As a subsidiary of Korea’s leading wound dressing company, T&L Healthcare is advancing health care with innovative stretchable electronics, LED devices, and sensors to make health monitoring more accessible.
The healthcare sector is at an exciting crossroads. On one side, the aging population in developed economies pushes medical institutions and governments to limit expenses and increase profitability. On the other side, after the COVID-19 pandemic and technological advancements, people have realized the importance of careful health monitoring and tracking physiological signals. From your expertise, what role should medical equipment companies play in minimizing the effects of an aging population and adapting to changes in the medical sector?
The number of people aged 65 and older is rapidly increasing, and Korea is transitioning into a super-aged society. This demographic shift will lead to a significant rise in chronic illnesses and musculoskeletal disorders, such as diabetic ulcers and bedsores. Consequently, the demand for medical devices and aids that elderly individuals can easily use is also increasing.
To address this challenge, we need to develop home care products and medical devices that are simple to use and highly accessible, enabling self-treatment. Self-care and self-treatment are crucial in a super-aged society, where many elderly individuals face difficulties visiting hospitals. Home care devices are becoming increasingly popular for this reason. We are actively working to produce products that meet the specific needs and requirements of older adults. By developing such devices, I believe we can also positively impact medical insurance systems by reducing healthcare costs.
Over the last five years, Korea has undergone a significant transformation from an import-oriented country to an export-oriented one. Notably, excluding in vitro equipment, medical device exports increased by 8% last year. In an industry that is traditionally conservative and resistant to switching suppliers or adopting new technologies, what do you see as the key drivers of this growth? Was it a matter of increased reputation or technological advancement?
The medical device market is challenging to penetrate, both domestically and internationally. Overcoming these hurdles requires a dual focus. First, it is essential to invent and develop products using advanced technology. Second, building a strong reputation by emphasizing the safety and stability of our products is crucial. Trust is fundamental—once medical professionals and consumers recognize the reliability of our products, they are more likely to adopt them long-term.
However, no matter how advanced the technology, without convenience and cost-effectiveness, market penetration remains difficult. Therefore, I want to emphasize the importance of balancing technological excellence with practical user benefits. Additionally, having tailored marketing strategies for each local market is vital for success.
Regarding reputation and technology, I see them as complementary rather than separate factors. Advanced technology builds trust with consumers and medical professionals, and this trust naturally enhances our reputation over time.
You previously led R&D at T&L. You are now leading T&L Healthcare and developing a new product range in electronic medical devices based on stretchable technologies. Could you explain the potential of stretchable electronics technologies within the medical sector and why you are focusing on it?
T&L Healthcare is a spin-off from T&L, which specializes in polymer technology. While T&L focuses on this core expertise, T&L Healthcare leans more toward electronic medical devices. People may see these as separate fields, but our electronic devices also incorporate polymer technology.
In light therapy, for example, traditional devices were often large, stationary units. These have now evolved into pads and patches, allowing consumers to use them as home care devices—a significant advancement. That's why we are developing wearable light therapy devices.
Previously, due to their rigid nature, stationary devices made it difficult for users to position the light directly on their skin. This inflexibility reduced the efficiency of light therapy. By developing stickable, flexible, and stretchable light therapy devices, we provide customers with a more effective and convenient solution, ensuring better direct skin contact and enhancing treatment outcomes.
One example of your recent developments is COMLAX, which targets three different types of use. Could you explain more about the concept of COMLAX and how it offers greater benefits than your competitors?
T&L Healthcare was established in March 2023, and our first product release was COMLAX, a pain-relieving device. Following this launch, we have been targeting two distinct sectors—the medical device sector and the beauty care sector.
COMLAX is a device designed to alleviate pain and is particularly beneficial for sports enthusiasts. Although it is currently being sold as an industrial product, we are in the process of obtaining certification to market COMLAX as a medical device.
As for the two categories I mentioned—medical devices and beauty care—we are developing numerous products for wrinkle improvement, such as neck bands, acne patches, and acne masks. On the medical side, beyond COMLAX, we are developing devices designed to relieve pain in the head, ankles, stomach, and back. All of these products are built on our stretchable technology.
Stretchable technology significantly boosts efficacy by making it easy for devices to adhere anywhere on the body. This strong adhesion enhances the effectiveness of LED light therapy.
The trend of light therapy gained popularity especially last year. Do you think LED therapy will become a lasting trend in the cosmetic sector? What are your expectations, and when do you anticipate releasing your products to the market?
