Have you heard about exosomes? If you haven’t yet, you soon will, as this beauty buzzword is taking the aesthetics industry by storm.

Kim Kardashian was reported to have used exosome therapy following a laser and light procedure, while exosomes have been a popular skin booster in Korea for a couple of years.

As well as being anti-inflammatory and well tolerated, exosomes are said to be revolutionary for skin rejuvenation and repair, as well as encouraging younger-looking skin.

And here’s the science bit–it’s all about cell-to-cell communication: exosomes, released by nearly all cells in the human body, are microscopic sized sacs that are able to transfer signalling molecules to unhealthy or inactive cells that need them most. In the process, they also boost collagen production, improve the skin’s texture and work magic on fine lines and wrinkles.

Exosomes are considered better than growth factors and stem cells for anti-ageing, as exosomes carry these molecules directly to the cells. "Exosomes are special because they can get into the cells and deliver their contents to exactly where they need to be," agrees Founder of Skin Medical, Dr Sabika Karim.

However, before you get too excited, it’s worth pointing out that exosomes are a fairly new entry to the aesthetics market, and therefore a bit of a grey area.

Human and animal-derived exosomes are said to be more powerful than plant-derived versions–in the UK some treatments are illegal, although you will still find some practitioners offering injectable exosome procedures. More commonly, you can currently expect to find lab and plant-derived exosomes being used topically in facials and post-procedure for rejuvenation purposes.

Practitioner Dr Lauren Jamieson talks to Etre Vous about this innovative and exciting technology that, she believes, is set to form the basis of the future of regenerative and aesthetic medicine.

“Exosomes are extracellular vesicles or nanovesicles which encapsulate and act as envelopes for a payload – they are essentially a cargo that can contain liposomes, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins. They form a novel mode of intracellular communication and delivery to target cells and tissues.

“This is incredibly exciting because exosomes, particularly in terms of plant-derived vesicles, are innately stable. They have low immunogenicity, meaning no undesirable immune response, and the capacity to penetrate target tissues in an exceptional way.

“This without any doubt, is going to be bringing to patients a very exciting means of concluding the results of aesthetic treatments, by limiting inflammation and improving regeneration and recovery times.”

We're certainly looking forward to the day downtime becomes virtually non-existent, and we only need a couple of sessions of our usual cosmetic facial procedure than say, five or six.

Innovative products to try now

EXO|E Skin Revitalizing Complex contains active naturally occurring secretory factors from plants: plant factors, liposomes, growth factors, & anti-stressing factors. Chemical-free and water-based, it works on both youth boosting and common skin conditions. When used in combination with aesthetic procedures, the three-step, 11 day regime will result in less downtime, enabling patients to do more aggressive treatments (should they so wish) while optimising procedure results. The product has also shown to reduce inflammation by 61 per cent, and can also be used pre-procedure for treatments including microneedling and resurfacing.

Celltweet Sunshine Cushion is the world’s first exosome-powered SPF, and uses South Korean bio-technology for hybrid sun protection and skin renewal. With a four star PA rating, SPF50 protection and both organic and inorganic UV blocking agents, the formula features rose stem cell ExoSCRT exosomes which trigger fibroblasts and kickstart the repair process of dormant cells, enabling skin to self-heal and renew. Also included are active peptides, triple molecular weight hyaluronic acid, brightening niacinamide and lactobacillus postbiotic probiotic to fortify skin’s delicate microbiome.

Dr Barbara Sturm Exoso-Metic Eye Serum is a potent rejuvenating serum that’s specifically designed to target the eye area. Featuring lab-synthesised exosomes for intensive skin-renewing, the intensive formula supports the skin’s own natural rejuvenation mechanism while targeting the appearance of crows feet, fine lines and crepey skin. This brings about a youthful firmness, radiance, and smoother skin. Additional ingredients include hydrating glycerin, and antioxidant vitamin E to promote cellular turnover.

Calecim Professional Advanced Hair System is the first at-home regimen utilising exosomes to supercharge growth and combat hair loss. Exosomes act as your hair’s personal speed dial to greater growth. These powerful cell communicators diminish with age but act as micro-signalling channels between cells and follicles to stimulate their rejuvenation abilities. Formulated through cutting edge bio-technology, it delivers stem-cell signalling capabilities directly to dormant follicles and reinvigorates sluggish cells to trigger new growth. The active ingredient, PTT-6®, contains 100s of exosome types, naturally secreted from ethically sourced red deer cord lining stem cells–just 1ml delivers 3,000 active growth factors, proteins, and cytokines. Clinical results show a 24 per cent increase in hair follicle cell growth and a 30x reduction in inflammation in the actual follicle.