AT A GLANCE:

• Regenerative aesthetics is booming, but not all treatments are created equal.

• Options like PRP, exosomes, and PDRN each offer different mechanisms of action and different levels of evidence.

• Some treatments have strong support for wound healing and inflammation reduction; others are buzzy but unregulated.

• Understanding the difference between signals (secretome) and single-category treatments is key to knowing what actually works.

Vampire facials. Exosomes. Salmon sperm (?!). Walk into any modern dermatology clinic, and you’re met with a roster of acronyms and catchy (if not stomach-churning) treatment monikers. The world of “cell-based skincare” has exploded, promising brighter skin, more collagen, faster healing, and even a more youthful glow using your body’s own biology.

But behind the buzzwords lies a simple truth: these treatments aren’t all doing the same thing. Each one delivers a different slice of the signals your skin uses to repair, regenerate, and stay resilient. PRP offers a light boost. Exosomes deliver more targeted messages. PDRN supports healing and inflammation. And emerging secretome-based therapies go even further by capturing far more of the body’s natural repair language.

Understanding where each option falls on this spectrum isn’t about choosing a “winner.” It’s about knowing how comprehensive each treatment really is, and what kind of results you can expect from the level of regenerative signaling it provides.

Here’s how today’s most popular regenerative treatments compare.

What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)?

PRP concentrates platelets from your own blood and reintroduces them into the skin.

How it works:

Blood is drawn and spun down to isolate the platelet-rich layer. Those platelets release a limited set of growth factors that support early healing and mild collagen production when injected or applied to the skin.

Great for:

• Post-laser or microneedling healing
• Mild improvements in tone and texture
• Early signs of aging

Tradeoffs:

PRP only delivers a small portion of the molecules your skin needs for full repair. It’s supportive—but limited.¹

What Are Exosome Treatments?

Exosomes have quickly become a post-procedure favorite because they can help skin bounce back faster and look more radiant. They offer a step deeper into regenerative biology than PRP, but still don’t capture the full picture.

How it works:

Exosomes are tiny vesicles naturally released by cells, often harvested from donor-derived stem cells. To isolate them, labs typically culture a population of stem cells, collect the fluid the cells grow in (called “conditioned media”), and then separate the exosomes. These purified vesicles are then formulated for topical or injectable use.

Applied after procedures, exosomes help calm inflammation, improve hydration, and accelerate recovery.

Great for:

• Redness and inflammation
• Hydration
• Faster recovery
• Mild collagen improvement

Tradeoffs:

Exosomes represent one category of regenerative signals: powerful, but still just a fraction of the skin’s full repair language.²

What is PDRN?

Polydeoxyribonucleotide, or PDRN, has gained popularity for its soothing, restorative qualities, especially for sensitized or post-treatment skin. It’s gentle, reliable, and supported by solid clinical data.

How it works:

PDRN is a DNA fragment (often salmon-derived) that activates A2A receptors, helping reduce inflammation and encourage controlled cell turnover and wound healing.

PDRN is usually delivered as a series of tiny injections across the face (similar to skin boosters) or mixed into post-procedure serums during microneedling. Some clinics also use PDRN masks or gels for calming immediately after energy-based treatments.

Great for:

• Hydration
• Soothing compromised or inflamed skin
• Gentle, cumulative rejuvenation

Tradeoffs:

PDRN is calming and supportive, but not a structural anti-aging or collagen-focused intervention.³

What are secretome treatments?

Secretome represents the most complete form of regenerative signaling: capturing the entire suite of molecules your skin naturally uses to repair, rebuild, and stay resilient. It mirrors the complexity of the body’s own repair system.

How it works:

Secretome includes growth factors, peptides, cytokines, extracellular vesicles, exosomes, and more—the full network of signals stem cells release to coordinate inflammation control, collagen production, elasticity, hydration, and barrier repair.

Typically, you’ll start with an appointment to bank your stem cells. (Acorn does this via the painless collection of hair follicles.) Then, your cells are sent to a lab, where they’re cryopreserved and used to create your personalized secretome—a formulation containing the balanced, full-spectrum signaling your biology naturally produces.

In a clinic, secretome is usually applied during microneedling or laser treatments, when the skin is most receptive—to help accelerate healing and regeneration.⁴

Great for:

• Supporting collagen and elasticity
• Enhancing recovery after in-office treatments
• Improving skin resilience, hydration, and overall glow
• Strengthening the barrier and calming inflammation

The Bottom Line

Secretome is emerging as one of the most comprehensive tools in regenerative aesthetics because it mirrors the way your skin naturally heals—using a complete, coordinated network of signals rather than a single ingredient or pathway. Treatments like PRP, exosomes, and PDRN all have meaningful roles, but they each deliver only slices of this communication system. Secretome brings the whole conversation together.

And when it’s created from your own preserved cells, it becomes even more powerful: personal, stable, and future-ready. As regenerative skincare evolves, full-spectrum signaling (not just isolated components!) is likely to become the foundation of how we support long-term skin health.

FAQ

Q: How is secretome different than exosome therapy?
A: Exosomes are just one part of the secretome. Secretome includes exosomes alongside growth factors, peptides, cytokines, and other bioactive molecules.

Q: Do I need to bank my cells before I get secretome?
A: If you want a personalized secretome made from your own biology (like Acorn YOUTM), yes—you’ll need to bank your cells first. Generic, donor-derived secretome products exist, but they don’t reflect your unique regenerative profile.

Q: Is PRP outdated?
A: Not at all. PRP remains a useful treatment, particularly as an add-on to lasers and microneedling. It’s just limited in scope compared to newer regenerative tools.

Q: How are these treatments done?
A: PRP involves a blood draw and reinjection; exosomes and secretome are often applied during microneedling or post-laser. PDRN is delivered through tiny injections or microneedling. All are performed in clinics by trained providers.

Further Reading:

1. Phoebe, L. K. W., Lee, K. W. A., Chan, L. K. W., Hung, L. C., Wu, R., Wong, S., Wan, J., & Yi, K. H. (2024). Use of platelet rich plasma for skin rejuvenation. Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI), 30(4), e13714. https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.13714 
2. Tienda-Vázquez, M. A., Hanel, J. M., Márquez-Arteaga, E. M., Salgado-Álvarez, A. P., Scheckhuber, C. Q., Alanis-Gómez, J. R., Espinoza-Silva, J. I., Ramos-Kuri, M., Hernández-Rosas, F., Melchor-Martínez, E. M., & Parra-Saldívar, R. (2023). Exosomes: A Promising Strategy for Repair, Regeneration and Treatment of Skin Disorders. Cells, 12(12), 1625. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12121625 
3. Squadrito, F., Bitto, A., Irrera, N., Pizzino, G., Pallio, G., Minutoli, L., & Altavilla, D. (2017). Pharmacological Activity and Clinical Use of PDRN. Frontiers in pharmacology, 8, 224. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2017.00224
4. Zare, S., Jafarzadeh, A., Zare, S. et al. Exploring the dermatological applications of human mesenchymal stem cell secretome: a comprehensive review. Stem Cell Res Ther 16, 177 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-025-04311-8

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This article has been medically reviewed by:

Amatullah Fatehi | MSc, Director of Product Development and Innovation

Amatullah Fatehi is a regenerative medicine scientist with expertise in cell physiology and stem cell biology. She led the development of Acorn’s hair-follicle-derived secretome product and oversees key research and product innovation initiatives.