Exosomes, stem cells, and growth factors are all the rage in skin care right now, but what are they, how do they work, and should you be using them?
Stem cells are special types of cells that are found in almost all tissues of the body, and they have two important properties. First, they can self-renew or become cells of the tissues from which they were derived. And second, they are undifferentiated, so they can become other types of cells that do different things. In other words, they have a lot of potential when it comes to renewal and regeneration. Sounds awesome, right? However, there is one catch, they’re cells, so they can’t penetrate the skin barrier easily due to their size and have to be injected or delivered to the skin via a procedure, such a microneedling or laser treatments that our Tribeca dermatologists offer here at SmarterSkin Dermatology.
You might have seen products with “stem cell-based exosomes” or “stem cell-based growth factors,” so where do exosomes and growth factors fit in? Stem cells, as well as some other cell types, secrete exosomes and growth factors.
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles released by cells and carry a range of molecules, including growth factors, mRNA, microRNA, lipids, and other proteins and signaling molecules, which they deliver to target cells. You can think of them as messengers. This communication between cells is crucial for tissue repair and regeneration. When applied topically to the skin, they have limited penetration so may only reach the outer layers of the skin. However, treatments, such as microneedling and lasers, can improve absorption as these treatments create small channels in the skin, allowing for deeper penetration.
I’m sure you caught the mention of growth factors, so let’s discuss. Growth factors are proteins that stimulate cell growth, differentiation and survival.. Are they only secreted by stem cells? No. A number of cells secrete growth factors. For example platelets, which is the basis of how platelet rich plasma (PRP) works. And are growth factors only transported via exosomes? No, there are various mechanisms by which growth factors can be transported. Similar to exosomes, growth factors do not readily penetrate the skin and treatments, such as microneedlng and lasers can improve penetration into the deeper layers of the skin. Even though their absorption through the skin is limited, they are excellent communicators and are able to stimulate skin repair and rejuvenation. It should be noted that there are several different growth factors, for example fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β).
Ok this is all great info, but do they work the same way?
All three promote repair and regeneration but their approach is different. Exosomes are carriers for active molecules while growth factors are a type of active molecules that turn cell pathways on. And stem cells are living cells that secrete both exosomes and growth factors. They can also work together.
All good, I’m thinking about investing in plant-based exosomes and growth factors products. As a top Tribeca dermatologist, what do you think? Plant-based exosome, growth factors and stem cells do not communicate with human cells the same way that human-derived products do and we really need more research supporting their efficacy. Plant-based extracts, on the other hand, can be very beneficial for the skin.
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