Much to my chagrin, I’ve never been the person with luxuriously thick hair. I’ve always envied people who need only to wrap their ponytail twice with a hair elastic to keep it secure—I’m typically a three or four times kind of gal. And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve observed my ponytail shrinking even more—and worse, my lifelong center part getting wider and wider, with more scalp peeking through than I care to admit. <\/p>
I’ve tried multiple hair-loss topicals over the years, but so many of the formulas out there to treat it require twice-daily use and feature a sticky texture that is not remotely conducive to next-day wear. Considering I have color-treated hair, daily washing is a no-go for me. So when I started learning about exosome therapy<\/a>—and how effective it could be for treating hair loss—my curiosity was immediately piqued.<\/p> Treatment with exosomes is relatively new but growing rapidly in hype, thanks to professional procedures like Exo-Xom<\/a>. I like to tell people it’s like PRP on steroids. “Exosomes are responsible for cell-to-cell communication and for facilitating the exchange of RNA and other important proteins in cells,” explains Dr. Jennifer Levine<\/a>, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York City. “Additionally, they transfer numerous growth factors and cytokines, to improve tissue repair and skin cells.” <\/p> What’s special about exosomes is that they’re not cells but vesicles (little bubbles, basically) released by cells. Because they aren’t<\/em> cells, you don’t have to go through the time-consuming process of extracting your blood, separating it using a centrifuge, and having the plasma or any other materials applied to your skin—and there’s no risk of a negative reaction from working with a manufactured product. Exosomes are readily available to providers and can be used pretty safely as a topical treatment. <\/p> When it comes to addressing hair loss, Dr. Levine explains that the exosomes help push the follicles into the anagen (or growth) phase while helping the surrounding tissue promote more effective growth. This makes sense, as a 2021 study<\/a> shows that exosomes stimulate angiogenesis, or blood vessel formation, as well as reduce inflammation—and reduced blood flow and increased inflammation are enemies of healthy hair.<\/p> When being treated with exosomes, you’ll get the best results by pairing them with a treatment that causes intentional micro injuries to the skin, such as a laser treatment or collagen induction therapy. For my own hair-loss treatments, Dr. Levine recommended the use of traditional microneedling<\/a>. “The microneedling creates channels, to help the exosomes penetrate deeper and more effectively,” she says. She adds that it’s not for everyone: “This treatment is best on patients with mild to moderate hair loss—it would not be recommended for someone who is completely bald,” she says. “[However,] it is helpful for most people.”<\/p>What is exosome therapy for hair loss?<\/h2>