You may have seen it in a friend’s photos after a trip to Seoul, or in a video where someone’s skin looks noticeably calmer a week later. Then you open a clinic menu and find “exosome” next to “skin booster,” “stem cell ampoule” and “Rejuran,” often without an explanation of how they differ.
“Exosome treatment” sounds like one thing. In practice, the phrase bundles together a biological idea, a product category, a delivery method and a regulatory question. Separating those four makes the rest of the decision much easier.
ONE WORD, FOUR THINGS
What does “exosome” actually mean on a clinic menu?
The biology
Exosomes are tiny vesicles that cells release to carry proteins, lipids and genetic material to other cells. They are part of how cells signal to each other.
The product
What you receive is a solution made by a manufacturer, often from stem-cell culture media or from plants. Source, purification and concentration differ from one product to another. A “stem cell ampoule” does not contain living stem cells.
The delivery
The same solution can be applied to the skin surface, applied right after microneedling or laser opens small channels, or injected. These are three different procedures with different risks.
The regulation
The U.S. FDA states that there are currently no FDA-approved exosome products. In Korea, exosome products for the face are generally sold as cosmetics.
Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety tightened the wording rules in January 2025: cosmetics may no longer be advertised in ways that suggest they contain human-derived exosomes, while labels such as “plant exosome” are still allowed. The rule governs advertising, not safety, but it shows how loosely the word had been used.
So the first question to ask any clinic is simple: which of these four are you talking about?
EVIDENCE
What does the research say so far?
A 2026 systematic review gathered 19 human studies of exosome-based skin treatments. It found short-term improvements in hydration, elasticity, wrinkles, pores, pigmentation and overall appearance, but most studies were not randomized, each included roughly 8 to 25 people, and follow-up was short, so the authors could not establish cause or long-term effect.
A 2025 review in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology reached a similar point from a different direction: there are no FDA-approved exosomes, and the way exosomes are isolated and sourced varies widely, which makes studies hard to compare. A 2026 review focused on microneedling combined with exosomes likewise found only eight small studies and called the evidence insufficient.
What happened when unidentified exosome products were injected
A 2025 case series from a Korean university dermatology department described four women who had exosome-containing formulations of unknown composition injected into the skin outside dermatologic supervision. All four developed persistent redness, nodules or granulomatous inflammation, and all were left with scarring despite treatment. Four cases cannot tell us how often this happens. They do show that “exosome” on the label says little about what was actually put into the skin.
None of this means exosome care does nothing. It means the honest summary is “promising, early, and dependent on the product and the method,” and that is the standard I use when explaining it to patients.
COMPARE
Exosome, Rejuran or a hyaluronic acid booster: how do they differ?
These three are often listed side by side as “skin boosters,” but they are different materials with different goals.
| What it is | Usually used for | How it’s usually given | What the evidence says | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exosome products | Vesicle-rich solutions, often from stem-cell culture media or plants | Overall skin quality, calming irritated or breakout-prone skin | Applied after microneedling or laser | Small, mostly non-randomized studies with short-term improvements |
| Rejuran (polynucleotides, PN) | Purified DNA fragments from salmon | Fine lines, texture, thin or tired-looking skin | Injected into the skin | A review of 9 studies (219 patients) of low-to-moderate quality; a 27-person split-face trial rated it similar to a hyaluronic acid filler overall |
| Hyaluronic acid (HA) booster | Non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid | Hydration and glow | Injected into the skin | A meta-analysis found better hydration and radiance, but not elasticity; a 448-person trial showed short-term improvement over about four months |
If dehydration is your main concern, a hyaluronic acid booster targets it most directly. Fine lines and thin skin lean toward polynucleotides. Exosomes tend to be chosen when several things overlap: dryness, rough texture, redness and occasional breakouts. Which of these describes your skin is the part that needs an examination rather than a menu.
AT DEAR
How do we do it at DEAR?
I do not start with the exosome. I start with your skin, and the order below is the same for every patient.
- A consultation with me, not a coordinator. I see every patient myself, at the first visit and at every follow-up, and we talk in English. What bothers you most, what you have tried, and what is happening on your skin right now all shape the plan.
- Inflammation first. Active redness and inflamed breakouts change what is safe and useful to do, so I look at them before anything else, along with skin thickness, sensitivity and tone.
- Medical microneedling, done by me. When exosome care fits, I use a medical-grade automated microneedling device whose needles enter the skin vertically instead of rolling across it. I perform it myself and adjust the depth by area, roughly between 0.5 and 1.5 mm, because the forehead, cheeks and jawline are not the same skin.
- An ampoule chosen for your skin. Depending on what we found, I choose between calming, brightening and regenerating ampoules, or an exosome-based one, rather than using the same bottle for everyone.
