What Happened When I Finally Tried Exosomes, The Biggest Skincare Trend Of 2025 (original) (raw)
What have you done to your face?” I ask a colleague visiting from Germany, his skin akin to that of a lit candle. “Exosomes,” he replies, smiling, passing a hand across his luminescent visage.
I’m not surprised. Recently, it’s been hard to move for talk of exosomes. A skin-rejuvenation treatment that’s reached our shores after years of popularity in South Korea, exosomes have become synonymous with radiant skin and minimal downtime – a beauty editor’s happy place. There are in-clinic exosome treatments and at-home options.
On social media, people are reporting back after having exosomes injected into their scalps for excess hair shedding. (This, I hasten to add, is not legal in the UK yet.) So what are these genius things and why have they got the skincare industry so abuzz?
What are exosomes?
“Exosomes are tiny, extra-cellular nano vesicles – very small particles that can penetrate easily and are involved in cell-to-cell communication,” facialist to the stars and editors alike, Sarah Chapman, explains to me.
Think of them like clever couriers carrying biological information between cells, all the while carrying proteins, lipids, peptides and other genetic material along with them. Most impressively, exosomes accelerate skin healing and skin regeneration.
These ultra-reparative, anti-inflammatory messengers target skin texture and hydration, as well as supporting collagen and elastin production, and maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier.
Where do exosomes come from?
In the UK, the only legal exosomes are those that aren’t derived from humans – though we do naturally produce them. Instead, fish, bovine, yeast-cultured and plant exosomes, which can be manipulated to mimic human exosomes, are all that’s currently on offer.
Celebrity facialist Shane Cooper uses E50 Korean exosomes, derived from the fibroblast cells of salmon, and says their concentration and efficacy rate has helped him to repair his own skin barrier and calm down rosacea flare-ups. (E50 Korean exosomes aren’t to be confused with polynucleotides, another salmon byproduct also used to stimulate cell regeneration.)
What happens in an exosome treatment?
The way exosomes are administered can vary, though they’re usually introduced to the skin via injection or applied to the skin after a round of microneedling. There is a third, needle-free way, but more on that later.
“Exosomes can be delivered into the skin via direct injection – mesotherapy style,” aesthetic doctor and founder of the eponymous clinic Dr David Jack tells me, “which is where tiny, superficial injections place the exosome solution precisely into the dermis [the inner of the two main layers in the skin].”
The method you’re most likely to come across is microneedling. “Microchannels are created in the skin, which then allow topical exosomes to penetrate,” Dr Jack says, making me think of a crumpet slathered in exosome-rich butter. These microchannels allow the exosomes to reach deeper into the skin and work their magic where it’s most needed.
What skin concerns can exosomes treat?
Besides being suitable for innumerable skin concerns – from acne scarring to improving skin volume and calming skin redness and irritation – exosome treatments are unique due to the remarkably short recovery times required.
“Post-microneedling with exosomes, most patients experience transient redness for 24 to 48 hours, similar to a mild sunburn, with no significant peeling,” Dr Jack says. Exosomes, he adds, can also be used to shorten recovery times for more aggressive therapies such as CO2 laser, a powerful resurfacing treatment that can require several weeks of recovery.
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Can exosomes help with hair loss?
Like many Korean skincare imports, we’re still at the cusp of understanding exactly how beneficial exosomes can be for our skin and hair health. One of its most exciting frontiers is the scalp.
“Exosomes are currently being studied in the context of hair loss, particularly androgenetic alopecia [pattern hair loss],” says Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and founder of Self London, adding that preliminary research is showing that they can help improve hair density and shaft (strand) thickness.
While the evidence is still in its infancy, the improvements to the hair’s microenvironment – reduced inflammation on the scalp, stimulating new blood vessel growth and encouraging hair to remain in the growth phase – are promising signs.
What happened when I tried exosomes
When I began my own exosome journey, just two weeks before my wedding, I did so with a certain level of trepidation. Hyperpigmentation is a constant companion and I worried that microneedling so close to the big day would be a decision that I would later come to regret.
Enter Sarah Chapman’s clinic Skinesis, and the answer to my glowing-skin prayers, an exosome treatment that could be applied topically to the skin and massaged in – no needles required.
“Facial massage improves exosome absorption by increasing blood flow and cellular oxygenation,” Chapman says. “It does so by manually working the product into the epidermis and upper dermis (the outermost layer of skin and the one beneath), which stimulates the fibroblasts to boost collagen and elastin production.”
My skin immediately following the treatment at Chapman’s Chelsea clinic, Skinesis.
She’s quick to note, though, that topical application doesn’t replicate the same depth of penetration as microneedling. However, because exosomes are “nano-sized and lipid-based”, they’re still able to penetrate more effectively than other topical active ingredients can.
So, to exosome or not? My experience – tailored to my pre-wedding jitters and hypersensitive skin – has made me a believer. My skin is brighter and more robust, seemingly able to handle the lack of sleep that comes with reams of wedmin. The best bit is that, thanks to these clever particles, the glowiest skin of my life isn’t just for my wedding day but – crossed fingers – every day after. Result.
Is there anyone who shouldn’t use exosomes?
As for who should steer clear of exosome treatments, the list is relatively short – really, only those with active skin infections, uncontrolled inflammatory acne and eczema, or certain autoimmune conditions should avoid, Dr Jack explains. Like most things, exosomes are also not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding people, largely because of the lack of safety data.