Thermal patches, in general, cure skin diseases such as acne and inflammation by applying heat to the skin to facilitate blood circulation and to reduce nerve fatigue. (image: Pixabay)
DAEJEON, July 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s basic science institute announced on Wednesday that a research team have developed a thin and transparent thermal patch to cure acne.
Thermal patches, in general, cure skin diseases such as acne and inflammation by applying heat to the skin to facilitate blood circulation and to reduce nerve fatigue.
Existing thermal patches, however, are bulky and easily noticeable since they require driving modules and batteries.
Unlike existing patches, the newly-developed thermal patch features both beauty and convenience with all of its components such as electrodes, batteries and wireless communication devices being made transparent and flexible.
The research team, formed by Park Jang-ung, a senior fellow at the Institute for Basic Science, professor Lee Sang-young from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology and scientists from the University of Milan, used a new metallic glass material for the electrodes, one of the core components of thermal patches.
(image: Institute for Basic Science)
Metallic glass, a type of alloy, boasts stronger elasticity than general metals and superior electric properties.
The new thermal patch also features transparent batteries which were made using the electro-hydrodynamic jet-printing method.
By connecting the electrodes and battery in a communication circuit, the thermal patch can be charged on a remote basis.
After affixing the new thermal patch onto the skin and applying heat for about one minute, it contributed to facilitating blood circulation for 13 minutes and making the skin’s water absorption almost twice as high as normal.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
