Secretomes
Secretome Therapy in Austin, Texas
Modern aesthetics is shifting toward treatments that work with your own biology, not just on top of it. Secretomes are part of that evolution, using signaling molecules from your own preserved cells to support healthier-looking skin and hair over time.
Read on to learn what Secretomes are, how cell preservation fits in, and what you can realistically expect when you add this regenerative option to your aesthetic plan.
What Are Secretomes?
Secretomes are the collection of growth factors, exosomes, cytokines, and other regenerative messengers that living cells release to communicate and repair tissue. In aesthetics, Secretome-based treatments focus on harnessing these cell-derived signals, rather than implants or fillers, to help support skin and hair health from within.
The approach described here uses Secretomes created from your own cells. Instead of a generic donor product, your Secretome is personalized: the regenerative signals originate from your own cell population.
How Does Cell Preservation Work?
Secretome-based care begins long before a serum or treatment session. It starts with preserving a small group of your cells while they are at their “best,” so they can be used later to create personalized products.
In practice, that generally means:
- Collection: A small number of hair follicles are gently plucked from the back and sides of the scalp, where follicles are rich in stem cells and supporting cells.
- Analysis: In the lab, your cells are evaluated for quality and viability.
- Cryopreservation: Viable cells are frozen at ultra-low temperatures, effectively “pausing” further biological aging and environmental damage.
Those preserved cells become your personal regenerative reserve. When you decide to pursue treatment, a portion of that reserve is used to create a Secretome derived specifically from your own cells.
Secretomes vs. Exosomes vs. PRP
Patients often hear several related terms – Secretomes, exosomes, PRP – and wonder how they differ.
- PRP (platelet-rich plasma): Made from your blood platelets and rich in growth factors but does not involve cell banking or long-term preservation.
- Many exosome products: Can be manufactured from donor cells and may not be patient-specific.
- Personalized Secretomes: Created from your own preserved cells, not from an anonymous donor or short-lived sample.
The key distinction is personalization and timing. Secretomes, in this context, come from a banked, younger population of your own cells, which can be accessed when you and your provider decide you are ready for treatment.
How Are Secretomes Used for Skin?
Secretome-based products are typically formulated as physician-directed serums or solutions that can be layered into in-office procedures and long-term plans. For skin-focused care, they may be used to:
- Support recovery after resurfacing, microneedling, or other collagen-stimulating procedures
- Promote healthier-looking texture, tone, and radiance over time
- Provide a more supportive environment for collagen and elastin production
Secretomes are not a substitute for structural procedures like facelifts or eyelid surgery. Think of them as a regenerative “boost” that may help enhance and support the treatments you already need for lines, laxity, and texture.
Your provider will help you decide if Secretomes should be paired with microneedling, other energy-based procedures, or integrated into a staged skin-rejuvenation plan.
How Are Secretomes Used for Hair?
Hair thinning and loss reflect a combination of genetics, hormones, inflammation, and aging. Secretome-based approaches are an emerging way to support the environment around the hair follicle, with the goal of encouraging stronger, healthier growth where follicles remain.
In a hair-focused plan, Secretomes derived from your preserved cells may be used to:
- Support scalp and follicle health
- Complement medical therapies, in-office hair treatments, or procedures
- Add a regenerative component to a broader hair-restoration strategy
Secretomes will not reverse every form of hair loss, and they are not a universal replacement for medical therapy or hair transplantation. They are best considered as part of a comprehensive plan tailored to your pattern of loss, stage of thinning, and goals.
Who Is a Good Secretome Candidate?
There are two related decisions: whether to bank your cells now, and whether to use Secretomes made from those cells as part of your aesthetic care later.
You may be a good candidate if you:
- Are interested in regenerative, biology-driven treatment options
- Are open to a brief hair follicle collection for future use
- Want the option to personalize future skin and hair treatments
- Understand that results are gradual and cannot be guaranteed
An in-person consultation is essential. We will review your health history, examine your skin and hair, talk through your timeline and goals, and then recommend whether cell preservation and Secretome-based care make sense for you now or should be considered as a longer-term strategy.
What Does the Process Look Like?
Exact protocols vary by practice and partner lab, but most journeys follow a similar outline:
Consultation
You’ll discuss what you hope to improve, what you’ve tried before, and how regenerative options might fit in. Your provider will cover the science, logistics, and realistic expectations.
Hair Follicle Collection
A small number of hairs with intact follicles are gently plucked from the back and sides of your scalp. This usually takes just a few minutes and is designed to be well tolerated.
