Effect of Topical Human Platelet Extract (HPE) for Facial Skin Rejuvenation: A Histological Study of Collagen and Elastin.

Background: Regenerative aesthetics has garnered significant attention. In this toolkit, exosomes are small extracellular vesicles derived from various sources such as platelets.

Objective: To characterize the cosmetic effect and tolerability of topical human platelet-derived extract (HPE), Intense Serum (Rion Aesthetics, Inc., Rochester, MN), on facial skin rejuvenation after 12 weeks of twice daily use without any confounding aesthetic procedures.

Materials and methods: This prospective, single-arm, non-randomized, evaluator-blinded clinical study evaluated subjects at baseline and 12 weeks using participant questionnaires and photo-documentation with Canfield VISIA-CR 3D PRIMOS. The histological evaluation included Masson's Trichrome for collagen and Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining for elastin. Electron microscopy characterized collagen bundle thickness.

Results: Fifty-six participants (mean age: 54 years old) were enrolled. Following topical HPE use, 87.3% of subjects reported improvement in facial skin aging including sustained pigment reduction and improvement in luminosity and color evenness at 12 weeks (P≤0.001). Histology revealed a significant increase in collagen fibril thickness at 12 weeks (P≤0.0001). No serious adverse effects.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates improvement in facial skin health after topical HPE use, supported by collagen and elastin formation in the dermis. The product is well-tolerated, and participants were satisfied with the overall cosmetic outcome. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(9):735-740. doi:10.36849/JDD.8162.