We have been seeing more and more skincare products jumping onto the "exosome" train since last year. But what exactly are exosomes? What benefits can they provide when used as a skincare ingredient?
Today, let's delve into this increasingly popular and novel skincare ingredient for everyone.
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Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by human, animal, and even plant stem cells, with a diameter of about 30 to 150 nanometers. These vesicles, rich in various molecules including proteins, lipids, genetic materials such as DNA, RNA, and microRNA, are present in various body fluids and tissues, released by cells. Through intracellular signaling mechanisms, they can interact with neighboring cells, transmit crucial information to other cells, and thereby influence various physiological processes, including immune responses, tissue regeneration, and cellular homeostasis maintenance.
Below is a representation of the general composition of exosomes:
Resource：Jan, A.T.; Rahman, S.; Badierah, R.; Lee, E.J.; Mattar, E.H.; Redwan, E.M.; Choi, I. Expedition into Exosome Biology: A Perspective of Progress from Discovery to Therapeutic Development. Cancers 2021,13, 1157. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13051157
It's important to note that not all exosomes are the same.
Exosomes from different cell types carry specific biomolecular cargoes that reflect the functions and characteristics of their parent cells, such as proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and other molecules. These cargoes vary depending on the cell type releasing them and the physiological or pathological conditions at the time of release, and thus perform different functions.
In other words, exosomes derived from human, animal, and plant sources are all different, and exosomes from different humans, animals, and plants also vary, thus naturally exhibiting different functions.
Currently, there are three main approaches to exosome skincare, including exosome IV therapy, exosome skin booster dermal injections, and using skincare products containing exosomes.
Exosome IV therapy refers to the direct infusion of exosomes into the bloodstream through intravenous drip, which allows them to circulate throughout the body to different tissues and organs, thereby promoting tissue repair, reducing inflammation, and modulating immune responses. In other words, this type of therapy may not directly target skin issues but can indirectly improve skin health by enhancing overall body conditions.
Exosome dermal injection, on the other hand, involves the direct injection of exosomes into the dermis using fine needles. This method allows for the localized delivery of exosomes to target areas, addressing various skin health, texture, and appearance concerns in a targeted manner.
Regarding exosome IV therapy and exosome skin booster injections, different countries have varying regulations and restrictions. However, the major concern lies in some clinics potentially providing unapproved, badly-sourced, low-quality, or problematic exosomes for intravenous or skin injections without adequate supervision. Therefore, when undergoing exosome IV therapy or exosome skin booster injections, it is crucial to choose reputable dermatological hospitals or clinics, and confirm the source of the exosomes used and whether they are approved by authorities.
As for skincare products containing exosomes, although exosomes are present in humans, animals, and plants, for safety, ethical, and regulatory reasons, exosomes used in skincare products are mainly sourced from plants and are considered safer than those used in intravenous or skin injections.
The issue, however, lies in the widely varying quality of exosome skincare products——the purity and quality of exosomes used in skincare products can greatly differ between brands and manufacturers, and low-quality or impure exosomes may not provide the intended benefits and could even potentially irritate the skin. Additionally, there is a risk of unscrupulous individuals launching skincare products claiming to contain exosomes when in reality they do not.
Therefore, when selecting exosome skincare products, it is advisable to choose brands launched by dermatological hospitals.
For instance, MO-A™, the star ingredient used in the HANISUL line carried by Ambrosia, is a 100% naturally-derived exosome complex that is developed by Medical O in collaboration with 12 authoritative institutions including Yonsei University, Korea University, Inha University, Kyung Hee University, Semyung University, Konkuk University, and the Korea Pharmaceutical Testing and Research Institute. After undergoing substantial clinical researches, it has received 6 individual patents, and its effectiveness and safety have been certified by the Korean government and recognized as a "Specialized Medical Drug" that can be directly injected into the dermis layer in dermalogical hospitals. It is now currently the key ingredient in the skin booster treatments provided at Medical O's own dermatology hospitals!
In other words, it provides much better of a guarantee in terms of safety and effectiveness compared to other topical exosome skincare products!
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What about supplements claiming to contain exosomes?
Exosome supplements taken orally are primarily absorbed by the body through the digestive tract. The expected benefits, such as promoting cell health and supporting overall well-being, may vary depending on the source of exosomes and the specific formulation. These supplements cannot target skin issues specifically and are likely to be degraded during digestion, potentially reducing their efficacy. This essentially means, their overall bioavailability is much lower compared to IV therapy, and in terms of skin care, their effectiveness is also much lower than exosome dermal injections and exosome skincare products.
The key point is that oral exosome supplement is still an area that requires further research and debate——its efficacy and benefits for improving human health have not been established.
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Research indicates that since exosomes are the primary mediators of crucial biological processes in cells and tissues, when applied in skincare products, they can effectively promote skin cell regeneration and repair, as well as improving skin texture, elasticity, pigmentation, thereby achieving overall reparative benefits.
