Categories: Blog

Are Exosomes Better Than Stem Cells?

In the past two decades, regenerative medicine has made advancements like never before. This is especially true of stem cell therapy, one of the most effective ways to treat aging-related concerns, degenerative disease, and autoimmune disorders. However, exosome therapy offers many of the same benefits for patients who wish to experience rejuvenation. At Revive MD Center in Glen Allen, VA, we’re proud to offer our patients both modern therapies.

Are Exosomes Better Than Stem Cells?

When comparing stem cell therapy and exosome therapy, it’s important to note that these two treatments are almost two sides of the same coin. The exosomes used during therapy are separated from stem cells, and stem cell therapy involves exosomes that are still connected to the cells. Both materials have similar regenerative properties and help injured or weakened areas of the body to heal and thrive after treatment.

At our professional office, we administer these two therapies in similar ways. We offer direct, targeted injections that can deliver exosomes or stem cells to a recovering injury or a joint with limited mobility. In addition, we can use IV therapy to slowly release stem cells and exosomes into your bloodstream, where they travel throughout your body to promote overall rejuvenation in a variety of areas.

A normal treatment process takes 15-45 minutes, depending on the injection method. In addition, both treatments are incredibly versatile and can be used by patients of all ages to treat and manage a number of common health concerns over time. Some patients find that just one session delivers noticeable results that improve their quality of life and helps them remain active, healthy, and happy.

What Are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are part of your body’s complex healing and regeneration network. These amazing cells can multiply and mimic surrounding cells, ultimately becoming almost every type of cell in your body. Because of their amazing properties, these cells offer one of the best reparative treatment options. They can reduce inflamed tissue, promote fresh bone, tissue, and muscle cell growth, and fortify the immune system to keep you feeling your best.

What Are Exosomes?

Exosomes are a cell byproduct that is produced by most types of eukaryotic cells. It is bound in a membrane and can be separated from its original cell in order to travel to surrounding cells and deliver messages. In stem cells, these messages are in the form of microRNA that details the regeneration process needed to recover from a variety of injuries and diseases. This cell reprogramming feature makes exosomes ideal for rejuvenating therapy.

Exosomes can be retrieved from stem cells and used independently to deliver regenerative messages to your cells without stem cell therapy. This new form of therapy offers a simplified treatment process and may deliver results more quickly for the average patient. In addition, exosomes are easier and cheaper to maintain than stem cells, making them more stable for long-term storage while keeping them effective for future treatments.

How Are Exosomes Retrieved?

Because they are connected to stem cells, exosomes are retrieved in the same way. Most stem cell therapy relies on embryonic stem cells, which can be found in ethically obtained umbilical cord and amniotic fluid. These stem cell-rich materials are collected after C-sections from willing donors. They are then processed in an FDA-regulated laboratory to separate and examine the stem cells that can be used for therapy.

To retrieve exosomes, the stem cells are processed further to separate the cells from their messenger exosomes. While the live stem cells must be carefully frozen, stored, and transferred to patients, exosomes are much less volatile and can be frozen and stored for longer periods of time without side effects. They are also easier to thaw and use in exosome therapy without compromising the vital regenerative microRNA contained within the exosomes.

Which Concerns Can Be Addressed With Therapy?

Exosome therapy is responsible for improving a number of diseases, injuries, aging concerns, and other health issues. This is largely due to the fact that exosomes are able to communicate healing codes to every type of cell and can trigger a long-term rejuvenation process. Because stem cells multiply naturally, they are usually used to treat aging and musculoskeletal concerns with injections or IV therapy.

Exosomes may help improve several major concerns, including arthritis, fractures in the bones, tears in the cartilage or connective tissue, and nerve damage. In some patients, exosomes can help regulate the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases and autoimmune disorders. Therapy with exosomes can also address a host of aging concerns, including bone health, hair loss, and mobility, especially when administered as an IV treatment.

How Long Do Results Last?

Each patient’s results vary, but it’s common to see the benefits of exosome therapy extend several years after your treatment plan is complete. Your individual results will depend on the nature of your concerns. Some health issues can be resolved with just 1-2 therapy sessions, while others require an ongoing treatment plan to achieve ideal results. Our doctor can give you an estimate of how long your results may last during your consultation.

Why Should I Consider Regenerative Medicine?

