Comparing your options
PRP vs exosomes for hair loss
PRP uses a small sample of your own blood and has real clinical evidence behind it. Exosome hair products are newer, usually lab-grown from donor cells, and are not approved by the TGA or FDA for hair loss.1, 2 Both aim to support the follicles — but PRP is the more established, better-regulated choice.4
Exosomes are one of the newest ideas in hair treatment. The science is interesting — but "newest" and "best-evidenced" are not the same thing, and the regulation matters.
First, the basics
What are exosomes?
Exosomes are tiny particles that cells release to carry growth factors and signals to other cells. In hair treatments, exosome products — sold under names such as ASCE+, Kimera and others — are usually grown in a laboratory from donor stem cells, then applied to the scalp, often alongside microneedling.
That points to the core difference with PRP. PRP is autologous — made from a small sample of your own blood, prepared and used in the same visit. Most exosome products are not from your body at all; they are laboratory- or donor-derived. That distinction matters for both the evidence and the regulation.
PRP is from you
PRP uses your own blood. Most exosome products are lab-grown from donor cells.
Not TGA or FDA approved
No exosome product is approved for hair loss in Australia or the US.
Promising but early
Exosome hair research is encouraging, but high-quality clinical evidence is still limited.
PRP is established
PRP is a long-standing in-clinic treatment with systematic-review evidence.
How they compare
PRP vs exosomes, side by side
A fair summary: exosomes are an exciting area of research, but PRP is the treatment with the evidence and the regulatory footing behind it today.
Exosome hair treatment
Newer and lab-derived — not approved by the TGA or FDA.
- What it is
- Cell-derived particles, usually lab-grown from donor stem cells
- Source
- Not from you — laboratory / donor-derived
- Regulation
- No TGA or FDA approval for hair loss
- Evidence base
- Promising but limited — few high-quality trials
PRP hair treatment
Established, autologous — clinical evidence and firmer regulatory footing.
- What it is
- Platelet-rich plasma from a sample of your own blood
- Source
- Your own blood, prepared and used in the same visit
- Regulation
- A long-established in-clinic medical procedure
- Evidence base
- Systematic reviews and randomised-trial meta-analyses
The part most pages skip
Where exosomes stand with the regulators
In Australia, products derived from human cells — which includes most exosome products — are regulated as biologicals by the TGA, and must be entered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods before they can be legally supplied. No exosome product is currently approved for hair loss.2
The US position is the same: there are no FDA-approved exosome products, and the FDA has issued public safety notifications about unapproved exosome products, citing reports of adverse events.1
None of this means exosomes won't have a place in future. It means that, right now, they are an unapproved, still-emerging option — and that's worth knowing before you compare them with PRP.
Human-derived exosomes require ARTG entry to be legally supplied in Australia — and none is approved for hair loss.2
The FDA has issued public safety notifications about unapproved exosome products.1
PRP is a long-established in-clinic procedure using a small sample of your own blood, prepared and used in the same visit.
The evidence
What the research shows — for both
PRP is one of the most studied non-surgical treatments for hair loss. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised trials report improvements in hair count and density.4
Exosome hair research is genuinely promising — but systematic reviews consistently note the same limitation: a shortage of high-quality clinical trials, with wide variation in how products are made and delivered.3
So the honest comparison is this: exosomes are an emerging option with early evidence; PRP is an established one with a stronger research base and firmer regulatory footing.
See the evidence for PRPWhich is right for you?
Choose the treatment with the track record
If you are weighing PRP against exosomes, the practical answer for most people is to start with the option that is established, evidence-backed and regulated. PRP gives you exactly that — a non-surgical treatment for thinning, shedding and visible density loss, made from your own blood.
A consultation with Advanced Dermatology confirms whether PRP is the right pathway for your hair goals, and gives you clear pricing before you decide.
The research
The evidence behind this page
The clinical and regulatory statements on this page are supported by regulator publications (TGA, FDA) and peer-reviewed research into exosome and PRP hair treatments.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration Public Safety Notification on Exosome Products. 2019. View source
- Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia) Determining if your product is a cosmetic, a biological or a blood component. View source
- Gupta AK, et al. Systematic review of exosome treatment in hair restoration: preliminary evidence, safety, and future directions. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2023. View source
- Kieling L, Konzen AT, Zanella RK, Valente DS. Is autologous platelet-rich plasma capable of increasing hair density in patients with androgenic alopecia? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia. 2024. View source
Keep comparing
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
What are exosomes for hair loss?
Exosomes are tiny particles released by cells that carry growth factors and other signals between cells. In hair treatments, exosome products (sold under brand names such as ASCE+, Kimera and others) are usually grown in a laboratory from donor stem cells, then applied to the scalp — often with microneedling.
This is a key difference from PRP: exosome products are not made from your own body, whereas PRP is prepared from a small sample of your own blood.
Are exosomes approved for hair loss in Australia?
No. There are no exosome products approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for hair loss in Australia. Because they are derived from human cells, exosome products are regulated as biologicals and must be entered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods before they can be legally supplied.
The US FDA has taken the same position — there are no FDA-approved exosome products, and it has issued public safety notifications about unapproved exosome products. PRP, by contrast, uses your own blood and is a long-established in-clinic procedure.
PRP vs exosomes — which is better for hair loss?
Both aim to support the follicles, but they sit at very different stages. PRP is autologous, well studied, and backed by systematic reviews and randomised-trial meta-analyses. Exosome therapy is newer: early results are promising, but the high-quality clinical evidence is still limited, and the products are not approved by the TGA or FDA for hair.
For most people, PRP is the more established and better-evidenced choice today. A consultation is the best way to decide what suits your goals.
Are exosome hair treatments safe?
The honest answer is that the long-term safety of exosome hair products is not yet well established, which is part of why regulators have flagged them. The US FDA has reported adverse events linked to unapproved exosome products, and no exosome product is approved for hair loss in Australia or the US.
PRP has a long track record as an in-clinic procedure using your own blood. As with any treatment, your suitability and any risks are assessed at consultation.
What about ASCE+, Kimera or other exosome brands?
These are brand names for exosome products used in aesthetic clinics. Brand differences do not change the underlying regulatory position: exosome products are not TGA-approved for hair loss in Australia, regardless of the brand.
If you are comparing a specific exosome product with PRP, a consultation can help you weigh them up honestly for your situation.
Find out what PRP could achieve for your hair
Your consultation identifies where your follicles can respond, what regrowth you can realistically target, and the treatment course and pricing recommended for your hair.
- Assessment of your hair loss and regrowth potential
- Personalised treatment course, timeline and pricing
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