"Innovating Hospital Skincare Devices for Home Use with 'Reziena'
Developing Home-Use HIFU Devices... Attracts Attention for No Cartridge Replacement
'Smart Mask' with Low Electric Current... Received Innovation Award at CES in Early This Year
Promoting Skincare Big Data Platform... Aiming to Succeed with Technology Rather Than Marketing"
At Reziena’s headquarters in Magok-dong, Gangseo District, Seoul, CEO Shin Seung-woo introduces the company’s “Smart Mask”—a skincare product based on the principle of iontophoresis (pictured on the desk)—and a home-use skincare device that employs high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Explaining the technology, Shin said, “I want Reziena to be remembered as a technology company that makes medical-grade skincare devices easy to use at home.”
People who visit dermatology clinics or plastic surgery centers to improve skin elasticity often expect immediate results. This demand has driven the rapid growth of ultrasound-based procedures. In particular, lifting treatments using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) are now widely available in hospitals. Compared with LED-based methods, HIFU can deliver energy deeper into the skin, making it more effective for treating deep wrinkles. However, the procedures are costly, often exceeding 1 million won depending on the treatment area.
Reziena, a startup based in the Magok Industrial Complex in western Seoul, is focused on developing technology that brings hospital-grade skincare devices into the home. Its flagship effort involves miniaturizing HIFU devices traditionally used in clinical settings. “As life expectancy increases, interest in skin aging will naturally grow,” said Shin, 47. “Our goal is not dramatic, one-time results, but technology that allows people to care for their skin easily and consistently at home.”
A HIFU Device That Eliminates Cartridge Replacement
HIFU devices work by delivering focused ultrasound energy to specific depths beneath the skin, generating thermal stimulation in targeted tissue. The principle is similar to using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight onto a single point. In medical settings, HIFU primarily targets the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), located between the fat and muscle layers. By concentrating energy into microscopic points, the tissue contracts and regenerates collagen as it heals, helping counter sagging caused by age-related loosening of the SMAS layer.
In hospitals, doctors typically use HIFU devices that deliver energy up to a depth of 4.5 millimeters to treat deep wrinkles. Reziena, however, designed its home-use device with safety and ease of use in mind, limiting energy penetration to 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm—depths suitable for consumer use.
One of the device’s most notable features is that it does not require cartridge replacement. In conventional HIFU devices, cartridges—which contain the ultrasound-generating components—must be swapped out to adjust treatment depth and replaced after a certain number of uses, often at a cost of several hundred thousand won. “Home beauty devices should be simple,” Shin said. “That’s why we spent four to five years developing this technology.”
Reziena’s device is designed for semi-permanent use without cartridge replacement. Traditional cartridges generate ultrasound by cutting ceramic into a concave shape and applying high voltage to induce vibration. Reziena developed an alternative method that avoids cutting the ceramic, significantly improving durability. The company also redesigned the cartridge structure to prevent evaporation of the distilled water required for ultrasound transmission and developed a protective film, enabling long-term use.
Reziena is currently seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its home-use HIFU device. “The device operates at voltage and frequency levels similar to FDA-approved hospital HIFU equipment in the U.S.,” Shin said. “Once safety and side effects are fully verified, we expect approval.” To date, no home-use HIFU device has received FDA clearance.
‘Smart Mask’ Wins CES Innovation Award
Shin is careful not to position Reziena as a company focused solely on HIFU. “HIFU is just the beginning,” he said, unveiling the company’s upcoming “Smart Mask,” scheduled for launch early next year.
The Smart Mask is an electronic mask pack that applies iontophoresis—a method commonly used in hospitals and skincare clinics—to a disposable sheet mask. A mild electrical current helps drive negatively charged nutrients deeper into the skin. “After receiving a CES Innovation Award earlier this year, we began collaborating with Kolmar Korea to further improve product quality,” Shin said. “We expect commercialization early next year.”
The disposable Smart Mask is as thin as conventional sheet masks. It incorporates an ultra-thin silver foil film, and because it requires power, Reziena developed and integrated paper-thin batteries.
In parallel, Reziena has licensed technology from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) to generate high-intensity focused ultrasound using semiconductors. If commercialized, the technology could further reduce device size and simplify control of energy penetration depth by eliminating the need for ceramic components.
