Would You Get A Stem Cell Face-Lift?

Everything you need to know about the newest beauty frontier

Ever since doctors performed the first stem cell transplant in the late 1950s, the so-called blank-slate cells have held a promise that seems almost too good to be true: human body cells that can heal and perhaps cure what ails us. In the intervening decades, stem cell transplants have been used on thousands of cancer patients and are being hailed as a potential cure for Parkinson's disease, paralysis, and, in a new twist, aging skin. As stem cell skin care hits store shelves with claims it can quickly erase wrinkles, we investigate what we know—and what we don't—right now.

Where do stem cells come from?
If the idea of human cells in your night cream makes you queasy, relax: You won't actually find any in your topicals. These creams contain proteins excreted by stem cells grown in a lab. The original stem cells come from various sources. Stemage Skin Care, a company started by a surgeon affiliated with the Washington University School of Medicine, uses stem cells from anonymous bone marrow donors, while Lifeline Skin Care uses embryonic-like stem cells made from unused, unfertilized eggs (not from human embryos) donated by in vitro fertilization labs. Your own fat stem cells, which are extracted from your belly or thigh, form the basis for U Autologous creams, sold by Personal Cell Sciences.

How are they applied to the skin?
In what might be called the next generation of Botox, some dermatologists are injecting patients with cells extracted from thigh or belly fat to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. In theory, this so-called stem cell face-lift could last far longer than Botox, because stem cells may not only help skin cells regenerate, they also stimulate fat cells in the face to grow and expand (we lose fat there as we age), filling out the face and reducing sagging.

Other stem cell anti-agers are applied topically. Once cells have been grown in sterile conditions, companies bottle what's left behind (essentially a mixture of growth-inducing proteins) and mix them with antioxidants, moisturizers, and other skin-protecting substances.

How do they work, exactly?
Proteins released by stem cells have been shown to aid in wound healing, so "it only makes sense that the same treatments could work for chronic skin conditions, like wrinkles, sun damage, and redness," says Fredric A. Stern, MD, a cosmetic surgeon based in Bellevue, WA, who tested the products made by U Autologous in a 2012 clinical trial. The stem cells are thought to encourage cell regeneration, which repairs cells damaged by the sun and aging while also stimulating them to produce more collagen and elastin, which thicken and firm skin.


How good is the evidence?
In the 2012 clinical study overseen by Dr. Stern, nine middle-aged men and women used the U Autologous cream twice a day on one side of the face. After 8 weeks, computer analysis revealed that the participants had 25% fewer facial wrinkles on that side and also produced more elastin and collagen. Lifeline Skin Care recently conducted a similar study: Daily and nightly use of their Eye Firming Complex reduced the depth of fine lines and wrinkles by 25% after 56 days. However, the results of these clinical trials haven't been published in peer-reviewed journals, an important scientific stamp of approval. As for stem cell face-lifts, the evidence is scant. In 2011, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons warned that more research is needed to ensure that such treatments are effective and safe.

How much does it cost?
The suite of U Autologous creams and serum costs $1,200 to $1,500 per month after an initial $3,000 visit, and I ounce each of Lifeline's day and night serums sells for $340. A 30-day supply of Stemage's three essential creams sells for $49.95. Stem cell injections cost upwards of $4,000.

Is there anything to worry about?
"Stem cells' promise could also be their peril. These cells' ability to spark cell growth could make a person's skin cells more prone to behave like cancer cells, causing them to grow uncontrollably," warns Paul S. Knoepfler, PhD, a cancer and stem cell expert at the University of California, Davis. There are also risks that no one can predict. For instance, one woman developed bone fragments in her eyelids and surrounding her eyes after receiving a stem cell filler; the combination of ingredients coaxed the cells to turn into bone. It's unclear what other risks might be, because scientists still have a lot to learn about how these cells behave. And since stem cells secrete things scientists can't yet fully identify, most companies don't know precisely what their stem cells are producing—or what's being put into the skin-care creams.

The bottom line (for now)
"These new treatments are promising," says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a dermatologist and assistant professor at Mount Sinai Medical Center, "but we do need more research about what ingredients and products really do work, as well as which are safe for long-term use."

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