Stem cell therapy is a treatment that places stem cells into the body, by injection into a specific area or by IV into the bloodstream. At GIOSTAR, it means ethically sourced mesenchymal stem cells from screened donors, given by a licensed nurse practitioner in a private room at our Henderson wellness center, with no surgery and no hospital stay.
The people who ask us about it are usually in their forties, fifties and sixties. They golf, hike, travel and chase grandkids, and they want to keep doing all of it. This article walks through what the therapy is, where the cells come from, how we give them, and what happens at each visit.
What stem cell therapy means
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, cartilage, fat, blood and other tissue. (For the full background, read what stem cells are.)
"Stem cell therapy" covers two quite different things:
- Bone marrow transplants, which hospitals have given since the late 1960s, using blood-forming stem cells.
- Regenerative medicine, given at wellness centers like ours, which uses mesenchymal stem cells. These cells release signaling molecules that the cells around them respond to.
When people search for stem cell therapy in Las Vegas, they almost always mean the second kind. That is the kind GIOSTAR gives.
Where the stem cells come from
There are two sources of mesenchymal stem cells, and the source shapes the whole visit.
Your own cells. Some providers collect cells from your own bone marrow or fat. That takes a harvest procedure, usually with a needle into the hip or a small liposuction, and leaves a second site to heal.
Donor cells. Other providers, GIOSTAR included, use cells from screened donors. That removes the harvest step entirely.
The ethically sourced mesenchymal stem cells at GIOSTAR come 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. Every donor goes through screening and testing before any tissue goes into use, and each lot comes with a Certificate of Analysis and full traceability.
How stem cell therapy is given
GIOSTAR gives stem cell therapy one of two ways, and your nurse practitioner recommends the one that fits your plan.
By injection
An injection places the cells into a specific area. Most people describe a needle stick and brief pressure. There is no surgery, no incision and no general anesthesia.
By IV
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.
Either way, treatment day takes 1 to 2 hours, and you go home the same day.
What happens at each visit
Stem cell therapy at GIOSTAR follows five steps, from the first phone call to the follow-ups.
- Free consultation. You talk with our patient team online, by phone or in person, free and with no obligation. We explain how stem cell therapy works at GIOSTAR, ask what you would like to keep doing, and walk you through each step.
- Meet your nurse practitioner. An in-person visit in Henderson. Bring your medication and supplement list, any allergies and your health history. Your nurse practitioner reviews your goals, confirms whether you are a candidate and gives you the full total before you book.
- Lab work, if it helps. If a lab panel would add to your plan, GIOSTAR orders it and you book the blood draw at a nearby Quest location. Results come back in about a week.
- Treatment day. You spend 1 to 2 hours with us, by injection or IV, in a private treatment room.
- Aftercare and follow-up. You leave with written aftercare instructions and our number for any question. We check in at 2 weeks and every 3 months after that, and adjust your plan with you.
Before treatment day
Stop ibuprofen-type pain relievers 7 days before, and pause blood thinners only with your prescriber's approval. Skip alcohol for 48 hours and drink plenty of water.
What is normal afterward
Soreness or swelling at the treated area for a few days is common. Some people feel tired or have a headache or a flu-like feeling for a day or two, and some have a low-grade fever that fades within 48 hours. Return to light activity usually takes 1 to 2 days. Your aftercare instructions include avoiding ibuprofen-type pain relievers for 2 weeks.
Who stem cell therapy may be right for
Stem cell therapy often suits people who want to stay active and would like to explore regenerative medicine with a licensed provider. Whether it suits you is a question about your own health, answered at your visit by your nurse practitioner, after reviewing your full history, every medication and supplement you take, and any allergies.
If a simpler option suits you better, our team tells you at your consultation. GIOSTAR also offers exosome therapy, IV therapy, hormone therapy and lab testing at the same Henderson wellness center.
How many treatments and what decides the total
Starting with a single treatment is an option, and some people choose a repeat dose around six months later. Your nurse practitioner maps your plan with you and adjusts it at follow-ups.
Three things decide the total: the number of treatment areas, injection or IV, and a single or repeat dose. You get the full total at your free consultation, before you book anything. Insurance plans generally do not cover stem cell therapy, so GIOSTAR offers it as a self-pay service, with monthly payment plans through Cherry for anyone who wants to spread the cost.
Stem cell therapy at GIOSTAR in Henderson
GIOSTAR stands for Global Institute of Stem Cell Therapy and Research. Founded by Dr. Anand Srivastava, GIOSTAR International is part of a network across three countries, built on research at Salk, UC San Diego, UC Irvine and UCLA, and our Henderson wellness center is now open on W. Horizon Ridge Parkway.
Christina Martinez, FNP-C, and Luzelle Cabuntala, FNP-BC, are the nurse practitioners who give every stem cell therapy plan, with Sarah Hoffman, RN, BSN, on the care team. Dr. Ryan Peterson, our medical director, oversees care at the center. Meet the whole team, or read more about stem cell therapy at GIOSTAR.
