Exosomes and stem cells are not the same thing. A stem cell is a cell, and stem cell therapy gives the cells themselves, by injection or IV. An exosome is a tiny particle that a cell releases, and exosome therapy gives those particles by IV and carries no living cells.
Both services at GIOSTAR start from mesenchymal stem cells from screened donors, which is why people mix them up. This article sets the two side by side so you can see what each one is and how a visit differs.
Stem cells, defined simply
Stem cells are the body's unspecialized cells. They can make copies of themselves, and they can produce the specialized cells that make up bone, fat, blood and other tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells, usually shortened to MSCs, are adult-type stem cells. (For the full background, read what stem cells are.)
At GIOSTAR, stem cell therapy means ethically sourced mesenchymal stem cells from screened donors. They come from tissue donated after healthy, full-term births, with the mother's consent. We use no embryos, and no harm comes to mother or baby.
Exosomes, defined simply
Exosomes are tiny particles that cells release. Think of them as small packages a cell sends out into its surroundings. Exosomes at GIOSTAR come from mesenchymal stem cells from screened donors, and they carry no living cells.
The short version of the difference: stem cell therapy gives the cells, and exosome therapy gives particles that cells released.
The core difference at a glance
| Stem cell therapy | Exosome therapy | |
|---|---|---|
| What you receive | Mesenchymal stem cells from screened donors | Exosomes from screened donor stem cells |
| Living cells | Yes, the cells themselves | No living cells |
| How it is given | Injection or IV | IV |
| Time in the center | 1 to 2 hours on treatment day | 30 to 60 minutes on the IV, about an hour in the recliner |
| Follow-up | 2 weeks, then every 3 months | Check-in at 2 weeks |
Neither column is a ranking. They are two different services, and your nurse practitioner recommends the one that fits your plan.
How each treatment is delivered
Stem cell therapy
GIOSTAR gives stem cell therapy one of two ways. An injection places the cells in one treatment area, or in two or more areas in the same visit. An IV delivers the cells into the bloodstream while you sit in a recliner. On IV plans, we add a small draw of your own blood to the cells shortly before your IV starts. There is no surgery, no incision and no general anesthesia. Learn more in what stem cell therapy is.
Exosome therapy
A small IV goes into your arm, placed by your nurse practitioner. A sterile salt-water fluid carries the exosomes in over 30 to 60 minutes while you sit back, read or work from the recliner. GIOSTAR gives exosome therapy at two doses, Exosome Wellness and Exosome High-Dose, and your nurse practitioner recommends one at your visit. Read more in what exosome therapy is.
What both approaches share
Whichever you choose, the path has the same shape:
- A free consultation with our patient team, online, by phone or in person.
- An in-person visit with a nurse practitioner, who reviews your history, medications and allergies.
- Treatment day at our Henderson wellness center, and you go home the same day.
- Written aftercare instructions and our number for any question.
- Follow-up, so we can adjust your plan with you.
Your nurse practitioner gives you the full total before you book. The total depends on your plan: the service you choose, the dose or the number of treatment areas, and whether you repeat.
Weighing exosomes against stem cells
You decide at your consultation with help from your nurse practitioner. Some people start with exosome therapy and step up later, and some plans pair the two in one visit. For the case where you combine them, see exosome and stem cell therapy together.
A few questions help shape the conversation:
- How much time do I want to spend on treatment day?
- Do I prefer an injection, an IV, or either?
- What do I want to keep doing in my everyday life, and what do I want to ask about first?
There is no wrong order of questions. Your nurse practitioner takes your answers and your health history into account, and tells you plainly if a simpler option suits you better.
What patients report afterward
Side effects differ a little between the two. After exosome therapy, a low-grade fever that fades within 48 hours is the most common thing people describe. After stem cell therapy, soreness or swelling at the treated area for a few days is common, and some people feel tired, have a headache or a flu-like feeling for a day or two. Your nurse practitioner reviews what to expect before any treatment, and you leave with written aftercare instructions.
Exosomes and stem cells, offered in Henderson
GIOSTAR stands for Global Institute of Stem Cell Therapy and Research. Our Henderson wellness center, now open at 2482 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy, Ste 100, offers both services, and Dr. Ryan Peterson, our Medical Director, oversees care. See exosome therapy at GIOSTAR and start with a free consultation, with no obligation.
