| Abstract: |
Regenerative and aesthetic medicine is expanding faster than its evidence base can be appraised. This empirical paper maps the registered clinical-study landscape for platelet products, cell/adipose products, and secretome/exosome products used for hair restoration, cutaneous scar remodeling, and skin rejuvenation. ClinicalTrials.gov was queried through its version 2 application programming interface on 12 August 2026. Six indication searches were combined, deduplicated, and screened using prespecified intervention and anatomical criteria. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, chi-square tests, Cramér’s V, Kruskal–Wallis testing, and exact comparisons of results posting were applied. Of 186 unique records, 136 met eligibility criteria; 135 were interventional. Hair restoration/alopecia accounted for 65 studies (47.8%), scars for 48 (35.3%), and skin rejuvenation/aging for 23 (16.9%). Platelet products were the primary modality in 62 studies (45.6%), followed by combination regimens in 32 (23.5%), cell/adipose products in 30 (22.1%), and secretome/exosome products in 12 (8.8%). Ninety-six studies (70.6%) were randomized, yet median enrollment was only 30 participants. Study starts rose from 17 through 2015 to 46 during 2024–2026. Modality differed by indication (χ²=14.61, p=.024; Cramér’s V=.232), while enrollment did not differ significantly across modalities (H=4.83, p=.184). Only 5 of 53 studies with actual primary completion at least one year before extraction had posted results (9.4%). The evidence pipeline is active but fragmented, small, and weakly transparent. Standardized product characterization, validated aesthetic outcomes, timely results disclosure, and longer safety follow-up are necessary before registry activity can be interpreted as clinical maturity. |
