Exosome Therapy for Hair Loss: Costs, Safety, Efficacy, & Benefits

The deeper you research hair loss treatments, the more wild they seem — tabasco sauce on the scalp, anyone? It might sound a little out there, but exosomes for hair loss is a relatively new treatment that shows a lot of promise when it comes to new hair growth.

Exosomes are like the mail carriers of the body — they dash around delivering precious cargo (think lipids, proteins, and growth factors) exactly where it needs to go, including to the scalp and hair follicles.

For this reason, exosome therapy for hair loss is gaining popularity as a potential treatment for male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) and other types of hair loss.

Here, we’ll go over exactly what exosome therapy is, its possible benefits for hair loss, and its safety and side effects. It’s gonna get a bit sciencey, but we’ll do our best to explain things in layperson’s terms.

Exosomes are secreted by other cells (all cells in the body make exosomes). But they don’t contain any cells themselves, meaning exosomes are “acellular.”

They take the form of extracellular vesicles, which you can think of as microscopic bubbles or balloons floating freely around the body.

As signaling molecules, exosomes are key for cell communication. They’re kind of like the carrier pigeons of the body, transporting information between cells. They can communicate between the type of cells they originated from and other cell types.

We’ll get to how exosomes for hair loss work shortly.

In a literal trash-to-treasure situation, it used to be thought that exosomes were just cell waste. But researchers now realize they’re quite the opposite.

Exosome treatment shows promise in:

• Wound healing

• Regenerative medicine (tissue regeneration)

• Cell differentiation (when stem cells change into specialized cells)

• Fighting inflammation

• Hair growth

Exosomes are typically stem cell-derived from bone marrow, placental, adipose (animal fat), and umbilical cord tissue.

They zip around the body, sending information and transporting proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and growth factors between cells. That’s why research is also exploring the potential for exosomes as drug-delivery vehicles, getting medication exactly where it needs to go.

Research on exosomes is still in the early stages, but you can expect to hear a lot more about these tiny molecules in the future.

In exosome therapy for hair loss, exosomes are typically derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), skin cells (keratinocytes), or hair follicle cells (dermal papilla cells). The exosomes are extracted and sterilized before being injected into the scalp.

Potential benefits of exosomes hair treatment:

• Optimized hair growth cycle

• Anti-inflammatory effects

• Support blood vessel formation

• Scalp exposure to growth factors

• Scarring prevention

We’ll explain the exosome therapy procedure in more detail later.

1. Exosomes Can Alter the Hair Growth Cycle

In the case of hair, exosomes are like an alarm clock snapping dormant hair follicles out of rest. How does this work? Basically, cells react to the signals exosomes send out, changing their behavior.

When exosomes hit hair follicles, it promotes the proliferation of hair follicle stem cells. Exosomes nudge hair follicles from the resting (telogen) phase of the hair growth cycle into the growth (anagen) phase, where hair actively grows.

2. Exosomes Have Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Inflammation is common in certain scalp conditions and, in some cases, leads to balding. Exosomes can fight inflammation.

More research is needed, but because of its anti-inflammatory properties, exosome therapy may help alleviate scalp conditions like psoriasis, tinea capita (scalp ringworm), folliculitis, and seborrheic dermatitis — all of which are characterized by scalp inflammation.

3. Exosomes Help Form Blood Vessels

Exosomes also stimulate the formation of blood vessels (also known as angiogenesis). Healthy blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles is vital for hair regrowth (sometimes called “hair regeneration” in the scientific lit).

In fact, minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine®) seems to work by increasing blood flow to the scalp, which is very similar to exosomes.

4. Exosomes Contain Growth Factors

Like platelet-rich plasma (PRP), exosomes contain growth factors that can potentially improve hair density and thickness.

A growth factor is a naturally occurring substance that stimulates cell proliferation, including hair follicle development, which may lead to thicker hair.

Although clinical studies show promising results, the long-term efficacy and safety of exosomes for hair loss are still unknown.

5. Exosomes May Prevent Scarring

Some studies have found that exosomes derived from human amniotic fluid stem cells (miRNAs) can promote wound healing and prevent fibrotic scarring (thickened scar tissue).

While there’s no conclusive evidence linking this to hair health (not yet, at least), it could potentially help with scarring alopecia. Also called cicatricial alopecia, the condition is categorized by (as the name suggests) scarring of the hair follicle. Scarring alopecia can lead to permanent hair loss.

Exosome therapy for hair loss is an in-office procedure done by a dermatologist or another healthcare professional.

Here’s how in-office exosome treatment topically goes:

• Before the procedure, you’ll have an initial consultation to determine whether you’re a good candidate for exosome therapy. Your provider will examine your scalp, ask about your medical history, and talk to you about your hair goals.

