Treating Acne with 'Transparent Heat Patch'

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] A transparent thermal patch that increases blood flow by raising the temperature of acne or inflamed areas to enhance treatment effects has been developed.

The research team, including Professor Jangwoong Park of the Nano Medicine Research Division at the Institute for Basic Science (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University), Professor Sangyoung Lee of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, and the University of Milan, announced on the 8th that they have developed a transparent thermal patch that attaches to the skin to treat acne and inflammation.

Development of Transparent Thermal Patch

The research team succeeded in developing a transparent thermal patch that can be used anytime and anywhere by utilizing transparent electrode and battery technology.

First, the researchers made metallic glass with excellent elasticity into one-dimensional fiber forms and wove them into a fine mesh. Then, they filled the gaps in this mesh with nanometer-thick thin threads called nanowires to form a highly conductive and flexible transparent electrode. Using an electrohydrodynamic printing technique, they also produced a transparent battery by printing silver (Ag) ink in a grid pattern. The electrohydrodynamic printing technique is a method that precisely prints electrode materials and electrolytes using electrostatic forces.

The researchers applied heat to the skin with the developed patch for about one minute and observed physiological changes in the skin, finding that blood flow increased for 13 minutes and moisture absorption also increased by about 1.9 times. They evaluated that the performance of the thermal patch was experimentally proven, showing potential for medical use.

Raising Temperature of Acne and Inflamed Areas for Treatment

The research team explained that the newly developed transparent thermal patch is connected to communication circuits and can be wirelessly charged, and it operates with a light press, allowing use anytime and anywhere.

Researcher Jangwoong Park said, "With this study, we have introduced the first wireless charging thermal patch that is fully transparent and flexible," and added, "It is expected to be used not only in beauty and medical fields but also as a next-generation wearable device platform attached to the skin."

Acne and inflammation are skin conditions that trouble people of all ages and genders. These skin conditions can be treated with thermal therapy that applies warm heat to the skin. When heat is applied to the skin, blood vessels dilate, improving blood circulation and reducing inflammation, while the movement of collagen molecules that make up the skin becomes more active, aiding drug penetration.

Meanwhile, the results of this study were published in the international academic journal Nano Letters.