Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · Last reviewed · 3 min read
Published 13 October 2026 · Reviewed by Dr Sin Yong
Exosome is the term for a nanoscale extracellular vesicle, roughly 30 to 150 nanometres across, that cells release as a membrane parcel carrying proteins, lipids and RNA to other cells. Exosomes are how cells signal by post. In aesthetics they are applied topically, most usefully in the window after fractional laser or microneedling has opened the skin; in Singapore and most jurisdictions they are cosmetics used on the surface, not injectables.
Key facts
Size
Roughly 30–150 nm membrane vesicles released by cells
Cargo
Proteins, lipids and RNA that change the behaviour of the receiving cell
How used here
Topically, immediately after fractional laser or RF microneedling, as post-procedure support
Caution
Products vary widely by source; a characterised human-cell-derived preparation and a plant-extract vesicle are not the same biology
Where it fits
Exosomes occupy a narrow slot in Dr Sin Yong's practice: post-procedure support applied to freshly treated skin after platforms such as the Tetra Pro or RF microneedling, chosen product by product on characterisation rather than on the label. The evidence is described honestly on exosomes for skin: genuinely interesting biology, early but growing clinical data, and a commercial landscape where what is in the bottle varies enormously. What Singapore's HSA regulation means for how they can be used, and when a different regenerative option serves better, is on exosome therapy. For injected regenerative support the site's position is that the evidence currently favours established biologicals such as polynucleotides.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In Singapore and most jurisdictions exosome products are cosmetics applied topically, typically immediately after fractional laser or microneedling when channels in the skin allow penetration. For injected regenerative support, polynucleotides are the established option.
No. Exosomes are vesicles released by cells, not cells themselves. Marketing that promises the effects of stem cells without stem cells is describing a hypothesis, and the source of the vesicles matters more than the word on the label.