If you’re looking for a better way to protect your health and experience reliable healing, regenerative medicine could be an excellent option for you. Our scientifically-advanced treatment methods depend on cutting-edge research to deliver the best, most effective treatment options to our patients. Regenerative medicine uses the power of your body to achieve health and healing for years to come.

Whether you’re seeking full-body rejuvenation with stem cell therapy or exosome therapy or platelet-rich plasma treatments for brighter, more vibrant skin, our doctor can help you evaluate your concerns and recommend a treatment that’s right for you. Scheduling an initial consultation could be your first step towards a well-rounded regenerative experience at any age.

Am I an Ideal Candidate?

If you want to address diverse musculoskeletal, aging, or injury-related concerns, you could be a candidate for this regenerative therapy. In order to pursue treatment, you should be generally healthy and have informed expectations for a typical treatment process and final results. This treatment may not be ideal for patients who have severe or life-threatening health concerns, which cannot be adequately addressed with this therapy.

During your initial consultation, our doctor can review your areas of concern and evaluate whether this treatment can improve your symptoms. They can also answer any questions you may have about this treatment as they determine your candidacy for regenerative medicine.

What Can I Expect During Treatment?

Many patients want to know what they can expect during therapy treatment. While every patient experiences a slightly different treatment process and varied results, here is an overview of what you can anticipate from treatment with our dedicated team.

Consultation

Your first appointment will be a brief consultation with our doctor. This allows our doctor to examine your areas of concern, discuss your symptoms, and review your general medical history. They will also ask you about your goals for treatment. Once they have determined your candidacy for this therapy, they will recommend a treatment schedule that will help you achieve your ideal results and give you an idea of how soon you may experience improvements.

Preparation

There is very little required preparation for this therapy. In general, we recommend that patients continue to exercise regularly, complete any physical therapy appointments recommended to them by their doctor, and take the medications they use to manage their symptoms as normal. This will help keep your body active and healthy as you prepare for your first therapy session and may help enhance your final results.

Treatment

Before your first treatment, you may want to dress in loose, comfortable clothing, especially if you will be receiving a targeted injection. Our doctor will answer any questions you have about the treatment process before one of our experienced staff members begins to administer the therapy. This will either be completed with an individual syringe or an IV and bag.

If you are having an injection, our staff member will sanitize the target skin and use the syringe to inject the exosomes directly into the target joint, muscle, or tissue. They can administer a numbing agent before this if desired, which helps ensure your comfort during treatment. After your injection, you will be able to return to your normal activities immediately.

An IV treatment can take 30-60 minutes and allows you to read, work, or rest as the exosomes slowly enter your bloodstream. This process is virtually painless, and many patients report that their session is one of the most relaxing parts of their days. Once your appointment is complete, our staff member will answer any questions you may have about your recovery before you return to the rest of your day.

Recovery

Due to the cell reprogramming that occurs once the exosomes are injected, the recovery process is the longest stage of this treatment. Most patients don’t see their results begin to develop until 2-3 months after their appointment. During this initial healing stage, they should continue to exercise regularly, eat a balanced, nutritious diet, and take their normal medications to maintain their overall health.

The first signs of successful regeneration often include less discomfort in your areas of concern, improved movement and mobility, and increased energy. This is a sign that the exosomes have successfully begun the healing process, which may continue for up to 1 year after treatment. Most patients experience steadily improving symptoms as time goes on, which may help improve their mental and emotional health along with their physical health.

Results

While your results could continue to develop over 1 year, most patients see their final results within 6 months of treatment. After this, you may experience continued slight improvements in your areas of concern as your body regulates itself in combination with a healthy lifestyle and other anti-aging or regenerative medicine treatments.

If our doctor recommends an ongoing treatment plan, you can expect to have your next therapy appointment 6-8 months after your first injection or IV treatment. This allows our team to evaluate your healing progress and make adjustments to your treatment plan as necessary. Once your recommended plan is complete, you can look forward to long-lasting results from your rejuvenating therapy treatment.

 

Contact Us to Learn More!

While there is no way to avoid some injuries, diseases, and signs of aging, you don’t need to live with the side effects of these concerns thanks to regenerative medicine. Treatment with exosome therapy can give your body the regenerative power it needs to achieve successful healing and relief from a number of common issues.

To learn more about this transformative treatment option, contact our team of experts at Revive MD Center in Glen Allen, VA, to schedule your initial consultation today! We look forward to serving you soon!

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