Regenerative Cell Banking

Conveniently located to serve the areas of San Diego, CA

Acorn cell banking is a regenerative therapy that harvests individual hair follicles to collect and preserve stem cells for personalized skin rejuvenation treatments. Many stem cells can differentiate into- or become- various types of cells, helping to repair and renew tissues all around the body. They are also rich in skin-healing components like exosomes, growth factors, and other molecules that support the skin matrix, the empty areas between skin cells providing structural support and nutrient transportation.

With regenerative cell banking, you can take advantage of the benefits of your own tissues, so it is entirely biocompatible with your skin and will not pose any risk of an autoimmune reaction. Your stem cells today are as youthful and capable as they will ever be, and storing them for future skin treatment can be incredibly beneficial.

If you are interested in discovering the latest advancements in regenerative medicine, get in touch with FACES+, a practice offering the latest in anti-aging medspa services, cosmetic surgery, and craniofacial surgery. Our experienced team of aestheticians, nurses, and Dr. Steven R. Cohen can guide you through the next steps for achieving the most revitalized, glowing skin possible, whether it be with stem cells or another recommended treatment.

To get started with this all-natural solution to amazing skin, learn the science behind it by booking a consultation at our San Diego practice online or by calling (858) 453-7224 today. A staff member will help you find an appointment date and time that works well within your schedule.

Hair Follicles: The Most Available Source of Stem Cells

At FACES+, our regenerative cell banking practices rely on the abundance of stem cells available in your own hair. Follicles, the root structures that contain each hair shaft, have a variety of different types of stem cells, including epithelial stem cells, melanocyte stem cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are vital to skin and hair health. In recent studies, MSCs have been shown to have more differentiation potential, meaning that they can give rise to a wide array of different types of cells. (1)

For the application of skin rejuvenation, researchers have shown that MSCs derived from hair follicles increase cellular production (proliferation), create new blood vessels in the skin (neovascularization), decrease injury-related inflammation, increase collagen and elastin production, and even promote better protection against UV rays. (2) All of these aspects come together in a way that makes the skin more resilient to injury and the environment, suspending the natural course of aging.

Benefits of Acorn Regenerative Cell Banking

The process of harvesting these stem cells for skin rejuvenation is a relatively easy, comfortable procedure for patients to undergo. The treatment comes with several benefits that they can look forward to: 

  • After administering local anesthesia, we will only need to collect 50 complete hair follicles from the scalp. 
  • The cells are preserved cryogenically at -320.8 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring that they do not experience any damage during storage. 
  • We can produce several assortments of topical treatments, tailored to your exact skin care needs. 
  • Stem cells can help combat aging and signs of sun damage, repair past skin injuries, and even protect against hair loss. 
  • You can achieve a noticeable reduction in skin inflammation and fine lines while simultaneously improving skin hydration, texture, and tone. 
  • The hair follicle harvest portion of the procedure is painless and only takes about 30 minutes. 
  • Years after the initial procedure, you can take advantage of the cells from your most revitalized self, encouraging the healthy skin and hair growth from your youth. 

Personal Consultation

During your consultation with your FACES+ provider, they will speak with you about your particular skincare concerns and how they foresee your skin aging over time. They will speak with you about their recommendations, provide you with information on the contents of stem cell topical treatments, and discuss your future plans. If you have any in-depth questions regarding your health and the nature of stem cells, our experienced longevity and regenerative expert, Dr. Cohen, can give you more thorough answers. If you would like a treatment that can produce immediate results, they can discuss the numerous rejuvenation options available at FACES+.

Stem cell banking is suitable for just about anyone looking to look and feel their best. To reach out today, call our San Diego office at (858) 453-7224 or use our contact form. Regardless of your skin rejuvenation journey, we are here to help you reap high-quality, research-backed results.

Preparation

In preparation for your stem cell harvesting, your nurse or Dr. Cohen will go over your current prescription medications and advise you to stop taking blood thinners and anti-inflammatory medications. They can cause more bleeding during the stem cell collection and/or reduce their regenerative and healing abilities. Some of the most common ones include aspirin, Motrin, Advil, Aleve, and Naprosyn. We will also review your supplements to make sure they do not have any blood-thinning properties.

