I have covered low-level laser therapy (LLLT) to treat hair loss many times on this blog. Among the best laser hair growth devices today include laser caps, laser helmets, laser combs and laser bands. LLLT is also known as photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy.
While laser diodes are the preferred source of energy in most LLLT devices, some new products such as the iRestore Elite helmet contain both laser diodes and light emitting diodes (LEDs). Most FDA cleared LLLT hair growth products emit a wavelength of around 650 nm, which is in the red light spectrum.
One key problem with existing laser devices is that people do not like to be seen wearing them in public. Moreover, people do not always want to carry around (or wear) products that can be bulky and heavy. Especially when you have to use them for 15-30 minutes every single day.
Textile or Cap Based Near-Infrared Organic Light Emitting Diodes for Hair Growth
But we may now have a solution to these problems. Research teams from South Korea and Hong Kong have collaborated to develop a hat-like, wearable organic light emitting diode (OLED) based phototherapy device to treat hair loss. These near-infrared (NIR) OLEDs can be embedded into a range of flexible caps that fit closer to the scalp. They can then be worn out in public with greater ease and comfort. The researchers call them “wearable textile-based NIR OLEDs”.
The entire study was published in “Nature” in January and is titled:
“Wearable textile-based phototherapy platform with customized NIR OLEDs toward non-invasive hair loss treatment.”
According to the research team leader Dr. Kyung Cheol Choi from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST):
“Because OLEDs are thin and flexible, they can closely conform to the curved surface of the scalp, delivering uniform light stimulation across the entire area.”
Moreover, the light that these OLEDs emit onto the scalp is more diffuse and uniformly spread in comparison to the light emitted by LEDs or lasers. In fact many laser hair growth devices use LED or laser-based point light sources, which make it difficult to achieve widespread and uniform light exposure across the entire scalp. Organic light-emitting diodes use organic materials as light emitters.
A 92% Suppression of Follicle Cell Aging
The scientists behind this platform fabricated customized OLEDs that selectively emit near-infrared light in the 730–740 nm range. This is supposed to be optimal for activating dermal papilla cells. The effectiveness of these NIR OLEDs was validated through experiments using human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs).
“Cellular aging analysis showed that NIR OLED irradiation suppressed cell aging by approximately 92% compared with the control group, outperforming conventional red-light irradiation conditions.”
Improved migration activity was observed in hDPCs exposed to NIR OLED irradiation compared with non-irradiated controls. Also of interest, greater suppression of senescence-associated β galactosidase activity and senescence markers was observed under irradiation with the NIR OLED device.
Future Plans
The joint research team plans to verify safety and efficacy through future clinical studies. They will need to evaluate changes in hair density, hair-shaft thickness and hair length. Moreover, for real world applicability, they will need to develop flexible batteries with sufficient voltage and power capacity.
Moreover, practical use of a cap-like product demands that washability and mechanical flexibility both be achieved. Attaining washability requires comprehensive waterproofing and reliable sealing of interfaces among the battery, flexible printed circuit board and OLED.