Exosomes: What experts say about the new skincare trend for self-healing

Exosomes are a new trend in skin care – here's what two experts say about them.

"The future of skincare is exosomes," says Dr. Barbara Sturm, founder of the skincare brand bearing her name. Exo-what? "Exosomes are small communication tools between cells. They occur naturally in the body and are only one-eight hundredth the size of the cells themselves, about the size of a virus. The small particles travel through the skin to establish an exchange between cells. In doing so, they transport important information and materials such as proteins, lipids , mRNA – messenger ribonucleic acid – and DNA," says Sturm. Interest in exosomes has grown rapidly in research because of attempts to use them to develop coronavirus vaccines. The beauty industry wants to use exosomes to promote skin regeneration, stimulate collagen and elastin production, and exert anti-inflammatory effects. They even have potential for hair growth .

Indeed, initial preclinical studies suggest that exosomes could have positive effects on tissue regeneration. However, research is still in its early stages, and clinical evidence is extremely limited. The exosomes currently used also have different origins: human, synthetically produced, or plant-based. In care products sold in the EU, exosomes are of synthetic or plant origin. Dermatologist Dr. Timm Golüke from Munich explains: "It's important to question whether the manufacturers have even proven that the exosomes they use actually have an effect on human cells." According to him, this is usually not the case.

In Germany, only exosomes from autologous blood are permitted

South Koreans seem to share his skepticism about plant-based exosomes. In this beauty-loving country, patients are particularly keen to have human exosomes injected. "They are often extracted from the placenta, umbilical cord, or fatty tissue of donors," explains Dr. Golüke, warning: "Despite extensive testing, there remains a residual risk of transmitting diseases or negative DNA information." Human exosomes are therefore not approved in Germany and the entire EU. With one exception: autologous exosomes – those derived from one's own blood . However, their extraction process is complex and the treatment correspondingly expensive, which is why only a few practices offer the procedure.

This is how you can imagine an exosome treatment

One of them is Dr. Golüke's. He charges approximately 1,200 euros per treatment – ​​three treatments are required initially, followed by a semi-annual booster. "In the first step, approximately 90 milliliters of blood are drawn. The blood is then processed in a multi-stage centrifugation process lasting over an hour, during which a solvent is added to separate the exosomes from the remaining blood components. In the end, just nine milliliters of highly purified exosome concentrate remain – only a tenth of the amount originally drawn," explains the dermatologist. This is followed by the actual treatment with an injection gun, which injects the body's own exosomes superficially into the skin.

This is the difference between exosomes and the Vampire Facial with autologous blood

Beauty connoisseurs may now be wondering how this differs from an autologous blood treatment , the so-called vampire facial. "In this case, the plasma is infused into the skin. It is rich in growth factors that also stimulate collagen synthesis," says Golüke. Exosomes also have anti-inflammatory properties and thus counteract skin aging even more effectively, since we now know that the aging process is similar to inflammation. Experts therefore also refer to this as "inflammaging" (a neologism from "inflammation" and "aging").

Without reliable scientific data, it remains unclear how effective and safe exosomes actually are in skincare and as a treatment – ​​the body's own variant currently appears to be the safest and most effective choice. Nevertheless, as Dr. Golüke agrees, exosomes are an innovation, but not a panacea. He therefore continues to rely on combination treatments with tried-and-tested substances such as Botox and hyaluronic acid – and recommends a skincare routine that includes thorough cleansing and moisturizing in the evening, as well as antioxidants and sunscreen in the morning. This isn't new, but it still prepares your skin for the future.

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