From Samsung and LG to Startup Founder
Shin earned a master’s degree in mechatronics engineering from Korea University in 2006 and began his career as a researcher at Samsung Electronics, where he worked on medical devices. In the early 2010s, Samsung invested heavily in advanced medical equipment such as CT scanners, but the business was later scaled back. After years of intense development work, Shin left the company.
In late 2014, he joined LG Electronics, which was preparing to enter the medical beauty market. There, he led planning and technology development for home beauty devices and played a key role in launching LG’s “Pra.L” line.
Drawing on his experience at both companies, Shin later teamed up with former colleagues to launch Reziena. The transition was not easy. “Leaving a large corporation where you earn a stable, high income is a big decision,” he said. While still employed, he quietly entered startup competitions to test his business model. After securing roughly 500 million won in government funding, he resigned and committed fully to the venture.
Reziena’s leadership team includes CTO Kim Tae-gyun, a former Samsung Electronics researcher with extensive experience in medical device hardware and control protocols, and CMO Lee Seongmin, a former senior researcher at Samsung Medison and a Stanford University graduate who worked on ultrasound imaging systems.
“I still receive advice from seniors and juniors at both Samsung and LG,” Shin said. “That experience has been invaluable.”
Building a Skin Big Data Platform
Looking ahead, Reziena plans to build a skin-focused big data platform. Because skin thickness and characteristics vary widely from person to person, personalized data is essential for developing and optimizing skincare devices. While selling its HIFU devices, Reziena collects anonymized skin data. Currently, the company’s app provides guidance on treatment areas, but it is expected to offer more precise recommendations on usage time and frequency as personalized data accumulates.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a local partner (right) introduces Reziena’s home HIFU device to a customer.
Reziena focuses primarily on product development, while marketing is handled through external partnerships. Its HIFU devices are sold through major plastic surgery clinics in Seoul’s Gangnam district and overseas markets including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. “We are benefiting from the global reputation of K-beauty,” Shin said. “Entering overseas markets first has helped us build credibility.”
By Heo Jin-seok, jameshur@donga.com
Source: https://www.donga.com/news/It/article/all/20230610/119699213/1
"Innovating Hospital Skincare Devices for Home Use with 'Reziena'
Developing Home-Use HIFU Devices... Attracts Attention for No Cartridge Replacement
'Smart Mask' with Low Electric Current... Received Innovation Award at CES in Early This Year
Promoting Skincare Big Data Platform... Aiming to Succeed with Technology Rather Than Marketing"
At Reziena’s headquarters in Magok-dong, Gangseo District, Seoul, CEO Shin Seung-woo introduces the company’s “Smart Mask”—a skincare product based on the principle of iontophoresis (pictured on the desk)—and a home-use skincare device that employs high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Explaining the technology, Shin said, “I want Reziena to be remembered as a technology company that makes medical-grade skincare devices easy to use at home.”
People who visit dermatology clinics or plastic surgery centers to improve skin elasticity often expect immediate results. This demand has driven the rapid growth of ultrasound-based procedures. In particular, lifting treatments using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) are now widely available in hospitals. Compared with LED-based methods, HIFU can deliver energy deeper into the skin, making it more effective for treating deep wrinkles. However, the procedures are costly, often exceeding 1 million won depending on the treatment area.
Reziena, a startup based in the Magok Industrial Complex in western Seoul, is focused on developing technology that brings hospital-grade skincare devices into the home. Its flagship effort involves miniaturizing HIFU devices traditionally used in clinical settings. “As life expectancy increases, interest in skin aging will naturally grow,” said Shin, 47. “Our goal is not dramatic, one-time results, but technology that allows people to care for their skin easily and consistently at home.”
A HIFU Device That Eliminates Cartridge Replacement
HIFU devices work by delivering focused ultrasound energy to specific depths beneath the skin, generating thermal stimulation in targeted tissue. The principle is similar to using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight onto a single point. In medical settings, HIFU primarily targets the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), located between the fat and muscle layers. By concentrating energy into microscopic points, the tissue contracts and regenerates collagen as it heals, helping counter sagging caused by age-related loosening of the SMAS layer.
In hospitals, doctors typically use HIFU devices that deliver energy up to a depth of 4.5 millimeters to treat deep wrinkles. Reziena, however, designed its home-use device with safety and ease of use in mind, limiting energy penetration to 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm—depths suitable for consumer use.
