Regenerative aesthetics is a burgeoning field for skin rejuvenation and skin health restoration. Exosomes, or extracellular vesicles, represent a new and minimally invasive addition to the regenerative aesthetic toolbox. These nano-sized vesicles contain bioactive cargo with crucial roles in intercellular communication. Exosome technology, while still in its infancy, is now leveraged in regenerative aesthetic medicine due to its multifaceted role in targeting root causes of skin aging and improving overall tissue homeostasis. The main considerations for practice utilization include variation in exosome purification, isolation, storage, scalability and reproducibility. This review aims at highlighting the current and emerging landscape of exosomes in aesthetic medicine including skin rejuvenation and hair restoration.

Plain language summary

What is this article about?

The purpose of this paper is to review available studies that look at the effects of exosomes in aesthetic medicine and cosmetic surgery. A thorough literature search of all available studies was performed.

What were the results?

Topical exosomes, although variable in source and method of isolation, are generally considered safe in humans on intact skin. The current published research literature does not yet provide a clear consensus on long-term use for skin rejuvenation or hair restoration, nor does it delineate which patients would benefit most from this technology. There are no currently US FDA-approved exosome products on the market for medical indications.

What do the results of this literature review mean?

More clinical studies with proper regulatory oversight are needed.

Keywords:

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 18, No. 2

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History

Received 31 July 2022

Accepted 1 December 2022

Published online 4 January 2023

Published in print February 2023

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Keywords

Author contributions

KS Vyas designed and wrote the main content; J Kaufman, GS Munavalli, K Robertson and A Behfar. revised the manuscript; SP Wyles. conceived, allocated, and revised the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine, Mayo Clinic Center for Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery, and Van Cleve Regenerative Medicine program. The authors acknowledge Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research in the production of Figure 1. It is used with permission of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

Financial & competing interest disclosure

A Behfar is co-inventor on regenerative sciences related intellectual property disclosed to Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic and A Behfar have interests in Rion, LLC. SP Wyles and J Kaufman, are consultants for Rion Aesthetics, LLC. The remaining authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this review article. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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Exosomes: the latest in regenerative aesthetics

Abstract

Plain language summary

What is this article about?

What were the results?

What do the results of this literature review mean?

References