Exosomes: The Best Skin and Beauty Secret

The latest wonder ingredient is said to both plump and strengthen skin

Many of us haven’t heard of exosomes, although they have been used for a few years by clinics and doctors in skin treatments. But now that skincare brands have started to use them in their products, those of us dedicated to trying to improve our complexions will be finding out all about them.

Naturally occurring in our bodies, exosomes are microscopic vesicles — structures containing liquids, almost like tiny water balloons — that transport proteins and lipids between cells. What makes them particularly useful is that they also communicate with cells. Which means, according to Dr Jonathan Dunne, a consultant plastic surgeon and the founder of the aesthetic clinic Montrose London, which uses plant-based exosomes, that “they can stimulate production of substances such as collagen and elastin, which are critical for healthy and youthful skin”. Both of those deplete as we age. But when exosomes locate cells that are flagging, they boost them back into action.

Cell-regenerating products are nothing new — retinoids, for example, have long been lauded for their ability to help to boost the production of new skin cells. But exosomes, when applied topically, are even better, says Rebecca Cullen-Smith, the education director at the skincare brand Dermalogica. The company has recently launched its Exo Booster, containing exosomes made using bacteria. These, she says, are biocompatible with our skin, and as efficacious if not more so than bovine — or human—derived exosomes, the latter being popular in Asia but not legal for cosmetic use in the UK.

The difference between what retinoids and exosomes do, Cullen-Smith says, is that “retinoids can signal cells to switch biological processes on and off by bonding to specific receptor proteins that drive actions such as strengthening collagen production”, whereas “exosomes are much more complex structures. They not only signal to cells, but also provide critical biological components that are required for specific functions.” In other words, they can stimulate cells to perform actions such as produce collagen and increase elasticity. (According to a paper last year for the International Journal of Biological Sciences, they can also help to suppress inflammation, promote tissue repair and help tissue regeneration.)

What difference will they make when looking in the mirror? Other than seeing the brightening and lifting effects from the facial or microneedling treatment during which exosomes would typically be applied like a serum, not a lot — they won’t immediately change the appearance of skin like dermal fillers would.

But they should improve things over time, as the skin’s natural repairing processes are triggered and sped up, resulting in smoothed lines, improved texture and tone, and a plumper, fresher complexion. This, consultants say, usually happens within a month after the treatment. (One third-party clinical trial, which compared microneedling alone and microneedling with exosomes showed that the latter produced an impressive 86 per cent greater reduction in wrinkle appearance after three weeks.) For long-lasting results, a course of three treatments is recommended.

Katharine Mackenzie Paterson, a London facialist who has started offering bacterial and plant-based exosome treatments to clients, says they can also calm inflammation and restore damaged skin, “so they’re perfect for anyone with sensitive or sensitised skin”.

After trying exosome treatments for a few weeks, with Dermalogica and KMP, both of our testers attested to good skin, day after day. “Like you’ve consistently had your eight hours of sleep,” said one, with both commenting on how little foundation they’re having to wear after their first session. And isn’t that, after all, just what we want? Not an altered face — but a refreshed one.

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