Lab Analysis and Preservation
The lab evaluates your cells and cryopreserves those that meet quality standards. From that point on, you have a banked population of cells available for future Secretome production.
Secretome Creation
When you’re ready for treatment, a portion of your preserved cells is used to create a personalized Secretome – a concentrated solution of regenerative signaling molecules derived from your own cells.
In-Office Treatment
Your Secretome is then used under physician guidance, often paired with procedures such as microneedling for skin or targeted scalp treatments for hair. Your provider will walk you through how it will be applied and what to expect afterward.
Because there are lab steps and coordination involved, timing is important. Your provider will help you plan when to bank cells, when to schedule procedures, and how far in advance Secretome production should begin.
Do Secretome Treatments Have Significant Downtime?
Downtime is influenced mostly by the procedure that Secretomes are paired with, not by the Secretome product alone.
When Secretomes follow a treatment like micro-needling, your downtime generally mirrors that underlying procedure.
- For scalp treatments, your experience will depend on the technique used and the broader hair plan.
Before you schedule anything, we will explain what to expect day by day, including:
- How your skin or scalp may look and feel in the first 24–72 hours
- When you can return to makeup, hair products, workouts, or sun exposure
- How to care for treated areas to support healing and results
Because each plan is tailored, it’s important to follow your specific instructions rather than assuming another patient’s timeline will apply to you.
What Results Should I Expect from Secretome Therapy?
Secretome-based treatments are not an instant makeover. They are best thought of as a regenerative investment that works alongside other therapies over time.
Patients often pursue Secretomes because they hope to:
- Support healthier-looking skin quality and tone
- Enhance the impact of procedures they are already planning
- Create a long-term regenerative strategy for hair and scalp health
- Bank a younger population of cells now, while options are expanding
Results vary from person to person. Your starting point, age, genetics, lifestyle, consistency, and combination of treatments all play a role. No ethical practice can promise specific outcomes or guarantee that Secretomes will replace surgery, transplants, or medical therapy.
During your consultation, we will:
- Clarify what Secretomes can reasonably contribute
- Outline how many sessions may be recommended
- Discuss maintenance and how to layer in skin care, sun protection, nutrition, and other supportive habits
Why Consider Secretomes Now?
Regenerative aesthetics is moving quickly. Cell preservation and Secretome-based treatments offer a way to participate in that progress on your own terms:
- Future flexibility: Banking cells gives you more options as new Secretome protocols and indications become available.
- Personalization: Your Secretome is made from your own preserved cells, rather than a generic donor source.
- Synergy: Secretomes can be layered with procedures you may already be planning for skin or hair, potentially helping support recovery and tissue quality.
- Long view: If you are thinking about your skin and hair 10–20 years from now, cell preservation and Secretomes can be part of a long-range strategy rather than a one-time fix.
If you’re already committed to thoughtful, long-term aesthetic planning, Secretomes may align well with how you want to care for yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Secretomes safe?
Secretomes are created from your own preserved cells in a controlled laboratory environment. As with any medical or aesthetic treatment, safety depends on appropriate patient selection, meticulous technique, and qualified oversight. Your consultation will include a discussion of risks, benefits, and alternatives.
How is this different from a “stem cell” serum I can buy online?
Most over-the-counter “stem cell” or “exosome” serums are mass-produced cosmetics. They are not created from your preserved cells and are not tailored to your biology. In contrast, Secretomes in this context are patient-specific, physician-directed products derived from a carefully managed bank of your own cells.
Do I have to use my Secretomes right away?
No. One of the main advantages of cell preservation is timing. You can bank a youthful population of cells now and decide later when it makes sense to convert a portion into a Secretome product. Your provider will help you decide when to use that resource for skin, hair, or both.
Will Secretomes replace surgery or hair transplants?
Secretomes are not a substitute for every structural or surgical solution. They can complement other therapies and may help support tissue quality and healing, but they are not designed to replace surgery, all medications, or all transplant indications. Your provider will explain where Secretomes fit in a comprehensive plan and where they do not.
How long do results last?
Because Secretomes are part of a regenerative strategy rather than a temporary filler, improvements tend to be gradual and may build over a series of treatments. Longevity is influenced by your underlying condition, age, sun exposure, lifestyle, and how well you maintain your results with recommended follow-up care.
Can I still try Secretomes if I’ve had other treatments?
In many cases, yes. A history of aesthetic treatments does not automatically exclude you. Your provider will review your prior procedures, medications, and overall health to determine what is safe and worthwhile, then build a plan that respects what you’ve already done.