- Korean medicine where it helps. For red, inflamed breakouts or uneven tone, I may add pharmacopuncture (small amounts of concentrated herbal extract injected at acupuncture points). For tone, firmness or facial asymmetry, facial acupuncture, done after gentle electrical stimulation, can be part of the plan.
Brought in by his mother, back the next season on his own
A middle-school-aged boy · inflammatory acne and repeated breakouts along the jaw
Many inflammatory breakouts, especially along the jaw. He was not interested in skin care and came somewhat reluctantly with a parent.
After exosome care, breakouts including those along the jaw were observed to decrease, and he said he was pleased with how his skin had changed.
He returned to manage recurring breakouts over the summer and to smooth his skin texture, this time with a much more positive view of skin care.
Identifying details have been removed. This describes one patient’s course; the same results will not appear in everyone.
NOT YET
When would I start with something else?
If there is a lot of active inflammatory acne, dermatitis, an infection or an open wound, the priority is treating that condition and deciding whether a procedure is appropriate at all. Choosing between boosters comes after.
TRAVEL & BIG DAYS
Planning around a trip, a wedding or a photoshoot?
Many people who ask about exosomes have a date in mind: a flight home, a wedding, a shoot. After microneedling, the skin is usually red and may look slightly raised for a while, and how long that lasts depends on the depth and on your skin.
Tell me your dates at the consultation. I will plan the depth, the timing and the number of sessions around them, and if the timing is too tight for what you want, I will say so.
PRICE
What about the price?
The fee depends on what we decide together, so it is explained during your consultation, before any treatment. It is the same for Korean and international patients.
Before the word “exosome,” three questions come first: what is in the bottle, how it will reach your skin, and whether your skin needs calming before anything else. If you would like to answer them with someone looking at your skin, I will see you myself, in English, and we will decide together.
DEAR KOREAN MEDICINE CLINIC
About a 10-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 5 · +82-2-3486-1777
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- Thu14:00–20:00
- Sat10:00–15:00
- SunClosed
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is exosome treatment FDA-approved?
No. The U.S. FDA states that there are currently no FDA-approved exosome products. In Korea, exosome products used on the face are generally sold as cosmetics, and clinics apply them as part of a procedure such as microneedling.
Does it hurt?
Most people feel pressure and a prickling sensation. An automated device that places the needles straight into the skin tends to feel lighter than a roller. How it feels also depends on the depth, so we talk it through before we start.
Can I combine exosomes with Rejuran?
They work in different ways and are delivered differently, so combining them is possible in principle. Whether it makes sense for you, and in what order, is something to decide after your skin has been examined.
Can I have my consultation in English?
Yes. Director Minji Kim consults directly in English, Japanese and Chinese, so you won’t need an interpreter.
How do I book?
Appointments are given priority, so we recommend booking before your visit. The most reliable way is an Instagram DM to @dearhani__, or you can call us at +82-2-3486-1777.
Sources
- Flores Rodríguez JC, et al. Efficacy of Exosome-Based Therapies for Skin Rejuvenation: A Systematic Review of Human Studies. Cureus. 2026;18(2):e104182.
- Haykal D, et al. Exosomes in Cosmetic Dermatology: A Review of Benefits and Challenges. J Drugs Dermatol. 2025;24(1):12-18.
- Dhaliwal NK, et al. The Use of Microneedling With Exosomes in Dermatology: A Systematic Review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2026;25(4):e70881.
- Park KY. Adverse Reactions Following Intradermal Injection of Exosome-Based Formulations: A Case Series. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025;24(10):e70520.
- Lampridou S, et al. The Effectiveness of Polynucleotides in Esthetic Medicine: A Systematic Review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025;24(2):e16721.
- Lee YJ, et al. Comparison of the effects of polynucleotide and hyaluronic acid fillers on periocular rejuvenation: a randomized, double-blind, split-face trial. J Dermatolog Treat. 2022;33(1):254-260.
- Zhou R, Yu M. The Effect of Local Hyaluronic Acid Injection on Skin Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025;24(1):e16760.
- Cheng H, et al. A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Assessor-Blinded Study Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of Injectable Non-Cross-Linked Hyaluronic Acid for Improving Facial Skin Rejuvenation. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2026;19.
- Foppiani JA, et al. Microneedling for Facial Rejuvenation: A Systematic Review. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2025;49(17):4949-4960.
- U.S. FDA. Consumer Alert on Regenerative Medicine Products Including Stem Cells and Exosomes (updated 2024).
- Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Korea). Expanded prohibited expressions in cosmetics labeling and advertising (January 21, 2025, Korean).
This article provides general health information and does not replace an individual diagnosis or treatment. Suitability, response and side effects depend on your skin, the product and the method used.