What are exosomes? A dermatologist breaks it down

Answers to all your beauty questions. Our resident dermatologist, Dr. Geddes Bruce, covers the biggest beauty topics, from hair loss to Botox and everything in between. Send us a DM @camillestyles with your own burning questions and maybe we’ll talk about them in a future column.

Remember the vampire face? It went viral because of its main ingredient: your blood. Basically, it’s a microneedling facial with added platelet-rich plasma (PRP), using cells from your blood to speed up your skin’s healing process. But there are less dramatic ways to improve your skin treatments, while still using your skin’s healing powers to your advantage.

In fact, many of skin’s favorite products and treatments are so effective for precisely this reason: by harnessing your skin’s natural elements. Think: add collagen to your routine (whether topically or via supplements) to help boost your natural collagen. Or how ceramides help repair your skin barrier because they are part of what you skin microbiota is carried out in. And now beauty’s hottest facial sprays are using hypochlorous acid, which is produced by your white blood cells, for targeted wound healing. And if you’re looking for the latest way to give your skin a boost, look no further. Exosomes are the latest and greatest in skin repair. Let’s explore.

Featured image above: From our interview with Sanetra Longno by Michelle Nash

Everything you need to know about exosomes

My facialist started offering exosomes as a complement to treatments. I’ve seen people talking about it on social media, but how do I know if using exosomes is right for me? Should I look for them in topical products or treatments? Maybe both ?

Exosomes appear on product labels and in the treatment room. But, what exactly are they? And how can they affect your skin? To get to the bottom of this new beauty buzzword, I invited Dr. Geddes-Bruce to share his insights. “Exosomes are one of the ways stem cells communicate, so it’s like taking pure vitamin C rather than eating a whole orange to get it,” she explained.

“Exosomes have the potential to address several skin concerns, such as calming redness, evening out skin tone, correcting dark spots, softening fine lines and wrinkles, and promoting hair growth and wound healing.”

With their potential to stimulate the overall improvement of your skin by boosting its healing process, it’s no wonder exosomes are everywhere. But don’t rush into anything without consulting a dermatologist. Especially when it comes to in-office treatments, which show promise but are still being studied to prove their effectiveness, Dr. Geddes says.

Dr. Geddes explains the ins and outs of exosomes. Get ready to learn the best, derm-approved ways to use them and what to watch out for.

Dr. Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce

Dr. Geddes is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Westlake Dermatology, specializing in the practice of cosmetic and medical dermatology. She views cosmetic dermatology as a synergy with a happy and healthy lifestyle and regularly advises her patients in a balanced and natural approach to cosmetic and medical dermatology.

What are exosomes?

Think of exosomes as little packets of information that signal your body’s cells to perform certain functions. While we traditionally think of them as originating from stem cells, exosomes are produced by all cell types and perform different functions. For example, when you are injured, your platelets rush to the area that needs help and send signals via exosomes to start repairing the damage.

What are exosomes used for in skin care?

Exosomes have been used and are being studied for use in topical skincare products to promote regeneration and repair. To do this, the exosomes must be:

• safely derived (if from human tissue or verified blood bank sources)
• stable enough to survive in a bottle on your bathroom counter
• truly effective in their claims, without risk of harm

Are exosomes FDA approved?

Our FDA does an incredibly thorough job regulating drugs and any claims made about a product to treat a disease fall under the FDA’s purview. There are currently no FDA-approved exosomal products and any practice offering injectable exosomes to treat conditions claiming to improve disease should be approached with extreme caution.

It’s the Wild West with unregulated claims and cowboy practitioners, so always educate yourself about safety, effectiveness, and tread carefully in this new field of regenerative medicine. Let’s let the studies prove safety and effectiveness before jumping on this bandwagon, despite the potentially exciting effects. There is a particular brand of topical exosomes that I confidently recommend to my patients called (plated).

Who can benefit from exosomes?

Anyone who sees the effects of aging or skin damage from pollution, sun damage, or generally not taking good care of themselves can likely see the benefits of topical exosomes.

How long does it take for exosomes to work on the skin?

Most topical skin products start working immediately, but it takes time to see the transformation. I would recommend doing a six-week trial for all of your skin care products, including topical exosomes, as long as they don’t irritate your skin.

Are there any downsides to exosomes?

Exosomes are a new product and therefore can be quite expensive. Before investing in this type of skin care, be sure to look for products with high-quality published data and rigorous safety standards. Be sure to understand that these products have the potential to influence cell function and therefore their cellular source is an important factor in their safety. On the other hand, you also want to make sure you’re using a product that lasts a long time at room temperature so you get what you paid for.