Based on our research, the LED light therapy market is growing at an annual rate of 9%, so we anticipate continued steady growth. In terms of product release timelines, it doesn’t take long to obtain certification for home care and beauty devices. Therefore, we plan to release the neck band for wrinkles, as well as acne patches and masks, within this year.
On the other hand, medical device certification varies by country. For example, Korea has its own certification process, while the US requires FDA approval, and Europe mandates CE certification. Devices related to hair loss and back pain will likely be released next year or the year after. This is why we are currently prioritizing beauty care devices.
LED light therapy is well-known today, but its long-term benefits are still not fully understood. There are many methods for cosmetic treatments, such as creams, gels, and other devices. Do you see LED light as a complement to these existing solutions?
There are two primary categories for LED light use in the beauty industry: treating skin issues like acne and improving wrinkles.
For acne treatment, we use blue LED light at a wavelength of 420 nanometers, which effectively kills acne-causing bacteria. When it comes to wrinkle improvement, we use red LED light at 630 nanometers. The skin has multiple layers, and this red light penetrates the epidermis, where it stimulates fibroblast cells, promoting cell growth and improving wrinkles.
While products like creams and gels can also help clear the skin and reduce wrinkles, combining these products with our LED light devices maximizes their effectiveness. This synergy provides better outcomes for both acne treatment and wrinkle reduction.
Could you explain a bit more about the other developments and innovations you are conducting?
T&L Healthcare focuses on medical and beauty care devices based on stretchable technology. Stretchable technology can be divided into three components: PCB (Printed Circuit Board), stretchable modules that enable the mounting of semiconductors, and coating technology for sealing and stabilization. These elements are integrated to create devices such as acne patches, masks, and pain-relief devices for back pain and hair loss.
Regarding our workforce, it is true that 90% of our employees are currently dedicated to research and development. This is because we have not yet started full-scale production. Once production begins, we will increase our workforce in marketing, manufacturing, and production. This shift is a positive and expected development.
Could you give us a better understanding of the vision of the company and what you aim for T&L Healthcare to become in the future?
Our stretchable technology development was motivated by the aging population and the need to address challenges in a super-aged society. Many elderly individuals find it difficult to travel to hospitals, and prevention plays a critical role in health management. We envisioned combining IT with therapeutic technology to create devices that prevent disease and promote home care.
A key focus is ensuring our products are adhesive and durable enough for elderly users to apply easily. Our future goals include not just providing beauty and medical devices, but also devices that help diagnose, monitor, and prevent diseases conveniently and cost-effectively.
Incorporating advanced technologies such as sensors and ultrasonic wave devices, along with light therapy, will help users stick and wear our products easily. We believe this convenience and innovation will drive adoption.
Looking globally, many countries have better healthcare systems and technologies. However, our success depends on ensuring our products are convenient and cost-effective for elderly users. Our ultimate goal is to become a leader in disease prevention, monitoring, and home care.
Additionally, while many research institutions are attempting to develop stretchable technology, we are currently the only company in Korea—and possibly the world—that has successfully commercialized products based on this technology. Our participation in exhibitions has consistently demonstrated our unique capabilities.
We aim to maintain our leading position and further integrate technologies like sensors, AI, and light therapy. For instance, we are developing devices for remote diagnostics, such as electronic thermometers and ECG patches. We are also exploring partnerships with T&L to develop wound-healing technologies that use light to accelerate recovery while monitoring healing progress in real time.
Are you considering partnerships with major companies both domestically and internationally?
Developing products independently is challenging, which is why we are keen on establishing joint development partnerships with universities, research labs, and hospitals. Collaborations are essential to perfecting our products and bringing them to market.
Partnering with medical professionals is especially important. Products developed in collaboration with experts are more likely to meet consumer needs and gain market acceptance. We are also open to collaborating with companies that possess complementary technologies.
T&L Healthcare is a relatively new company, and our stretchable technology is unique. While we have not yet had the right channels to promote our technology widely, this interview presents a valuable opportunity to introduce our products globally. We sincerely hope to form international partnerships and collaborations.
In one or two sentences, what would you like readers to take away from your interview?
We are a company dedicated to developing products based on stretchable technology, currently in the R&D phase but aiming to release products soon. We hope readers gain insight into our technological advancements and, if interested, reach out for potential collaborations and partnerships.
For more details, explore their website at: https://www.tnlhealthcare.co.kr/
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