A method for manufacturing light emitting diodes and a light emitting diode are disclosed. In an embodiment a method includes growing an n-conductive n-layer, growing an active zone for generating ultraviolet radiation, growing a p-conductive p-layer, producing a p-type semiconductor contact layer having a varying thickness and having a plurality of thickness maxima directly on the p-type layer and applying an ohmic-conductive electrode layer directly on the semiconductor contact layer, wherein each the n-layer and the active zone is based on AlGaN, the p-layer is based on AlGaN or InGaN and the semiconductor contact layer is a GaN layer, wherein the thickness maxima have an area concentration of at least 104 cm−2 in a top view, and wherein the p-layer is only partially covered by the semiconductor contact layer in the top view.