Exocube — exosome regenerative protocol for skin and hair

Exocube is a structured regenerative protocol that introduces autologous exosomes — prepared from the patient's own PRP with the Exocube device — into the dermis and scalp to initiate tissue-level repair signalling, a mode of action distinct from hyaluronic acid fillers and biostimulators. The distinction matters clinically: exosomes are not cells, not growth factors, and not scaffold materials. They are extracellular vesicles — 30 to 200 nm membrane-bound structures released by cells — that carry a highly concentrated cargo of signalling molecules: microRNA, mRNA transcripts, lipids, and proteins that regulate cellular behaviour downstream in recipient tissue.

Two kinds of exosome are used in aesthetic practice, and they should not be confused. Exocube is autologous: a blood sample is drawn, processed into platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and the PRP is then run through the Exocube device — made by the same manufacturer as Lipocube — which activates and concentrates the vesicles. Ready-made exosomes are commercial products manufactured outside the patient from cell cultures, usually mesenchymal stem cells; they require no blood draw. INTI clinic may use either, depending on the indication.

When delivered to the dermis, exosomes interact with fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and endothelial cells, modulating gene expression towards proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis. The key effectors include transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) — proteins that orchestrate collagen type I deposition, neovascularisation, and keratinocyte renewal. This is not a surface-level stimulus; it is intracellular signal transduction.

On the scalp, the mechanism converges on hair follicle dermal papilla cells. Exosomes extend the anagen (growth) phase, upregulate Wnt/β-catenin signalling — the primary pathway governing follicular cycling — and suppress the DHT-mediated miniaturisation cascade. Published research by Seo et al. (Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 2022) demonstrated significant promotion of hair shaft elongation and upregulation of anagen markers in dermal papilla cultures exposed to adipose-derived exosomes, supporting the biological rationale for scalp application. Note that this study used stem cell-derived exosomes, not PRP-derived exosomes prepared with Exocube.

In the Exocube protocol the preparation is delivered by injection, placing it directly in the dermis of the face or in the scalp rather than relying on absorption through the skin surface. Exocube can be associated with microneedling or energy-based procedures such as Morpheus8 when the clinical plan calls for it, but that pairing is an option decided case by case — it is not part of the protocol itself.

The Exocube protocol is a single session. A blood sample is drawn and processed into platelet-rich plasma (PRP); the PRP is run through the Exocube device, and the resulting autologous exosome preparation is injected into the face or scalp during the same visit. Microneedling or an energy-based procedure may be associated when the clinical plan calls for it, but it is not a required step of the protocol.

What to expect in clinical practice:

Day of the session: Baseline documentation, blood draw, preparation of the exosome concentrate, and injection. Mild, transient redness at the injection sites is expected. No dramatic visible change occurs at this stage; biological signalling is initiated at the cellular level.

Following weeks: Change, when it occurs, is gradual — in skin radiance and texture on the face and, on the scalp, typically first as reduced hair shedding.

Reassessment at the return visit: Comparative photographic review against baseline, with next steps discussed based on clinical response.

The evidence base for exosome therapy in aesthetic medicine is rapidly developing. A systematic review by Kim et al. (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023) summarised preclinical and early clinical data confirming exosome-mediated upregulation of collagen synthesis and acceleration of wound repair. Much of this literature concerns stem cell-derived exosomes; there is no published study of the Exocube device itself. The clinical studies in this literature have mostly applied stem cell-derived exosomes topically after skin micro-injury (microneedling or fractional laser): they support the exosome class and its mechanism, not the injectable route used in the Exocube protocol. For scalp applications, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway data remains primarily preclinical — clinical evidence is preliminary and patients should be counselled accordingly. This is a field in which the science is advancing rapidly, and the clinical literature will be more definitive within three to five years.

Exocube is not a replacement for structural correction — it does not restore lost volume, reposition descended soft tissue, or reduce hyperkinetic expression lines. Its role is the restoration of biological tissue quality: the luminosity, density, and resilience that precedes or accompanies anatomical ageing changes. In patients requiring both volume restoration and regenerative input, Exocube is most effective as a combined protocol alongside the Hybrid Face Lift or fat grafting.

Updated 13 May 2026