"I Developed a Medical Device for Hair Loss Treatment and Even Earned a Certification"

LG Electronics 'MediHair' Development Participants Jungwook Kim & Byungho Yoon
Applied LLLT Technology Approved by US FDA
"Home Care Demand Continues to Rise... Plans to Launch Various Treatment Devices"

Kim Jung-wook, Senior Researcher (left), and Yoon Byung-ho, Senior Researcher of LG Electronics Home Beauty Development Team, are introducing the hair loss treatment medical device 'LG Pra.L MediHair.'
[Photo by LG Electronics]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] MediHair is LG Electronics' first home medical device launched last year. The product was designed to allow consumers worried about hair loss to conveniently manage and treat their scalp at home. Recently, efforts have been focused on increasing awareness of MediHair. Around the time of the Tokyo Olympics last summer, LG Electronics concentrated on TV advertisements during "prime time" and product placements (PPL) in dramas. Why did LG Electronics, primarily known for home appliances, expand into the home medical device sector aimed at treatment? On the 27th, we spoke with Kim Jung-wook and Yoon Byung-ho, senior researchers from LG Electronics' Home Beauty Development Team who participated in the product development, to learn about the background of MediHair's creation.

"In the past 2 to 3 years, there has been a steady increase in demand for 'home care devices' that allow convenient management at home. With the spread of untact (non-face-to-face) culture due to COVID-19, continuous growth in this product category is expected," said the LG Electronics Home Beauty Development Team. The development of MediHair began in 2017. Prior to this, while researching the LG Pra.L LED (Light Emitting Diode) mask product, the team confirmed the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) technology using light and then extended the idea to a hair loss treatment product for home use, which led to the product planning, the researchers explained.

MediHair places 250 LDs (Laser Diodes) and LED composite light sources inside a white egg-shaped helmet. The light energy emitted is directed onto hair follicle cells to promote hair growth and manage hair loss. The researchers said, "MediHair was designed with androgenetic alopecia in mind, a condition where hair thins and falls out due to male hormones, but this can also occur in women. We expect this treatment device to be helpful for those who are reluctant to use or take hair loss medication."

According to LG Electronics, clinical trial results showed that the hair density of the group using MediHair for 16 weeks improved by 21.64%, and hair thickness improved by 19.46% compared to the group that did not use the device.

Medical device for hair loss treatment 'LG Pra.L MediHair' developed by LG Electronics
[Photo by LG Electronics]

Unlike general home appliances, home medical devices must pass rigorous procedures such as clinical trials and approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Above all, the technology must be safe for the human body and medically proven effective. LLLT is a verified technology that received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007 after various clinical experiments.

The developers also put more effort into bringing MediHair to market than with other product lines. Researcher Kim said, "Most engineers participated in development with a mindset of studying not only the knowledge required for general product design but also physiology and biotechnology." For example, Kim studied in a beautician certification preparation class when developing the LED mask and took charge of regulatory affairs for Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approval during MediHair development, even obtaining a regulatory affairs (RA) expert certification.

LG Electronics is strengthening its home care solutions by launching the 'Pra.L Eye Care,' which helps manage the skin around the eyes, following the LED mask and MediHair. This considers the increasing consumer interest in beauty and the clear trend toward personalization. Leveraging the know-how established during MediHair's development, LG plans to release additional medical devices incorporating treatment technologies for various diseases.

Researcher Yoon emphasized, "Since home medical devices are used at home outside of medical professional supervision, safety design that considers various usage environments and individual differences is essential. Like home appliances, we will introduce products that earn recognition as 'LG Electronics home medical devices are different.'"