[Dangsan Station Dermatologist] What Is an Exosome?

Hello,

I’m Kang In-jeong, Medical Director of The River Dermatology Clinic.

The rainy season finally began this week.

You can really feel the heat and humidity of the summer monsoon season now, haha.

Still, when I walk along the Han River early in the morning or late in the evening, there are times when a pleasant breeze blows.

Since you never know when the rain will pour down, it seems best to always carry an umbrella with you :)

Today, I’d like to talk a little about exosomes.

Yeongdeungpo Dermatology Clinic: “I’ve Heard of Exosomes”

Exosomes, exosome skin boosters, exosome treatments, exosome MTS, Potenza, and so on…

You may have heard the word “exosome” somewhere before,

and it may sound like it has something to do with stem cells…

However, quite a few people surprisingly do not know exactly what exosomes are or what role they play.

Exosomes are nanosized extracellular vesicles secreted by cells to exchange information with other cells.

The cells in our bodies constantly send signals to one another to maintain balance in the body.

During this process, cells secrete exosomes,

which contain various biologically active substances, such as proteins, growth factors, and RNA, and deliver them to other cells.

In other words, exosomes act as messengers that facilitate communication between cells.

Exosomes are also one of the most closely watched research subjects in the field of regenerative medicine.

Exosomes have been discovered and studied for quite some time.

In dermatology, they are used as skin booster treatments with the aim of supporting skin regeneration and recovery from damage.

They are also being actively researched and clinically applied in various other fields. In orthopedics, they are studied for tendon and cartilage damage; in dentistry, for gum and bone tissue regeneration; and in plastic surgery, neurology, and other areas as well.

What Role Do Exosomes Play in the Skin?

As I have mentioned repeatedly in previous posts,

our skin is continuously affected over time by factors such as ultraviolet rays, aging, inflammation, and lifestyle habits.

As these processes continue, the environment for signaling between skin cells also changes,

and collagen production and the speed of skin recovery become less active than they once were.

For example…

If you compare wounds caused by falls in young children with wounds in adults, it is easy to see that their recovery speeds are noticeably different.

(The skin’s regenerative ability gradually decreases with age, after all, haha.)

Creating an environment that supports skin regeneration and recovery and encourages inactive skin to function again—

this is the most important purpose of skin booster treatments.

Among these treatments, exosomes are one type of skin booster that delivers the signals needed to help the skin recover and regenerate on its own.

Effects of Exosome Skin Booster Treatments

As mentioned above, exosomes are not a treatment that regenerates the skin in place of the skin itself.

Rather, they are a type of skin booster expected to help create a better environment during the skin’s own recovery process.

Therefore, the effects that can be expected may vary somewhat depending on the condition of the skin and the treatments performed alongside them.

Exosome treatments are commonly used for the following purposes.

✔ Skin regeneration and recovery

They may be applied together with laser or scar treatments

during the recovery process of damaged skin,

with the aim of helping the skin recover more stably.

✔ Skin soothing and anti-inflammatory care

When the skin has become sensitive or there is redness or irritation after a procedure,

they are often used together as part of care intended to soothe the skin and support recovery.

✔ Improving skin texture

They may help improve rough skin texture

and create a healthier overall skin condition.

✔ Skin barrier recovery

They may help restore a skin barrier weakened by external irritation,

so they are also used together for dry or sensitive skin.

✔ Used alongside scar treatments

For treatments in which the skin’s regenerative process is important, such as acne scar or pore treatments,

exosomes are often used at the same time to support the recovery process.

Why Are There So Many Types of Exosomes?

This is the exosome product we use at our clinic, haha.

It is considered a luxury product among exosomes :)

Since the exosomes used and the prices vary greatly from clinic to clinic,

you may wonder,

“Are all exosomes basically the same if they are called exosomes?”

Although they share the same name, “exosome,”

their characteristics may differ depending on which cells they originate from and how they are produced and purified.

For example, exosomes are being researched and developed based on various types of cells, including adipose-derived stem cells and umbilical cord-derived stem cells.

More recently, technologies using plant-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have also been developed.

Even exosomes from the same source may differ in their characteristics depending on the culture process, purification technology, purity and concentration, and quality-control standards.

It is helpful to understand exosomes not as the name of a single product, but as a technology or platform encompassing various types of products.

It is similar to how the names of the laser devices used in dermatology are all different, even though they are based on the same principle. :)

That is why the exosomes used differ from clinic to clinic, and why their prices and characteristics also vary depending on the product.

Therefore, the key points in exosome treatment are both which exosome is used and how it is delivered.

Why the “Method” Also Matters in Exosome Treatments

“Is it enough just to apply exosomes to the skin?”

There are actually many cosmetic products that use exosomes. 😊

However, no matter what the ingredient is, simply applying it to the surface of the skin has limitations when it comes to delivering enough of it to the deeper dermal layer.

This is because our skin has a protective barrier called the stratum corneum to protect the body from external stimuli.

For this reason, dermatology clinics use exosomes together with various procedures so that they can be delivered more effectively to the areas where they are needed.

Common methods include microneedling devices such as Secret and Potenza, fractional lasers, MTS, and others.

The appropriate delivery method is selected based on each person’s skin condition and treatment goals.

I often perform exosome treatments together with scar procedures.

As described in various papers and other materials, one of the notable effects of exosomes is supporting regeneration and anti-inflammatory care. :)

After scar treatment, applying exosomes during the recovery process can help create an environment that supports the skin’s recovery.

Because regeneration and anti-inflammatory effects were particularly noticeable, I was also more satisfied with the results after treatment…

I hope today’s post was at least somewhat helpful to those who have been considering exosome treatments. 😊