With the growing interest in beauty, the demand for technologies that can suppress aging has been emphasized. A research team led by Professor Keon Jae Lee from KAIST has developed a surface-lighting micro-LED mask. Compared to conventional LED masks, it demonstrates up to a 340% improvement in skin beauty effects and up to a 50% improvement in six facial areas, offering a device capable of suppressing skin aging.

The desire to maintain beauty and a youthful appearance for aesthetic purposes has become increasingly prominent. Skin aging, including wrinkles, sagging, and loss of elasticity, is widely recognized as a significant cosmetic concern that impacts aesthetic appeal. LED masks are a promising skin anti-aging solution due to their safe and convenient use at home.

Conventional LED masks, with their rigid design, fail to conform closely to the skin's contours. This limitation causes substantial light reflection, with up to 90% reflected over a distance of 2 cm, reducing light penetration and limiting stimulation of the deep skin layers essential for effective skin rejuvenation.

To address these challenges, Professor Keon Jae Lee's team developed a face-conforming surface lighting micro-LED (FSLED) mask, which can provide uniform photostimulation to the dermis. The key technology lies in the mask's ability to deliver uniform light to deep skin tissues while maintaining a conformal skin attachment. This is achieved through a 3D origami structure, integrated with 3,770 micro-LEDs and flexible surface light-diffusion layer, minimizing the gaps between the light source and the skin.

In clinical trials involving 33 participants, the FSLED mask demonstrated a 340% improvement in deep skin elasticity compared to conventional LED masks, proving its efficacy in significantly reducing skin wrinkles, sagging and aging.

Professor Lee said, "The FSLED mask provides cosmetic benefits to the entire facial dermis without the side effects of low-temperature burns, making home-care anti-aging treatment that enhances the quality of human life possible.”

"Clinical Validation of Face-fit Surface-lighting Micro Light-emitting Diode Mask for Skin Anti-aging Treatment," was published in Advanced Materials on October 22, 2024.