South Korea ranked first in the world for patent applications related to hair loss cosmetics.
The Korean Intellectual Property Office analyzed hair loss cosmetics patents from major patent offices worldwide over the past 22 years since 2002 and noted on the 17th that South Korea had the most applications. Hair loss cosmetics, functional cosmetics mainly used on the scalp and hair, help prevent hair loss through improved blood circulation and hormone regulation. The global hair loss cosmetics market is projected to expand to approximately 31 trillion won by 2025.
The Korean Intellectual Property Office analyzed patents from the five major patent offices: South Korea, the United States, China, Europe, and Japan. As a result, South Korea showed the highest share at 42.9% (576 cases), followed by Japan at 20.2% (272 cases), the United States at 17.2% (231 cases), China at 8.9% (119 cases), and Europe at 7.7% (104 cases).
When examining hair loss cosmetic patent applications by ingredient type, South Korea ranked first with a 50.0% (241 cases) share in the natural materials field and 56.4% (216 cases) in the bio materials field, demonstrating leadership in patent applications in these areas. In the synthetic materials field, the United States ranked first with 32.6% (156 cases), while South Korea ranked second with 24.8% (119 cases).
By applicant, the bio-material specialist CAREGEN ranked first with 115 cases, and the cosmetics company Amorepacific Corporation ranked second with 72 cases. Including LG H&H at fourth with 25 cases, three South Korean corporations made the top ten. Amorepacific ranked first in the natural materials field, while CAREGEN ranked first in the bio materials field.
A representative from the Korean Intellectual Property Office said, "This patent analysis confirmed that the hair loss cosmetics market is a blue ocean where our country can establish a technological advantage," adding that the office will share the patent analysis results with the industry so that local corporations can lead the global hair loss cosmetics market and will continue to communicate to ensure the cosmetics industry can grow based on intellectual property.