A Systematic Review of Adipose-Derived Cell Therapies on Skin Quality

Skin aging leads to changes such as dyschromia, rhytids, dermal atrophy, and reduced elasticity. Adipose-derived cell therapies (ADCTs), including stromal vascular fraction (SVF), adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), have gained attention for their regenerative potential. In this systematic review, the authors aim to evaluate the effectiveness of ADCT in improving skin quality such as elasticity, texture, pigmentation, and rhytid reduction. This systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, with a comprehensive search conducted across PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD), Embase (Elsevier, Amsterdam, the Netherlands), and Scopus (Elsevier). The authors of eligible studies must have assessed skin quality outcomes, such as rhytids, dyschromia, texture, and elasticity. Data on study design, treatment protocols, and outcomes were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool (Cochrane, London, United Kingdom). Meta-analyses were conducted where appropriate. Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria. Rhytid severity decreased with SVF and ADSC-conditioned medium, particularly in periorbital and nasolabial regions. However, the authors of a meta-analysis of 2 studies showed nonsignificant reduction in rhytids (P = .12, I ² = 81%), and melanin index results were inconsistent. Combination therapies (eg, SVF with laser or platelet-rich plasma) outperformed SVF alone. Heterogeneity in follow-up duration, treatment protocols, and assessment tools limited direct comparisons. ADCTs show promise as a minimally invasive approach to enhance skin quality. However, variability across studies limits definitive conclusions. Standardized protocols, objective assessment tools, and long-term follow-up are needed to validate them as a reliable skin rejuvenation therapy. Future research should focus on objective assessment tools and larger sample sizes to establish ADCT as a viable skin rejuvenation therapy. Level of Evidence: 3 (Therapeutic).