Exosome Therapy in India: What It Does and How to Choose

In short: Exosomes are tiny bubbles that cells release to send messages to other cells. Exosome treatments apply these messengers to the skin or scalp, aiming to signal repair. Laboratory studies show they can influence collagen production, inflammation and blood-vessel growth. Products vary widely in source and quality, so a doctor's assessment is the safe place to start.

What are exosomes?

Exosomes are extremely small sacs, about 30 to 150 nanometres across, that almost every cell in your body releases. A nanometre is a millionth of a millimetre.

Each exosome carries cargo from the cell that made it: proteins, fats and genetic messages called microRNAs. When another cell takes it in, that cargo changes how the receiving cell behaves. Exosomes are one of the main ways your cells talk to each other.

What do exosomes do in the skin and scalp?

Collagen signals. In laboratory studies, some exosome preparations signal fibroblasts, the skin cells that make collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep skin firm and elastic.

Inflammation signals. Their cargo can turn inflammatory signals up or down in the cells that receive it.

Blood-vessel signals. Some preparations encourage small new blood vessels to form, which carry oxygen and nutrients to skin and hair follicles.

Source decides the message. An exosome carries the messages of its parent cell. Exosomes from stem cells, skin cells or plants carry different cargo, so they do not all act the same way, and these laboratory effects do not mean every product works.

How is exosome therapy given?

• On the skin after a procedure. Most often, an exosome serum is applied straight after microneedling or a laser, when tiny channels in the skin let it reach deeper layers.

• Into the scalp. For thinning hair, some clinics inject exosome products into the scalp, or apply them after microneedling.

• In skin-care products. Some creams and serums contain plant-derived exosomes.

No standard treatment schedule has been established.

What do studies show so far?

Skin. A review of human studies published from 2020 to 2025 found that about three in four reported improvements in wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity, hydration or scars. Most of these studies were small and followed people for a short time.

Hair. In a 2025 trial, 24 men with early hair thinning were randomised and 20 completed 16 weeks. An injected formulation combining exosomes with plant extracts improved hair counts compared with a saltwater placebo. Because it was a combination, the trial does not show how much the exosomes themselves contributed.

Wound healing and other uses are mostly at the laboratory and early clinical stage.

In 2026, a task force of the Association of Cutaneous Surgeons of India (ACSI) reviewed exosomes alongside other new dermatology treatments. It does not recommend routine clinical use of commercial exosome products from any source, and it asks for clear information on each product's source, purity and quality.

How are exosome products regulated in India?

What rules apply depends on the product and how it is used, under India's Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), headed by the Drugs Controller General of India, decides on new-drug permissions. Research using human stem cells and their products falls under the 2017 ICMR–DBT guidelines on stem cell research.

Many exosome products in India are sold as cosmetics. A product sold as a cosmetic is not approved for injection. Labels such as "stem cell exosomes" do not always say what is actually in the vial.

What should a doctor screen for first?

These are screening points for a doctor to consider, not a complete list:

• pregnancy or breastfeeding

• active skin infection, open wounds or a flare of eczema or psoriasis at the treatment site

• a history of skin cancer, or any current cancer treatment

• a tendency to keloid scars, or a bleeding disorder (for microneedling or injections)

• strong allergies to skin products

Side effects depend on the product and how it is applied. Redness, swelling and mild tenderness after microneedling or injection are common and usually settle within days. Reports after injection include inflammatory lumps, tissue death (necrosis) and allergic reactions. Because products differ, long-term safety data are still limited.

How do I choose an exosome treatment safely?

Ask these questions before you start:

1. What is the exosome source: human stem cells, skin cells, or plants?

2. Who makes it, and is there a batch number and a certificate of analysis?

3. Is it approved for injection, or only for use on the skin surface?

4. Is a doctor examining my skin or scalp, and checking my history, first?

5. How will results be measured, for example with photographs or hair counts?

If a clinic cannot answer these, choose another.

How does a SOMA doctor decide what is right for you?

At SOMA, a doctor looks at the whole picture first. Skin ageing and thinning hair can have roots in hormones, nutrition, thyroid function, stress or inflammation. Which tests you need depends on what the doctor finds.

Your doctor discusses the options with you, which may include exosome treatment, nutrition, hormone balance, red and infrared light therapy or other care instead. You get a clear plan, with what to measure and when, as one part of a plan built around you.

SOMA centres in Mumbai and New Delhi

SOMA doctors see patients at two centres:

• Mumbai: A-507, Kohinoor Square, N.C. Kelkar Marg, Shivaji Park, Dadar West, Mumbai 400028. Phone +91 98671 94033.

• New Delhi: E-354, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi 110048, serving Delhi NCR and Gurugram. Phone +91 87969 92001. More about the New Delhi centre.

The New Delhi centre is independently operated under licence from SOMA Longevity Sciences, and its own doctors lead care there. Both centres follow the same SOMA assessment and diagnostic standards. Online consultations are also available. Contact either centre.

Questions people ask

What is exosome therapy?

Exosome therapy uses tiny messenger sacs released by cells, applied to the skin or scalp, usually after microneedling. In laboratory studies, some preparations influence collagen production, inflammation and blood-vessel growth. Effects depend on the product's source and contents.

Is exosome therapy safe?

Short-term side effects are usually mild, such as redness and swelling for a few days. Reports after injection include inflammatory lumps, tissue death (necrosis) and allergic reactions. Safety depends heavily on the product's source and quality, and long-term data are still limited.

Does exosome therapy work for hair loss?

In a small 2025 trial, 20 men completed 16 weeks: 10 received an injected exosome and plant-extract formulation and 10 received a placebo. Hair counts improved more with the formulation. The trial does not show how much the exosomes alone contributed. The cause of hair thinning matters, so a doctor should look for it first.

How many exosome sessions are needed?

No standard treatment schedule has been established. Skin and hair change slowly, so any treatment should be judged over months, with photographs taken before and after.

Where can I get exosome therapy in Mumbai or Delhi?

Start with a doctor's assessment rather than a salon or an online product. Doctors at SOMA's centres in Dadar West, Mumbai and Greater Kailash II, New Delhi assess your skin or hair concern and discuss the options with you.

Sources

1. Association of Cutaneous Surgeons of India Task Force. Consensus position statement on emerging treatments in dermatology. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery 2026. https://jcasonline.com/consensus-position-statement-on-emerging-treatments-in-dermatology-by-the-association-of-cutaneous-surgeons-of-india-task-force/

2. Shingala K, Nariya D. Exosomes in skin of color: dermatological insights, therapeutic potential, and clinical realities in India. Cureus 2026;18(1):e102145. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41732596/

3. Wang OJE, Bajwa BB, Rivers JK. Exosome-based therapies in dermatology: a scoping review. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology 2026;25(4):368–376. https://jddonline.com/articles/exosome-based-therapies-in-dermatology-scoping-review-S1545961626P9610X/

4. Amini et al. A pilot randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of an exosome-containing plant extract formulation for treating male alopecia. 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11943915/

5. Zheng J et al. Applications of exosomal miRNAs from mesenchymal stem cells as skin boosters. Biomolecules 2024;14(4):459. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38672475/