Exosome Revolution or Marketing Mirage? AI-Based Multi-domain Evaluation of Claims, Scientific Evidence,...

Exosome-based therapies are being hypothesised and promoted as a transformative innovation in regenerative aesthetics, offering promising benefits for skin rejuvenation, anti-ageing, and hair restoration. However, the field faces challenges related to scientific validation, transparency, and lack regulatory oversight, for use in humans. Furthermore, there is insufficient of clinical trials registered for use in aesthetic practise. With increasing reliance on social media and influencer-driven promotion, public sentiment is often shaped by exaggerated claims rather than evidence-based information.

This study employed a comprehensive multi-dimensional approach to evaluate 18 manufacturers of exosome-based products. Data from 70 product formulations, 2,700,029 social media posts, 4,350 non-scientific articles, and 37,437 consumer reviews were analysed using advanced AI-driven methods. Analyses included transparency ratings, linguistic evaluation of promotional versus scientific content, product composition analysis, sentiment trends, emotion analysis, and regulatory insights.

High transparency was observed in 18% of manufacturers, with most companies relying on vague and promotional language. Growth factor concentrations showed significant variability across human-, plant-, and animal-derived sources (H = 18.73, p < 0.01). Positive sentiment (54%) dominated social media, driven by HCP-influencer endorsements, but 27% of claims were misleading. Regulatory compliance was minimal, with no FDA-approved products and widespread reliance on unsubstantiated marketing. Chi-square analyses and NLP tools identified critical gaps in alignment between scientific evidence and public-facing narratives.

While exosome-based aesthetic products may have substantial potential, the industry is hindered by inconsistencies in transparency, exaggerated claims, and weak regulatory frameworks. Future efforts should focus on standardising exosome formulations, enhancing regulatory oversight, and fostering ethical promotion to ensure consumer safety and scientific credibility. Addressing these gaps is essential for exosome-based therapies to achieve their transformative promise.

Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors. www.springer.com/00266 .