Where Do Exosomes Come From? Umbilical Cord, Stem Cells, Plants and What's in Your Skincare

Expertly Written By

Dr. Rocco Piazza, MD, FACS

Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon practicing in Austin, Texas, and the physician who selects every product on our skincare shelf.

When I explain exosome serums to patients, the next question is almost always some form of "wait, where do they come from?" Sometimes it is curiosity. Sometimes it is discomfort — someone has read "umbilical cord" on a label, or seen a video implying exosomes come from babies, and wants to know what they are putting on their face.

That is a fair thing to ask, and the answer is less strange than the internet makes it sound. Most exosomes used in aesthetics come from human cells grown in a laboratory from consented, screened donors, or from plants. What reaches your skin is not tissue and not living cells, but tiny particles those cells released.

Where Do Exosomes Come From?

Exosomes in skincare come from cells grown in a laboratory. The most common human sources are mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow, fat (adipose) tissue and umbilical cord tissue (Wharton's jelly), along with skin fibroblasts and platelets. Plant-derived vesicles, from sources such as cica and rose, are used mostly in retail serums. In each case the cells release vesicles into the fluid they grow in, and that fluid is processed to collect them.

A 2023 review in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open lists bone marrow, placental, adipose and umbilical cord tissue as the main sources in aesthetic products. A 2026 Aesthetic Surgery Journal review of human trials adds fibroblasts, platelets, rose stem cells, bovine milk and seaweed.

The Exosome Source Map

Sources: PRS Global Open 2023, Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2026, JCAD 2026, Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2025.

Two of those deserve a little more detail. Plant vesicles are not the same particles as human ones; many researchers call them "exosome-like", and we compare them directly in do drugstore exosome serums work. Bacterial vesicles are at an earlier stage still: a 2025 study found vesicles from a Lactobacillus brevis strain raised barrier proteins in damaged human skin samples in the lab, which is interesting but is not a trial on people.

Are Exosomes From Babies?

No. This is the question I hear most, and it is usually based on a misunderstanding of the words "umbilical cord".

Umbilical cord stem cells come from the cord tissue, specifically a jelly-like connective tissue called Wharton's jelly. It is collected after the baby has been delivered, with the parent's written consent. Nothing is taken from the baby's body, and it has nothing to do with fetal tissue from pregnancy loss or termination.

A Mayo Clinic program collecting perinatal tissue for biotherapeutic manufacturing gives a good picture of how this is done properly. Donors are adults with a healthy pregnancy and a planned cesarean, who give written informed consent and must meet the federal tissue-donor eligibility rules in 21 CFR 1271. They complete a health history, are tested for infections including HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis, and are excluded at delivery for reasons such as a birth before 37 weeks, a low Apgar score or a suspected infection.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, J Skin Stem Cell 2025 (PDRN), FDA.

What "Derived From" Actually Means

"Stem cell skincare" is one of the more misleading phrases in the industry, because it suggests living stem cells in a jar. That is not how it works. Donated cells are grown in culture, they release vesicles into the surrounding fluid, and that fluid is filtered and processed to collect the vesicles. The cells are left behind.

General process as described by the Mayo Clinic perinatal tissue program (steps 1–2) and the ISEV MISEV2023 guidelines (steps 4–5). Individual manufacturers' methods vary.

Testing is where good and bad manufacturers part ways. The International Society for Extracellular Vesicles publishes minimum standards (MISEV2023) for isolating and characterising vesicles, and its general term for them is "extracellular vesicles", since confirming a particle is a true exosome takes careful work. Not every skincare brand follows those standards, which is why the source and the paperwork matter. For how exosomes compare with the growth-factor serums before them, see exosomes vs growth factors.

What About Salmon?

"Salmon exosomes" is a mix-up of two trends. The salmon facial uses PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide), fragments of DNA extracted from salmon or trout sperm. A 2025 review in the Journal of Skin and Stem Cell described promising uses in wound healing and skin ageing while calling for larger trials. It is a reasonable ingredient in its own right, but it is DNA, not a vesicle. We compare the two treatments in microneedling with exosomes vs the salmon DNA facial.

The Ethics Questions Worth Asking

Using donated human material in a cosmetic is a fair thing to have feelings about. I think the useful questions are concrete ones:

• Was the donor's consent documented? A responsible manufacturer can say yes and explain how.
• Was the donor screened? The FDA's 2026 warning letter to a company selling a Wharton's jelly-derived "Exosome Therapy" is a reminder that not everyone in this market follows the rules.
• Is the product used as intended? A topical cosmetic from a documented source is a very different proposition from an unapproved injection. There are no FDA-approved exosome products, and we cover the regulatory side in are exosomes FDA approved, safe or legal.

If those answers are solid and you are still uncomfortable with human-derived ingredients, plant-based products are a legitimate choice. Just know they are a different ingredient with a thinner evidence base.

"Patients have every right to ask where an ingredient came from, and a brand should be able to answer without hesitating. When the source is consented, screened and documented, I am comfortable recommending it for use on the skin. When a company cannot tell me, I do not stock it." — Dr. Rocco Piazza, MD, FACS

Video: Dr. Rocco Piazza (@roccopiazzamd) on why evidence-based choices compound.

Where INVO's Exosomes Come From

INVO states its exosomes come from three human cell sources: fibroblasts, umbilical cord and bone marrow. INVO also states its Rejuvenating Complex contains more than 1.2 trillion exosomes and over 1,200 growth factors, proteins and peptides, with a vitamin C and peptide complex built in. It is sold through physicians, and Dr. Melanie Palm, a board-certified dermatologist in Solana Beach, sits on its medical advisory board.

In our practice it is used topically: in the clinic right after microneedling, and at home morning and night on clean skin, before moisturiser and before a retinoid at night. Give it eight weeks. It will not replace sunscreen, a retinoid or a procedure, and it does not change the structure of lax skin. Our full review is here.

What We Stock

• INVO Rejuvenating Complex Exosome Serum, 30 mL — $285, about $9.50 per mL. Human cell-derived exosomes for daily use and post-microneedling care.
• EXO EYE — NAD+, eXo3 exosomes and peptides for the eye area.
• EXO PLUS — an exosome cream for those who prefer a richer texture.

Individual results vary. The products discussed are cosmetic products and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. No exosome product is FDA approved. Manufacturer figures and sourcing descriptions are as stated by the manufacturer. Cited studies are linked to their published sources. This article is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice; speak with a qualified physician about what is appropriate for your skin.