is said to be effective in suppressing melanin production because it adheres closely to the skin and delivers enough uniform light deep into the skin.

This is reporter Park Jang-hoon.

[report]

Melanin absorbs UV rays and blocks their penetration into the skin. The greater the amount, the darker the skin.

Many LED devices have been released that suppress melanin production with red light for skin whitening effect, but since they are not for close contact with the skin, they do not deliver an appropriate amount of uniform light into the dermis, so the effect is poor.

Researchers at KAIST have developed a 'light-emitting micro LED skin patch' that delivers LED light source by attaching it to the skin.

Thousands of LEDs, which are 1/100th the thickness of a human hair, are arranged on a flexible plastic board measuring 4 cm in width and 4 cm in length, and the coated round silica particles diffuse and transmit light uniformly to enhance treatment efficacy.

As a result of experiments on human skin cells and mouse back skin, the research team revealed that the melanin production inhibition effect was increased by more than 15%.

[Soundbite] Lee Geon-jae(Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST) : "The most effective method is to attach the LED to the skin and emit a small amount of light to suppress melanin pigment without loss."]

It also reduces the risk of adverse effects or skin damage caused by excessive light or heat.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-hee/Doctoral candidate, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST : "The fever can be reduced, so even if it is applied to the skin for a long time and driven, there is no thermal damage, so effective treatment can be performed."]

The research team plans to commercialize it in March next year through start-up and technology transfer, while planning to apply it to phototherapy wearable healthcare, such as cancer and brain diseases, in addition to skin.

This is KBS News Park Jang-hoon.

Video editing: Choi Jin-seok

Park Jang-hoon (pjh@kbs.co.kr)