Stem cell therapy is continuing to gain recognition in the regenerative medicine community. From its ability to reverse age-related complications, to its cancer fighting properties, these powerful cells are changing people’s lives every day.

 

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are unique to all other cell types in the body because they are unspecialized, have the ability to self-renew, and are capable of creating specialized cells. These functions enable stem cells to replace old cells or repair damage in the body from injury, disease, or degeneration. Furthermore, they can develop into a new type of cell, such as muscle, nerve, and red blood cells in order to carry out specific tissue or organ related functions.  

Due to these regenerative properties, stem cells are showing promise for treating a range of diseases, including but not limited to cancer, autoimmunity, and heart disease. 

 

Where do stem cells come from?

There are a variety of different types of stem cells that exist today. Despite consisting of three specific properties, stem cell types vary greatly in their behaviors and abilities. 

Stem cells are located throughout the body, and are created at different phases throughout our lives. For example, embryonic stem cells are formed during the beginning phases of development; whereas tissue-specific stem cells remain in our bodies throughout the life cycle. 

Embryonic stem cells differ from other cell types because they are pluripotent, meaning they can convert to any of the over 200 different cell types in the body. In addition, they can replicate indefinitely. This differs from other cell types, which are typically limited to generating a few different cell types in a specific location in the body.

 

How is stem cell therapy administered?

Individuals can receive stem cell therapy in one of four ways, depending on their treatment goal. For instance, stem cells can be applied topically when used in conjunction with microneedling or other treatments causing some form of controlled damage of a dermis for individuals who are undergoing treatment to improve skin quality. Another common method of stem cell therapy is via local mesodermal (middle of the skin) injections to regenerate hair growth. 

Those with injuries affecting the soft tissue and cartilage in the joint have experienced significant improvement in healing when receiving stem cells directly to the affected joint. Lastly, research is showing promising effects of administering stem cells intravenously (IV) to treat a wide range of chronic ailments, including but not limited to crohn’s disease, lupus, and multiple sclerosis. 

Treatment time generally takes less than an hour, and results are generally seen in as little as two months. 

 

Final thoughts

Research is continuing to expand on this important topic. In fact, there are well over a thousand clinical trials underway in an effort to further understand just how powerful stem cells are in treating and reversing the effects of aging, chronic illness, and injury.

If you would like to learn more about the known benefits of stem cell therapy and would like to know if you may be a candidate for treatment, feel free to reach out to our team to obtain an evaluation today.