• On the day of the procedure, your first scalp will first be cleaned, and a topical anesthetic may be applied to minimize pain or discomfort.

• The exosome solution is prepared, and a very fine needle is used to inject the treatment into the scalp in areas where hair loss or thinning occurs. The exact number of exosome injections varies by person and the size of the treatment area. Some practitioners might use a derma roller instead of injections.

• Exosome therapy for hair loss could be just one procedure, but some providers recommend a treatment every six months or annually.

• Typically, there’s no downtime, and you shouldn’t have to miss work.

• You should start to see improvements in hair thickness, density, and overall scalp health in six to eight weeks.

Your healthcare provider will explain exactly how to prep for exosome therapy.

But generally, plan to protect your scalp from the sun, take a break from vigorous activity for a few days, and avoid blood thinners, including aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for about three weeks after the procedure.

Since exosomes for hair loss is so new, there aren’t clear guidelines on its cost. However, most estimates range from around $2,000 to $15,000 or more.

That’s about the same as the cost of a hair transplant. We have more information on the long-term effects of the latter, though hair transplantation is more invasive.

Certain over-the-counter topical products, like hair serums, also include exosomes, with the thought that topical exosomes can rejuvenate skin.

There are currently ongoing FDA-approved clinical trials investigating exosome-based skin rejuvenation products for conditions such as:

• Atopic dermatitis

• Alopecia

• Psoriasis

• Epidermolysis bullosa (diseases that make skin blister easily)

• Diabetic wound healing

Right now, there’s little research on topical exosomes and hair growth or thinning hair specifically. But topical products could be a more affordable option in the future.

There are some potential side effects of exosome therapy for hair loss. But like most procedures requiring an anesthetic and small injections, most are localized to the injection site.

Exosomes hair loss side effects might include:

• Mild inflammation

• Redness or bruising

• Discomfort at the injection site

Many people wonder if exosome hair therapy is safe overall. Clinical trials demonstrate the safety of exosome use in medicine, but again, over-the-counter products aren’t as thoroughly researched.

Researchers also point out that data showing efficacy and long-term safety of exosome therapy for alopecia is lacking. But 2023 research noted that no adverse effects have been associated with exosome hair therapy so far.

Not sure if exosome hair therapy is right for you? Plenty of other hair loss treatments are proven effective (and aren’t as eye-wateringly expensive).

We’ll break them down below.

Minoxidil

As mentioned briefly, topical minoxidil is the active ingredient in Rogaine. As you probably know, it’s used to treat hair loss.

Oral minoxidil isn’t FDA-approved for hair loss like its topical counterpart (but has approval for high blood pressure). However, it’s sometimes prescribed by healthcare providers off-label for androgenetic alopecia.

Finasteride

Finasteride is an FDA-approved prescription medication used to treat male pattern baldness. It blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a male hormone that’s a byproduct of testosterone. DHT causes hair loss.

You can also pair minoxidil and finasteride, the duo in our appropriately named topical minoxidil & finasteride spray.

Microneedling

Microneedling involves using a dermaroller tool to create tiny punctures (or micro-injuries) on the skin of the head. It sounds like a bad time, but it doesn’t hurt.

The idea behind microneedling — which is backed by some research, mostly microneedling used in tandem with other hair growth products — is that blood and oxygen rush to the scalp to heal the wounds. This could potentially stimulate hair follicles to produce new hair.

You can learn more in our microneedling for hair loss guide.

Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT)

There isn’t much conclusive evidence that low-level light therapy makes a major difference in hair loss, but it’s FDA-approved for treating androgenetic alopecia in men and women.

Some research credits LLLT with improvements in androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata, and chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

Exosome hair therapy is a fairly new approach to hair restoration, and it can be tough to understand exactly how it works if you’re not a scientist.

Below is the TL;DR on exosomes for hair loss:

• It might support natural hair growth. Some evidence suggests exosomes can promote hair follicle growth, but more research is needed on their effect on hair follicles and conditions like male pattern baldness.

• Research is still developing. We know a bit more about exosomes’ effects on skin and certain conditions like psoriasis, which may help researchers learn more about exosomes and hair or scalp health.

• It’s minimally invasive. The exosome hair therapy procedure is minimally invasive with promising short-term results. But again, more research is needed to understand its long-term efficacy and safety.

• It’s expensive. For those considering hair loss treatments, exosome therapy is an exciting but costly option. Many other methods are less expensive, like minoxidil, finasteride, microneedling, and low-level light therapy.

Interested in staying current on other cutting-edge hair treatments? Check out our guide to FUT versus FUE hair transplants.

Want to learn more about hair loss treatment options available to you? Do a quick online consultation with a healthcare professional who can assess your hair loss and suggest treatment options.