Stem Cell Collection and Preservation

For the stem cell procedure itself, Dr. Cohen will administer local anesthesia into highly specified areas of the side or back of the head. The follicles present at these locations are not androgen-sensitive and do not fall out with the onset of male/female patterned baldness, so they are much more viable and suitable. Next, he will use a micropunch tool to fully take out each hair follicle complete with all of its structures. A full follicle will include: 

  • The dermal papillae, a structure that houses the MSCs for hair growth regulation (3)
  • The hair matrix that contains skin and hair-producing keratinocyte cells and pigment-creating melanocytes
  • An arrector pili muscle that allows for hair to stand on end
  • A sebaceous gland for oil production, lubricating both the hair and skin
  • 1 to 4 hair shafts that grow out of the pore

Dr. Cohen will remove roughly 50 follicles from several areas, ensuring that no bald spot becomes visible. Next, he will place the grafts into a mechanical extraction chamber, separating the MSCs from the rest of the hair follicle tissues. Aside from their ability to differentiate, or become, different types of cells that aid in repair and regeneration, these MSCs will also have exosomes, molecular container-like structures that carry and transport a variety of skin-supporting components, like:

  • Peptides: These complex chains of amino acids are the foundation for many cellular structures, like collagen and elastin protein fibers.
  • Lipids: These are fat molecules that- within the context of skin health- can protect the skin against bacteria and other environmental damage.
  • Nucleic acids: These acids allow the skin to synthesize protein itself; they are essentially biological “blueprints”.
  • RNA: This protein-based structure delivers “instructions” for protein synthesis.
  • Growth factors: These molecules serve a wide variety of functions, but essentially, they signal tissue repair and other processes for cellular maintenance and growth.

After separating the MSCs from the follicles, Dr. Cohen will prepare them and utilize liquid nitrogen, freezing them to a temperature of -320.8 degrees Fahrenheit. With this method, called cryopreservation, Dr. Cohen can keep the stem cells indefinitely with all of their bioactive benefits intact. Whenever you would like to access your sample again, your provider can prepare them for a personalized skincare product, allowing you to benefit from younger, healthier, stem cells. By keeping them within cryogenic conditions, you can revisit a stem cell treatment even decades later, giving you a high-tech edge over other anti-aging methods.

Corresponding and Complementary Treatments

ACP Therapy

ACP therapy, short for autologous conditioned plasma therapy, is another type of regenerative medicine treatment that takes advantage of the healing properties within your own blood. For this procedure, your FACES+ provider will take a sample of your blood- in the same manner as a standard blood test- and use a process called centrifugation to isolate components called platelets from the sample.

Platelets trigger wound-healing processes, support skin immunity, and have a variety of growth factors that benefit the skin. They can also stimulate increased blood circulation, giving the skin greater access to nutrients. Once your provider prepares the platelets into a topical skincare product, they can apply it directly to your skin or pair them with a microneedling or laser treatment for enhanced effects. Just like stem cells, researchers have studied the benefits of ACP within the context of multiple areas of health and cosmetics, including its effects on hair loss, joint injuries, and various soft tissue injuries.

Cost of Regenerative Cell Banking in San Diego

The cost of regenerative cell banking will depend on your personalized treatment options that you will discuss with your provider at FACES+. Dr. Cohen and his team will ensure that you receive a total cost estimate reflective of the premium care you deserve with our innovative approach to stem cells. If interested, explore our benefits with the FACES+ Concierge program which can give you access to our beauty seminars, and more comprehensive care options from Dr. Cohen.

To begin your journey toward greater skin health for today and the future, call our office at (858) 453-7224, fill out our online form, or visit our location in San Diego. You can also visit our blog to learn more about us before requesting your appointment. We cannot wait to tell you more about the new and exciting findings on stem cell research.

References

  1. Wang B, Liu XM, Liu ZN, et al. Human hair follicle-derived mesenchymal stem cells: Isolation, expansion, and differentiation. World Journal of Stem Cells. 2020;12(6):462-470. doi:https://doi.org/10.4252/wjsc.v12.i6.462 
  2. Jo H, Brito S, Kwak BM, Park S, Lee MG, Bin BH. Applications of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Skin Regeneration and Rejuvenation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021;22(5):2410. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22052410 
  3. Morgan BA. The Dermal Papilla: An Instructive Niche for Epithelial Stem and Progenitor Cells in Development and Regeneration of the Hair Follicle. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine. 2014;4(7):a015180-a015180. doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a015180