Cosmax develops AI model to predict hair loss risk

Cosmax, a South Korean cosmetics manufacturer that develops and produces products for global beauty brands, is expanding into personalized hair care using artificial intelligence and research into scalp differences across ethnic groups.

The company said Wednesday it has filed a patent application for an AI model that predicts the risk of alopecia areata, a condition causing patchy hair loss.

Trained on about 22 million health screening records from South Korea and Japan, the model analyzes 33 physiological and medical variables without requiring additional biological samples. Cosmax has tested it on Byniq, its personalized beauty platform, which recommends hair loss care products using questionnaire responses.

Separately, an analysis of scalp lipid profiles from 387 participants of East Asian, European and African backgrounds identified three scalp types and ethnicity-specific vulnerabilities. Cosmax plans to develop biomarkers and products based on the findings.

The company also developed Corelink-S with Seoul National University. The material restores cystine bonds in hair and improves damaged hair’s tensile strength by more than 120 percent, according to Cosmax.

Its hair care sales rose about 65 percent on-year in the first half, while it filed 37 patent applications related to hair care over the past three years.

Overseas, Cosmax is developing a curly hair line addressing 12 hair and scalp conditions with specialty ingredients company ScienceCo. In July, it established Trynex with Japanese beauty distributor Fujishin, combining AI-based formulation technology with local distribution.

“We are broadening hair care research through AI, big data and globally tailored research,” a Cosmax official said.