ExosomeShop

How to read an exosome product

This page gives you the questions to ask so you can judge any exosome product yourself, or decide that you do not need one. We make exosome products, so read it knowing that; the checks below are the ones we hold ourselves to.

Six things to check, in order

Work through them from the top. If a product fails an early step, the later ones do not matter.

  1. What is the source?

    The label should say which cells or plants the vesicles came from. Common human sources are umbilical cord, adipose (fat) and bone marrow mesenchymal cells, or platelets. Plant sources include rose stem cells, ginger and grape. Animal sources are usually bovine or ovine. "Exosome complex" or "exosome technology" with no source named tells you nothing.

    Human-derived material is not permitted in cosmetics in some markets, including the EU. Check the rules where you live.

  2. Is it a cosmetic or a drug?

    In the US, a topical product is a cosmetic and may only make appearance-related claims. If the seller says the product treats acne, heals scars, regrows hair or repairs damaged skin, it is making drug claims it is not licensed to make. Injectable and IV exosome products are not approved for any use.

  3. How was it characterised?

    A careful manufacturer will describe at least three things: particle size distribution (usually by nanoparticle tracking analysis), the presence of exosome markers such as CD63 and CD81, and an image from electron microscopy. Look for a certificate of analysis. If the only number offered is a particle count, treat it as marketing.

  4. What does the particle count mean?

    Counts are quoted in billions of particles per millilitre or per vial. Higher is not automatically better: the count includes lipid droplets, protein aggregates and cell debris of similar size, and a preparation with a high count and poor purity may contain fewer functional vesicles than a cleaner one with a lower count. Ask for purity data, such as the ratio of particles to protein.

  5. How is it stored and how long does it last?

    Liquid exosome preparations degrade at room temperature over days to weeks. Products meant to be stable on a shelf are usually freeze-dried and reconstituted before use, or formulated with stabilisers. A liquid serum that has sat on a warm shelf for a year is unlikely to contain intact vesicles, whatever the count was at manufacture. Look for storage instructions, an expiry date and, ideally, stability data.

  6. Who made it and how?

    Human-derived material should come from screened donors, be grown without animal serum where possible, and be tested for sterility, endotoxin and mycoplasma. The manufacturer should name their facility and its quality standard, for example cGMP or ISO 13485. Silence on manufacturing is a reason to walk away.

Claims that should stop you

Any of these on a product page or clinic website means the seller is either careless or dishonest.

"Stem cell serum"

Cosmetics do not contain live stem cells. The product contains, at most, material secreted by cells, and should say so.

"FDA-approved exosomes"

No exosome product is FDA-approved. A manufacturing facility may be FDA-registered, which is a different and much weaker statement.

"Reverses ageing" or "repairs DNA"

Drug-level claims with no support, and not permitted for a cosmetic.

"Clinically proven" with no citation

Ask for the study. If it is not published or not about this product, the phrase is empty.

"Treats" any named condition

Includes hair loss, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, arthritis, long COVID, autism. None has an approved exosome treatment.

Trillions of particles with no purity data

See step four. A number without context is a number chosen to impress.

Questions for a clinic

If a clinic offers an exosome treatment, ask these before you book:

  • What is the product name and manufacturer, and can I see its certificate of analysis?
  • Is it applied topically after a procedure, or injected? If injected, under what regulatory authorisation?
  • What results have you seen in your own patients, and do you have before-and-after photographs with consistent lighting?
  • What would this procedure cost without the exosome step, and what evidence supports paying the difference?
  • What adverse events have been reported for this product?

A good clinic will have ready answers. Vagueness or irritation at the questions is information too.

Our position

For most people, an exosome serum used on intact skin is an expensive way to buy a moisturiser with an interesting story. For post-procedure care, there is early evidence of benefit, and choosing a well-characterised product matters. For any injected or systemic use outside a registered trial, we would not do it and would not recommend it.