TITULO Exosomes
🧬 Exosomes in Aesthetic Medicine
Complete guide to exosomes: what they are, what they are used for, differences from polynucleotides and PRP, results, risks and everything you need to know.
🧬 The great revolution in regeneration or still just a promise? Everything you need to know without beating around the bush
I'm going to start with an awkward confession: no one really knows how exosomes work in aesthetic medicine.
Well, yes, scientists know what they are. But in aesthetic medicine, exosomes have become the latest trend — and the latest scam — at an alarming speed. Clinics selling them as "stem cells in powder", little serum vials at £1000 per session, and promises that they "regenerate hair, remove wrinkles and give you back 20-year-old skin".
1️⃣ Not stem cells → They are vesicles containing molecular signals, not living cells.
2️⃣ Regenerate, don't fill → They improve skin quality, texture, luminosity and elasticity.
3️⃣ Promising but limited evidence → Studies show good results, but are small and short-term.
4️⃣ High regulatory uncertainty → Not approved by FDA/EMA for aesthetic use. Fraud is widespread.
🔍 Use the table of contents to navigate over 100 questions about what they are, how they work, differences from other treatments, real results, risks and whether it's worth being a pioneer or better to wait.
📑 Table of Contents
Exosomes are nanovesicles (tiny bubbles) between 40 and 160 nanometres in diameter that all the cells in your body naturally release. To give you an idea: a human hair is 80,000 nanometres thick. They are microscopic.
Inside these bubbles, cells pack proteins, lipids, messenger RNA and microRNA. Exosomes are the messaging system of cells: one cell releases an exosome, another cell receives it, and the exosome tells it "change your behaviour".
No. Exosomes are acellular (they contain no cells). Once purified and lyophilised (frozen into powder), nothing living remains. They are just molecules. That's why there is no risk of immune rejection from foreign cells (although other reactions are possible).
They have no nucleus. But they do contain RNA (ribonucleic acid), which is an information molecule similar to DNA but single-stranded. That RNA is what "programmes" the recipient cells. It is not DNA and does not integrate into your genome.
Exosomes are obtained by culturing cells in a laboratory and collecting the liquid they float in. The most commonly used cells are:
- Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC): from bone marrow, adipose tissue or umbilical cord. The most common and studied source.
- Skin cells (fibroblasts): from human skin.
- Umbilical cord cells: powerful but controversial.
- Adipose tissue cells: good source.
- Plant or salmon cells: questionable efficacy.
Primary sources for skin therapies include epidermal progenitor stem cells (EPSC) and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSC).
No, but the confusion exists. Commercial exosomes are NOT extracted from foetuses. They are obtained from adult cells (bone marrow, fat, donor umbilical cord). The umbilical cord is donated after birth, it is not a "foetus". No embryos are involved. But because of the association with "stem cells", many people believe they come from abortions. That is not the case (at least with legitimate products).
| Characteristic | PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) | Exosomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Your own blood | Donor or cell culture | |||
| What it contains | Growth factors, platelets | RNA, proteins, lipids | Standardisation | Variable (depends on your blood) | High (industrial product) | Immune risk | Zero (it's yours) | Low (but exists) | Regulation | Approved in many countries | Legal grey area | Price | £150-300 per session | £500-1800 per session |
| Characteristic | Polynucleotides (PDRN/PN) | Exosomes |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Salmon DNA | Cultured human cells | Mechanism | Provide "building material" (nucleotides) | Provide "instructions" (RNA) |
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