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The below are some of the main skin benefits of exosomes:
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Promotes Skin Regeneration
Exosomes contain growth factors and signaling molecules that can stimulate skin cell growth, repair damaged tissues, and promote overall skin regeneration, thereby improving issues like wrinkles, wounds, scars, and enlarged pores.
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Anti-Aging Effects
Exosomes can reduce the appearance of aging signs such as wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin by promoting collagen production and increasing skin elasticity.
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Improves Pigmentation and Acne Scars
The growth factors and signaling molecules in exosomes stimulate cell repair, renewal, and regeneration, helping to reduce pigmentation and improve acne scars. Some exosomes can even help regulate melanin production in the skin, resulting in a more translucent and even skin tone.
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Moisturizing Function
Exosomes can help maintain skin moisture and strengthen the skin barrier function, thus improving overall skin hydration.
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Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Exosomes help reduce skin inflammation, making them particularly beneficial for individuals with sensitive skin, acne, eczema, rosacea, and various skin inflammations.
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Improves Skin Texture
Exosomes promote cell renewal, thereby smoothing skin texuture.
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Enhances Delivery of Active Ingredients
Exosomes can serve as carriers for other beneficial skincare ingredients, helping them penetrate deeper into the skin and enhancing their effectiveness.
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In addition, the average diameter of facial pores in humans is approximately 50 to 70 micrometers (equivalent to 50,000 to 70,000 nanometers), while the typical diameter of exosomes ranges from 30 to 150 nanometers, making them 300 to 2,000 times smaller than regular pores! This means that they can penetrate deeper into the skin more effectively than any other skincare ingredient, and deliver beneficial components to target cells and tissues.
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It is important to note that while the above are common functions of exosomes, just like how everyone can run, but some are suited for long-distance running, some for sprints, some run slowly, some run fast, and some may not be able to run at all, exosomes from different sources also have different characteristics and specialties. Therefore, the main benefits they can provide may vary.
Let us give some examples：
- Centella Asiatica Exosomes
Particularly helpful in soothing, calming inflammations, and reducing swelling. - Lacto Exosomes
Especially beneficial for moisturizing and strengthening skin health. - Deer Antler Exosomes
Particularly helpful in increasing epidermal growth factor in the skin, stimulating collagen and elastin production, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, tightening pores, increasing skin elasticity, firmness, preventing skin aging, and promoting cell growth, regeneration, and repair. - Korean Ginseng Exosomes
Especially beneficial in preventing oxidative stress, repairing damaged skin, and moisturizing. - Asparagus Cochinchinensis Exosomes
Especially helpful in combating inflammation, slowing signs of aging, increasing skin elasticity, promoting skin repair and regeneration, moisturizing, and antioxidizing. - Cornus Officinalis Exosomes
Especially helpful in soothing and calming sensitive, red, swollen skin, brightening, inhibiting melanin production, increasing skin elasticity, firmness, and revitalizing the skin. Also anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. - Goji Berry Exosomes
Especially helpful in fighting free radicals, allergy and inflammations, slowing signs of aging, protecting the skin from UV and blue light damage, accelerating wound healing, preventing melanin proliferation, improving dark spots, while promoting collagen and elastin growth, fading wrinkles, and tightening pores. - Licorice Exosomes
Especially helpful in soothing inflammations, alleviating acne, and relieving sensitivities. - Angelica Gigas Exosomes
Especially helpful in strengthening capillaries, improving dark spots, and improving bacterial skin inflammatory diseases. - Atractylodes Japonica Exosomes
Especially helpful in enhancing immunity, detoxification, and fighting off inflammations. - Paeonia Exosomes
Especially helpful in fighting bacteria, strengthening skin blood vessels, relieving skin diseases, and pain relief. - Cnidium Officinale Exosomes
Especially helpful in calming the skin, promoting blood circulation, detoxification, and relieving acne. - Astragalus Propinguus Exosomes
Especially helpful in enhancing skin resilience, fading dark spots, and relieving various skin issues - Rehmannia Glutinosae Exosomes
Especially helpful in clearing reactive oxygen species, promoting skin cell regeneration, and fighting free radicals. - Cinnamon Exosomes
Especially helpful in fighting free radicals, pain relief, and heat dissipation. Also antibacterial - Ginger Exosomes
Especially helpful in preventing skin aging, improving skin tone, and removing cellulite. - Chinese Date Exosomes
Rich in vitamin P, especially helpful in strengthening and enhancing capillaries, and preventing skin ging. - Clove Exosomes
Especially helpful in sterilization, fighting off inflammations, and preventing skin cell aging. - Poria Exosomes
Especially helpful in preventing freckles and dark spots, slowing skin aging, and improving skin inflammation.
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