Extracellular vesicles and their mimetics: clinical application prospects in medical aesthetics

The persistent desire for beauty has fueled the rapid development of medical aesthetics. Multiple approaches, including cosmetics, drugs, and cell therapies, have been developed to improve skin conditions. However, none of these methods achieves the intended outcomes and may produce adverse repercussions. Consequently, it is crucial to develop effective and safe therapies to promote skin repair and regeneration. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived, lipid bilayer-encapsulated nanoparticles containing multiple active components. There is now strong evidence that EV therapies can improve skin barrier function, reduce scarring, inhibit aging and pigmentation, and suppress hair loss, highlighting the potential for cosmeceutical development based on EVs. This review summarizes the latest applications of natural EVs, preconditioned and engineered EVs, and EV mimetics in medical aesthetics. Additionally, the article discusses advanced delivery strategies for EVs and the commercial prospects of EVs and provides insights into present security concerns, regulations, and the field’s future directions.