Efficacy of Placental-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosome Therapy in Treating Androgenetic Alopecia: A Clinical Trial Study

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is characterized by the miniaturization of hair follicles, leading to hair thinning and loss. Existing treatments are limited, and stem cell-derived exosome therapy has emerged as a potential alternative. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cell (P-MSC) exosomes for treating AGA. Methods: This phase I/II clinical trial included 12 alopecia patients aged 18-60. Exosomes were isolated from mesenchymal stem cells harvested from placentas of consenting donors and injected into the scalp every 14 days for 2 months. Outcome measures included hair density, hair diameter, and hair loss count, assessed at baseline, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks post-intervention. Data were analyzed using the repeated measure ANOVA with STATA version 14.2. Results: At baseline, the mean hair density was 96.5 hairs/cm², hair diameter was 0.049 mm, and hair loss count was 200 hairs. Post-intervention, hair density significantly increased to 111.7 hairs/cm² at 3 weeks and 163.5 hairs/cm² at 6 weeks. Hair diameter also increased significantly to 0.058 mm at 3 weeks and 0.059 mm at 6 weeks. Mean hair loss count decreased significantly to 80 hairs at 6 weeks. No significant adverse effects or changes in clinical laboratory findings were observed. Conclusions: Placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cell exosome therapy demonstrated significant improvements in hair density, diameter, and reduced hair loss in patients with androgenetic alopecia. Further controlled trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are warranted to validate these findings and explore the molecular mechanisms involved.