Kolmar Korea develops AI tech for diagnosing alopecia

Kolmar Korea, a supplier to global cosmetics brands such as Estee Lauder, announced on Tuesday that it developed artificial intelligence (AI) technology capable of identifying 16 types of androgenic alopecia, a genetically predetermined hair disorder due to an excessive response to androgens.

This technology can diagnose nine male and seven female alopecia types by identifying biomarkers (DNA) on the scalp surface.

When a cosmetics researcher scrapes a consumer's scalp to collect biomarkers and places them in an analysis device, a computer program connected to the device analyzes the presence and type of androgenic alopecia.

Kolmar Korea plans to collaborate with client companies to develop customized cosmetics for the 16 types of androgenic alopecia.

"About 700 genetic mutations occur for each type of androgenic alopecia," a company source said. "We plan to recommend over 10,000 customized cosmetics based on the types of genetic mutations."

Write to Ji-Yoon Yang at yang@hankyung.com