{"id":24451,"date":"2023-03-03T09:49:18","date_gmt":"2023-03-03T17:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=24451"},"modified":"2023-10-18T11:49:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T18:49:55","slug":"exosome-therapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/exosome-therapy","title":{"rendered":"Exosome Therapy Is the Next Big Thing in Aesthetic Medicine\u2014Here\u2019s How It Works"},"content":{"rendered":"

Without experimentation, there would be no progress, and that’s especially the case when it comes to science. The FDA first allowed the study of botulinum toxin’s effect on health conditions more than 50 years ago. Decades later, it was studied, then approved, as a treatment for wrinkles; today, Botox<\/a> is possibly the most popular aesthetic procedure worldwide. It takes significant time to understand what innovative treatments are capable of and even longer to get them regulated and approved as an actual therapy. So when the FDA issued a warning letter against exosome treatment<\/a>—one of today’s buzziest procedures—many aesthetic providers took it with a grain of salt. Here, with the help of exosome experts, we’re breaking down exactly why this treatment is being referred to as “the wave of the future.”<\/p>

What are exosomes?<\/h2>

To get an understanding of exosomes, let’s break down platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy<\/a>, which some providers are swapping out in favor of exosome treatment. PRP is performed by drawing a patient’s blood, then placing it in a centrifuge to separate the red and white blood cells from the nutrient-packed plasma. In addition to featuring things like proteins and sugars, plasma contains platelet cells, which are rich in growth factors and help heal wounds. <\/p>

However, they’re not necessarily as potent as exosomes. “Exosomes are vesicles that cells use for communication,” explains Dr. Marina Peredo<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “They’re not cells but tiny little bags with all the ‘goodies.’” Platelet cells are actually a common source for the exosomes used in aesthetics treatments, as are placenta and stem cells, but all<\/em> cells have exosomes—they’re essential messengers that tell cells what to do. “Until about 15 years ago, people thought that exosomes were kind of like the sewer system of the cell, a way to get rid of waste material,” explains scientist Dr. Sanjay Batra, founder of WeThrivv<\/a> and a former adjunct professor at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. “No one had any idea that these exosomes are chockfull of pixie dust and magical materials, including growth factors, mRNA, RNA, and things that could influence cell-to-cell communication.” <\/p>

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How do exosomes work in cosmetic treatments?<\/h2>

You may find providers using exosomes as a replacement for—or in conjunction with—PRP. “They have more regenerative potential than PRP, which contains 8 to 10 growth factors. Exosomes contain over 100 different growth factors,” says Dr. Jessie Cheung<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in Chicago who specializes in regenerative medicine. Because they aren’t tied to any specific type of cell, they will send signals to cells in the treatment area to kick things into high gear. “They will wake up cells, keratinocytes and melanocytes and promote new collagen production,” to name a few, explains Dr. Peredo. <\/p>

Though exosomes are very small, they cannot penetrate and will not be effective when administered to intact skin. They must be applied to skin that has been injured in some way. Dr. Peredo often uses it after Clear + Brilliant<\/a> or RF microneedling<\/a>. “[After treatment], the skin is normally red and burning,” she says. She then applies the exosomes, which must be refrigerated (more on this shortly); this instantly cools the skin down and causes redness to subside, expediting the healing process. <\/p>

Brittany Blancato<\/a>, a medical aesthetician working for New York City-based board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Yael Halaas<\/a>, has performed exosome treatments on many clients’ skin, including a scar on someone’s chin. “I did microneedling twice, with exosomes topically afterward, and the results were amazing,” she says. “The discoloration is pretty much gone.” Dr. Jennifer Levine<\/a>, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York City, recounts one patient who had a travel-related injury that wouldn’t heal after six weeks. “I gave her the exosomes, and when I saw her again four days later, it was almost healed,” she says. “They really work.”<\/p>

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A post shared by Brittany Blancato (@skinlikeb)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>