One of the device’s most notable features is that it does not require cartridge replacement. In conventional HIFU devices, cartridges—which contain the ultrasound-generating components—must be swapped out to adjust treatment depth and replaced after a certain number of uses, often at a cost of several hundred thousand won. “Home beauty devices should be simple,” Shin said. “That’s why we spent four to five years developing this technology.”
Reziena’s device is designed for semi-permanent use without cartridge replacement. Traditional cartridges generate ultrasound by cutting ceramic into a concave shape and applying high voltage to induce vibration. Reziena developed an alternative method that avoids cutting the ceramic, significantly improving durability. The company also redesigned the cartridge structure to prevent evaporation of the distilled water required for ultrasound transmission and developed a protective film, enabling long-term use.
Reziena is currently seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its home-use HIFU device. “The device operates at voltage and frequency levels similar to FDA-approved hospital HIFU equipment in the U.S.,” Shin said. “Once safety and side effects are fully verified, we expect approval.” To date, no home-use HIFU device has received FDA clearance.
‘Smart Mask’ Wins CES Innovation Award
Shin is careful not to position Reziena as a company focused solely on HIFU. “HIFU is just the beginning,” he said, unveiling the company’s upcoming “Smart Mask,” scheduled for launch early next year.
The Smart Mask is an electronic mask pack that applies iontophoresis—a method commonly used in hospitals and skincare clinics—to a disposable sheet mask. A mild electrical current helps drive negatively charged nutrients deeper into the skin. “After receiving a CES Innovation Award earlier this year, we began collaborating with Kolmar Korea to further improve product quality,” Shin said. “We expect commercialization early next year.”
The disposable Smart Mask is as thin as conventional sheet masks. It incorporates an ultra-thin silver foil film, and because it requires power, Reziena developed and integrated paper-thin batteries.
In parallel, Reziena has licensed technology from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) to generate high-intensity focused ultrasound using semiconductors. If commercialized, the technology could further reduce device size and simplify control of energy penetration depth by eliminating the need for ceramic components.
From Samsung and LG to Startup Founder
Shin earned a master’s degree in mechatronics engineering from Korea University in 2006 and began his career as a researcher at Samsung Electronics, where he worked on medical devices. In the early 2010s, Samsung invested heavily in advanced medical equipment such as CT scanners, but the business was later scaled back. After years of intense development work, Shin left the company.
In late 2014, he joined LG Electronics, which was preparing to enter the medical beauty market. There, he led planning and technology development for home beauty devices and played a key role in launching LG’s “Pra.L” line.
Drawing on his experience at both companies, Shin later teamed up with former colleagues to launch Reziena. The transition was not easy. “Leaving a large corporation where you earn a stable, high income is a big decision,” he said. While still employed, he quietly entered startup competitions to test his business model. After securing roughly 500 million won in government funding, he resigned and committed fully to the venture.
Reziena’s leadership team includes CTO Kim Tae-gyun, a former Samsung Electronics researcher with extensive experience in medical device hardware and control protocols, and CMO Lee Seongmin, a former senior researcher at Samsung Medison and a Stanford University graduate who worked on ultrasound imaging systems.
“I still receive advice from seniors and juniors at both Samsung and LG,” Shin said. “That experience has been invaluable.”
Building a Skin Big Data Platform
Looking ahead, Reziena plans to build a skin-focused big data platform. Because skin thickness and characteristics vary widely from person to person, personalized data is essential for developing and optimizing skincare devices. While selling its HIFU devices, Reziena collects anonymized skin data. Currently, the company’s app provides guidance on treatment areas, but it is expected to offer more precise recommendations on usage time and frequency as personalized data accumulates.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a local partner (right) introduces Reziena’s home HIFU device to a customer.
Reziena focuses primarily on product development, while marketing is handled through external partnerships. Its HIFU devices are sold through major plastic surgery clinics in Seoul’s Gangnam district and overseas markets including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. “We are benefiting from the global reputation of K-beauty,” Shin said. “Entering overseas markets first has helped us build credibility.”
By Heo Jin-seok, jameshur@donga.com
Source: https://www.donga.com/news/It/article/all/20230610/119699213/1