Ever on the hunt for the latest scientific breakthroughs for his well-heeled, beauty-savvy patients, Yannis Alexandrides MD introduced exosomes into his clinical practice pretty much the nano-second they gained regulatory approval for medical use in Europe—in 2023, to be exact. Since then, the renowned plastic surgeon and 111Skin founder has been firing on multiple exosome cylinders.
Cases in point: Alexandrides has developed a pricey and popular aesthetic treatment for his London clinic (the 60- to 90-minute Exosomes ASCEplus SRLV, which starts at £1050 and yields results such as an uptick in collagen production and pigment-reduction that last up to eight months); a 90-minute, $690 Exosome Facial for his gleaming new 111Skin Spa / Clinic at The Plaza Hotel in New York City, which promises a boost in radiance and skin firmness among other benefits; and the newly launched Exosome Face Lift, $825, a two-step, four-week, “transformative” DIY regimen available on the brand’s website featuring a microspicule-powered Exosome Shot and a milk thistle-fueled Exosome Overnight Mask, which allows spa-goers to take rejuvenation matters into their own hands.
In other words, Alexandrides and his team have seen the future, and the future is exosomes. “As with every innovation he adopts, Dr. Alexandrides’ decision to introduce exosomes was grounded in clinical data,” says Milena Naydenov, Global Head of Aesthetics for 111Skin. “Exosomes represent a natural evolution in our commitment to surgical-level precision within non-surgical esthetics.”
Nearly 70 percent of derms surveyed believe exosomes will become a standard component of esthetic care within the next five years . . .
A-List Estheticians Hop on Board
Pietro Simone
Celebrity facialist Keren Bartov, who splits her time between her Tel Aviv and UK clinics and counts Julia Roberts, Demi Moore, and Sienna Miller among her clients, is equally bullish on exosomes. In fact, she just added ExoVive Serum to her tightly edited skincare collection. Priced at $195 and available for purchase on her website and at Bergdorf Goodman, the high-tech formula is bolstered by antioxidant ferulic acid, nourishing vitamin E and barrier-strengthening squalane.
ExoVive was developed from within the clinic, so it integrates naturally both into in-clinic treatments and as part of an at-home routine,” says Bartov. “I use it within regenerative treatments when we want to accelerate repair and renewal without creating irritation or overloading the skin. At the same time, it was specifically created to bridge the gap between clinical treatments and daily skincare. In my view, true treatment doesn’t end when a client leaves, and ExoVive allows us to continue supporting the process we initiate, at a deep, cellular level.”
Why are Alexandrides and Bartov—as well as skin savant Pietro Simone—so smitten with exosomes? (In addition to the $1500 Regenesis Exo-Serum available for purchase on his website, Simone serves up a menu of next-gen exosome skin services, ranging in price from $495 to $9,000, in the igloo-like Exosome Dome at his West Village clinic in Manhattan.) Are exosomes here to stay or merely the trend du jour, destined to go the way of other once-red hot complexion “must haves” like CBD, charcoal, and 24k gold?
For now at least, signs point to staying power.
Not purely a stand-alone skincare ingredient like retinol or niacinamide, exosomes are both an ingredient and a delivery system, with the capability of sending cues to the skin to essentially repair itself.
Acting as biologic signalers, exosomes are naturally occurring, nano-sized extracellular vesicles that release a tidy list of skin-enhancers, including lipids, peptides, growth factors, and more. Functioning as a bioactive ingredient, they’re frequently deployed to enhance microneedling and laser treatments.
In addition to the benefits previously mentioned, when applied topically or injected, exosomes also help reduce inflammation and speed up wound-healing. In other words, they’re workhorses.
The Growing Stash of Spa-Centric Exosome Skincare
Naturopathica
Set to make its debut shortly is a breakthrough on the exosome front: one of the first plant-based exosome collections by luxury spa stalwart Naturopathica. Derived from fruit, the new line is kicking off with Gotu Kola + Fruit Exosome Rejuvenating Essence and Gotu Kola + Fruit Exosome Gel Moisturizer. While the essence was crafted to support hydration and firmness, the moisturizer bundles immediate comfort with longer-term repair.
Falling under the header of “fully established exosome brands” with a strong spa foothold are Exoceuticals and Plated Skin Science.
New for Exoceuticals is its EXO Longevity Collection, which blends science, biotechnology and wellness and pairs exosomes with peptides for a pop of stepped-up skin repair.
Developed via 20 years of research at the Mayo Clinic’s Van Cleve Cardiac Regenerative Medicine Program and launched in 2022, Plated was recently named the leading dermatologist-recommended exosome skincare brand following a survey of 160 board-certified skin docs by data intelligence collector Guidepoint Qsight.
Even more telling were other factoids the Guidepoint survey surfaced, including that exosomes are already a staple in 100 percent of the practices that participated; nearly 70 percent of derms surveyed believe exosomes will become a standard component of esthetic care within the next five years; and demand for exosomes is expected to grow, especially among Millenials, driven by “strong efficacy and visible results.”
Strong efficacy and visible results? That certainly doesn’t sound like a skincare flash in the pan.
“Exosomes appeal to individuals seeking deeper, more intelligent and more precise results, particularly those who understand that advanced skincare today is about restoration and biological support, not simply stimulation,” says Bartov. “I don’t see exosomes as a trend, but as an evolutionary step in skincare.”
Dana Wood
Dana Wood is the Contributing Beauty Editor at InsidersGuidetoSpas.com. She has been writing about beauty and wellness for decades, and no matter how many times she taps the words “hyaluronic acid” or “healing modalities” into her keyboard, it never gets old. Dana spent a total of 20 years at Condé Nast, serving as Beauty Director for W, Cookie, and Brides. A transplanted New Yorker, Dana now lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her peak spa experience? Dana says it’s impossible to decide between the Coco-Mango Body Buff at the Driftwood Spa at Jakes in Treasure Beach, Jamaica, The Land of Beautiful Waters Anti-Aging Facial at Four Seasons Nevis, and the 80-minute 5 Senses massage at the Spa by JW in Marco Island, Florida.