Exosome therapy is one of the most exciting treatments in the medical and aesthetic world today, giving hope to millions of people suffering from ongoing skin problems. Leading dermatologists claim there is no skin issue that cannot benefit from the non-invasive treatment, which has unrivaled results when applied after skin rejuvenation methods.
According to Dr. Dev Patel, a pioneering Portsmouth dermatologist who launched exosome therapy at his clinic in 2020, there is no skin issue that does not benefit from this innovative treatment. He said:
“From loss of elasticity to persistent facial eczema, exosomes are like ambassadors of the stem cells and mediators of cell-to-cell communication.
They effectively regulate processes such as inflammation, cell proliferation, blood vessel formation. If we’re talking about skin cells, exosomes deliver hundreds of beneficial effects including a significant increase in collagen elastin production, reduction and pigmentation improvements and skin barrier function.
It’s a very holistic treatment that isn’t restricted to one thing. Exosomes are there to fix problems. They deliver a rich natural mix of hundreds of great factors and regulatory proteins.”
Exosomes are nanoparticles released by nearly all cells in the human body and contain various lipids, proteins, amino acids, peptides, growth factors and genetic material. They are the signaling messengers from stem cells and have a whole host of potential aesthetic benefits for skin and wound healing.
Exosome therapy involves the application of topical exosomes in the form of what looks and feels like a serum or gel after treatments like resurfacing lasers or microneedling. The therapy increases collagen and elastin production, improves wound healing and decreases pigment production, resulting in skin that is plumper, firmer, brighter and smoother.
When used as an in-office skincare treatment, exosomes are extracted from human stem cells and frozen to keep them as stable as possible. Unlike stem cells, exosomes are mRNA and do not have a nucleus, so they cannot be rejected by the body in an adverse graft-versus-host reaction.
However, exosomes do not work if simply applied topically with no prior treatment as they cannot penetrate the skin—they need a disruption in the superficial layer of skin to start communicating with deeper skin cells.
Dr. Dev explains that he often carries out some microneedling on the client before applying the exosomes. He said:
“Normally with microneedling, the skin becomes quite red, but when exosomes are used, it is barely pink. Whether it’s loss of elasticity, lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, open pores—the usual signs of aging—or a specific skin issue, like diagnosed eczema, if there’s troubling skin, then exosomes will help to improve it.”
Although the benefits of exosomes in dermatology are universally recognized, there is an ongoing discussion on which sources are best to harvest them from. Dr. Dev added:
“At present, there is some growing debate on not only what sources are best to isolate exosomes from but also which forms meet current EU regulations.”
Exosome Therapy for Wound Recovery
Exosomes also have anti-inflammatory properties to help diminish the symptoms of inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, according to a recent study published in Biomaterials Research.
Further research is being carried out to determine the best ways to use exosome therapy for wound recovery in diabetic patients and burn victims, as well as for surgical incisions.
In aesthetics, patients usually see results within two to six weeks of treatment, but the rejuvenation process continues for six to eight months post-treatment as the cells stay active. Like many cutting-edge skincare treatments, the technology was first developed in Korea, and there are only four labs in the world that make exosomes of this type.
