A new wearable device shaped like a simple cap may soon offer a more comfortable and convenient way to treat hair loss.
Researchers have developed a flexible, fabric-like hat that uses advanced light technology to stimulate hair follicles, potentially replacing the bulky helmet-style devices currently used for phototherapy treatments.
The device was created by a research team led by Professor Kyung Cheol Choi at KAIST, working with collaborators from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Their study, published in Nature Communications, describes a new approach that combines soft wearable materials with special organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, to deliver therapeutic light evenly across the scalp.
Hair loss treatments often rely on medications, but long-term use can cause unwanted side effects.
For this reason, interest has grown in noninvasive alternatives such as light therapy, which uses specific wavelengths of light to stimulate hair growth.
Existing phototherapy devices typically resemble rigid helmets fitted with small LEDs or lasers. These systems are heavy, uncomfortable, and usually limited to indoor use. They also produce uneven light, which can reduce effectiveness.
The new cap-like device addresses these problems by using OLED technology instead of point light sources.
Unlike traditional LEDs, OLEDs can emit light across a wide surface, creating uniform coverage.
The researchers embedded near-infrared OLEDs into a soft textile material that can bend and stretch, allowing the cap to fit closely to the shape of the head.
This design ensures that light reaches the entire scalp evenly while remaining lightweight and comfortable enough for everyday use.
Beyond improving comfort, the team focused on targeting one of the main causes of hair loss: aging of hair follicle cells. They carefully selected a narrow range of near-infrared light wavelengths that are especially effective at stimulating dermal papilla cells, which play a crucial role in hair growth.
By adapting techniques originally developed for display screens, the researchers engineered OLEDs that emit light in the optimal range of 730 to 740 nanometers.
Laboratory tests using human hair follicle cells showed promising results. Exposure to the near-infrared light significantly slowed cellular aging, reducing it by about 92 percent compared with untreated samples. This performance exceeded that of conventional red-light therapies, suggesting the new technology could offer a more powerful treatment option.
Because the device is soft and wearable, it could allow people to receive therapy while going about their daily routines rather than sitting still under a heavy helmet. Researchers say further studies will be needed to confirm safety and effectiveness before the technology can be used widely.
If successful, the OLED cap could represent a major step forward in hair-loss treatment, combining advances in flexible electronics and medical science.
By turning complex therapy equipment into something as simple as a hat, the innovation could make noninvasive treatment more accessible, comfortable, and practical for everyday life.
