Exosomes?  What is this new buzzword in skin care?

I know that all of our social media feeds are different, but if you are a dermatologist like me it’s filled with skin care things.  Every day there is something amazing that I should buy and some new words that I need to investigate.  That’s the key word, investigate.  A lot of social media will take a word and throw it around sounding high tech when it’s not something that even a seasoned dermatologist knows much about.  So let’s investigate together.

I see a lot of products saying they contain Exosomes?  But what are exosomes and do you need them?

Exosomes are in their purest form are delivery mechanisms.  They are nano sized hollow balls that can move between different cell types to deliver their contents.  They can be derived from human, animal or plant cell types, so to say something “contains exosomes” is a very vague term.

What’s the point of exosomes?  Exosomes are used as a way to deliver some contents to a target cell in a way that protects that contents from being degraded during transport.  Depending on the type of cell that the exosomes originate from and their contents, exosomes could deliver ingredients in a new and more potent way.

What problems of skin can be targeted with exosomes?  Research is underway using exosomes to treat scarring, aging and most significantly hair rejuvenation.  Most commercially available products are for anti-aging and hair loss.

How are exosomes used?  There are some creams containing exosomes, but many of the exosome containing products are applied after microneedling.

Are exosomes safe?  It depends on what type of cells the exosomes are harvested from and what the exosomes are delivering.  The most clear answer is that we don’t know.  There can be rejection if the exosomes are from a nonhuman source.  When harvested from human sources exosomes can transmit viral and other diseases depending on the harvest source, storage and sterility.  Most exosomes are derived from stem cells of some sort and are not proven viable, safe or effective for human use.

Are exosomes FDA approved? No.  There are no creams, injections or otherwise that are approved by the FDA for any clinical, aesthetic or medical use. To read the FDA’s statement you can check out this link. https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/consumers-biologics/consumer-alert-regenerative-medicine-products-including-stem-cells-and-exosomes

How do companies and doctors advertise and sell their products online if these aren’t approved?  When creams are marketed for cosmetic use they do not require any FDA approval.  The problem with true exosomes is they breach the cosmetic barrier in their impact on cellular function. Despite the lack of clarity, in 2025 the skincare exosome market was estimated at over 250 million!

Will Dr Rosenberger be using or recommending exosomes?  Not at this time.  Dr Rosenberger stands by products with proven scientific efficacy and safety and exosomes just aren’t there yet.  

There are many things that sound great online.  Always do some detailed research before taking the sellers word that their product is safe or effective.