Demystifying Stem Cells

Forever Young, Baby

Stem cell therapy has become an excellent option for people who are seeking non-invasive therapies as well as alternatives to medications or topical treatments. A popular form of regenerative medicine, it has the ability to minimize inflammation, repair damaged tissue, and to engage the body’s healing process. Regenerative medicine has the ability to help rejuvenate the body’s appearance and achieve a more youthful, radiant look. Let’s be honest here…who wouldn’t mind that? It has proven effective in the following areas:

Wrinkle reduction
Hair restoration
Scar reduction
Healing joint and muscle pain
Male and female sexual wellness

These are just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many more healing capabilities of stem cell therapy.

Wait. So… What Are Stem Cells?

There’s no need to bog everyone down with scientific jargon. Honestly, stem cells are comparable to those rare friends that just have a magnetic personality, with a seamless ability to adapt to any environment and personality and somehow bring out the best in people. Now, just imagine they could replicate themselves. Yes, they are that fascinating!

Stem cells are an extraordinary type of cell that possess the ability to develop into different cell types. They are able to multiply and regenerate on their own. They harness healing capabilities with their capacity to repair damaged cells and stimulate other cells. Their ability to generate new cell types makes them unique amongst any other cells in the body.

While stem cells can be obtained from various places within the body, typically aesthetic medicine relies solely on stem cells obtained from one of the following two sources:

Adipose (fat) derived
Umbilical cord stem cells (UCST)

Adipose stem cells are collected from your body’s fatty tissue via minor liposuction. Another common avenue is through umbilical cord stem cells. These are obtained from newborns with full permission from the family. Umbilical cord stem cells have the unique benefit of being the purest and youngest stem cells and thus function more rapidly and effectively than any other adult stem cells retrieved from other sources. Both ways of collecting stem cells can be done independently or a combination of both, depending on your specific needs.

Quick, Non-Invasive Procedures

The procedure is simple and shouldn’t take longer than two hours. Through a minor liposuction, stem cells are collected from your fatty tissue. They are then processed in a lab and then injected or infused back into your body. The addition of platelet rich plasma (PRP) can magnify the benefits of the healing process. Local anesthesia and nitrous oxide gas are options to maintain comfort throughout the procedure. Patients are able to return to normal daily activities right away or in some cases within a few days.