I tried an exosomes facial – here’s what happened

Exosomes and growth factors are the current buzzwords of the cosmetic industry with new treatments coming onto the market in a steady stream.

From skin creams formulated with peptides, to biological serums packed with natural growth factors, to injections of our own platelet-rich-plasma, it’s clear these innovations are just the starting point of what is the future of skincare.

What’s the difference between them?

Exosomes are little sacs full of growth factors and peptides. Growth factors are proteins that move between cells signalling to them to behave a certain way. Peptides are smaller but carry out a similar function.

And these messengers are being used in cosmetic treatments and skincare to promote cell renewal and productivity.

For the past year I’ve been using a moisturising cream with biological growth factors made by Calecim, a subsidiary of a medical research company that specializes in the use of stem cells in healthcare. 

So when I learned that the DrVictoria Clinic in Edinburgh had launched a facial which involved microneedling the Calecim Professional exosomes serum into the skin it sounded right up my street.

Microneedling creates micro channels through the skin barrier which allow serums to penetrate deeper, boosting the results.

The benefit of having this done professionally was also that it would be carried out more rigorously than I could do myself at home.

That’s because I’m a bit of a coward when it comes to home microneedling!

About the exosomes serum

Calecim was formed by parent company Cell Research Corp, who are based in Singapore, and have been pioneers in the use of stem cells for medical treatments.

The company’s Corlicyte treatment is entering phase 2 trials as part of its FDA application for use as a topical treatment for diabetic foot ulcers.

It has also been fast-tracked by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency who have awarded it an Innovation Passport to accelerate the approval process for use on patients.

But the products in the skincare range, including in the facial serum, don’t contain actual stem cells but rather extracted exosomes which are harvested from the umbilical cords of red deer.

The company describes them as free-ranging and organically and ethically raised in New Zealand.

The umbilical cord would usually be discarded after birth so they are making use of a biological waste product and the animals themselves are not involved.

All mammals share similar signaling proteins, including those released by stem cells which are used to communicate with other cells.

Stem cell proteins have also been found to have regenerative and anti-inflammatory effects on human skin and hair follicles which is why Cell Research Corp decided to launch a skincare range in addition to their medical treatments.

So, my facial using the exosomes serum was carried out by aesthetician Hannah Leigh using a microneedling device that could go to a depth of .5mm. She used a slightly shorter depth around the eye area where the skin is thinner and more sensitive and also on the forehead.

Having the microneedling treatment

The microneedling itself did feel scratchy and uncomfortable in places, particularly around my mouth and on my chin, but it was never unbearable and they can adjust the needle depth to make the treatment more comfortable.

Hannah was simply brushing on the Calecim serum to a small area of skin, microneedling it in and then moving on to the next area.

She covered the full face but not my neck and was able to treat the skin under my brows but avoiding the eye socket area.

Aftercare

After she had finished microneedling, Hannah applied the remaining serum from the 5ml vial, and also applied sunscreen because skin that has just been microneedled is more sensitive to sun exposure.

The appointment lasted around an hour in total and at the end it’s fair to say I was lobster red.

Besides being careful to use sun protection in the days after your microneedling treatment, you should also avoid exercise for 24 hours and don’t use swimming pools, spas or saunas for a couple of days.

I was advised not to use retinoids and acids on my face for at least 48 hours after treatment, and not to wear make up for at least 24 hours.

A single treatment of the exosomes microneedling facial costs £190 (around $240) and the clinic recommends doing a course of treatments for best results.

The exosomes serum is designed to support faster skin healing and that did seem to be the case as the initial redness subsided within just a couple of hours.

Results

The next day there wasn’t much to see, just slight redness in patches and a little dryness that persisted over a couple of days.

Within a week I started to see the benefits and from there I’ve had a month of what looks to me like smoother, plumper skin that makes me want to go back for further treatments.

Microneedling facials are going to offer surface-level results and they will improve over time if you continue with treatments either at home or in a clinic.

So you should see an improvement in skin texture and fine lines, but it’s not going to tackle more advanced signs of aging and loss of skin elasticity and definition.

Safety

The use of growth factors in both cosmetic and medical treatments is relatively new and I think we do have to be very selective in choosing growth-factor-based products, looking at the history and ethics of the firms involved and that they have a demonstrable safety record.

Calecim is an offshoot of a medical research company whose topical stem cell treatment has already been widely tested on patients with diabetic ulcers and is going through investigation as part of the approvals process for medicines agencies in the US, UK and Europe without any reported safety issues to date.

Calecim themselves say they see no cause for concern having worked now with thousands of patients and customers, over the potential for their products to cause unwanted changes in the skin but would not advise using growth factors of any kind on skin with active lesions.

And you would definitely want to take medical advice if you have a history of skin lesions too because of a lack of safety data in these circumstances.

My take

It’s clear that stem cell and growth factor technology is here to stay and will be used more and more widely for medical and skincare purposes.

Until we have more data and longer-term evidence, I am intending to build in rest periods so, particularly if I’m going to have a few more microneedling facials with the exosomes serum, I will plan in breaks where I’m not using growth factor products for periods of time.

It is possible to have too much of anything, and this is no exception.

I use affiliate links where available on my channel and website. This means I earn a small commission on any products purchased using one of my links. This helps fund my work. Thank you.

Thanks too to the DrVictoria Clinic who invited me to try this treatment for the purposes of independent review.