Exosomes are not all equal. I carry two in my office, one for use with microneedling and one for skincare. This blog is to discuss Provoque, my newest addition to my office skincare line.
Why add the secretome in regenerative medicine?
The “secretome” sounds like a marketing term to me. Turns out- it isn’t. Secretome includes exosomes, but it is more- is a combination of exosomes WITH the other factors that help the exosomes and skin repair better. I went to a great talk at the recent Aesthetic Meeting in Austin (2025) and a bench researcher in the space made a great analogy.
He said, “Imagine you have a house that burns and is damaged. To fix the damage you need a range of things- wood, nails, plumbing, etc. When you bring exosomes to the area, you are bringing one thing- wood. Those exosomes need to be high quality- human, age zero, well made. But bringing more exosomes is not sufficient, as you only need a certain amount of wood, so higher concentrations and more exosomes aren’t sufficient. What brings the other things you need- nails, plumbing, etc- is the growth factors, proteins, hormones, and cytokines.” This is the secretome. The secretome is a soup of all of these factors together. The released substances help cells communicate with each other through messengers- the secretome- exosomes, proteins, growth factors, cytokines, and hormones.
Why do I like it? Show me the biopsies.
When I went to this recent ASAPS meeting, everyone tried to sell me their products. Many have pretty graphs and photos. What convinces me to advocate for a product is when those products can show me objective proof their product improves the skin. That is accomplished with histologic biopsies.
For Provoque, the histology shows: 25% more collagen, improved skin barrier, improved texture, restored skin surface. This is actually THEIR product, tested by a third party, at 3 months. It was a double blinded study done in 200 offices over 2 years. It’s pretty impressive.
So why did I start to carry it? I think the science is compelling.
I am already a fan of high quality exosomes that are human, age zero. (Again, not all exosomes are created equal.) Provoque’s product is from a single, uncontaminated, NIH embryo cell line used for cancer treatments and research over the past 20 years. They have a high dedication to quality, and their product is 99.6% pure. There is no cellular material, it is a FDA sterile facility. Fetuin A has proven effective against inflammation.
It costs marginally more than other products, but people see changes rapidly after starting. The biopsies above are at 3 months. They show deep wrinkle improvement at 8-12 weeks. For many of you overwhelmed by all the options out there, this is a good way “to simplify the regimen.”
Regenerative medicine is all about this. Prejuvenation. Prevention. Starting early and improving your tissues at the cellular level. Exosomes and the secretome are real science.
Come in for a skin evaluation with our Vectra 3D imaging.
Don’t take our word for it. Photograph. Use the product. Then 3 months later redo your photos and see the changes.
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider for any questions regarding your health or medical condition.
