Regenerative medicine
Growth factors in Lugano
Proteins that drive tissue proliferation and repair: skin, cartilage, tendons and hair. At the practice they arrive with platelet-rich plasma from the patient's blood, and with exosomes, vesicles that carry proteins and molecular messages. They are not a separate injectable product beyond the PRP and exosomes already offered. Indication after the specialist visit.
- Proteins that drive proliferation and repair: skin, cartilage, tendons, hair
- In PRP: platelets rich in growth factors and cytokines, from 8–30 ml of blood
- In exosomes: vesicles that carry proteins between cells, without replicating them
How they reach the practice
What they are
Proteins that drive tissue proliferation and repair: skin, cartilage, tendons and hair. They stimulate cell proliferation, angiogenesis and the formation of connective tissue, in the same frame already described for PRP.
In PRP
After drawing 8–30 ml, the sample is centrifuged and injected into the tissue being treated. Platelets are rich in growth factors and cytokines. Only autologous cells from the patient's own blood are used.
In exosomes
Small vesicles that carry proteins and molecular messages between cells and stimulate repair, without multiplying cells. At the practice they are paired with photobiomodulation when there is an indication.
Cell regeneration
Cells divide and differentiate to replace damaged tissue: this is the process PRP and exosomes aim to support. The mechanism is on the cell-regeneration page.
When we consider them
Joints and tendons
Osteoarthritis, tendinopathy, injuries of tendons, ligaments and muscles, when there is an indication for PRP. In a randomised trial of PRP for knee osteoarthritis, improvement appeared within 2–3 weeks and lasted to the 6-month check. A meta-analysis of 18 studies compared PRP and hyaluronic acid, with results assessed on average after 11 months. That is evidence on PRP, which contains growth factors, not on a free-standing growth-factor product.
Skin and hair
Skin rejuvenation and stimulation of hair growth, in the same regenerative-medicine setting. A systematic review of PRP for skin aging describes a generally modest benefit on appearance and texture; how long the effects last is not known.
Regenerative pathway
Growth factors, PRP, exosomes and photobiomodulation belong to the same regenerative-medicine pathway. Which preparation to use is decided at the visit, without a superiority comparison on this page.
What the studies say
The studies cited evaluate PRP, whose platelets carry growth factors and cytokines, not an injectable product of isolated factors. Clinical studies of the PBM and exosome combination are still preliminary.
Frequently asked questions
Are they a treatment on their own?
No. At the practice, growth factors arrive with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and with exosomes. This page describes the mechanism, not a third injectable product.
How do they differ from exosomes?
Growth factors are proteins. Exosomes are vesicles that carry proteins and molecular messages between cells, without replicating them. They do not replace stem-cell therapy. Details on the PBM and exosomes page.
How many sessions are needed?
It depends on the tissue and the goal. Indication, preparation and timing are defined after the specialist visit.
Is it covered by insurance?
The practice is RME certified and, in Ticino, bills complementary insurers: with complementary insurance, under certain conditions, the treatment can be reimbursed. Patients with basic insurance only receive a clear cost estimate at the visit and pay directly.
Scientific sources
- Patel S, et al. Treatment with platelet-rich plasma is more effective than placebo for knee osteoarthritis: a prospective, double-blind, randomized trial. Am J Sports Med. 2013;41:356–364. doi:10.1177/0363546512471299
- Belk JW, et al. Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Hyaluronic Acid for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Am J Sports Med. 2021;49:249–260. doi:10.1177/0363546520909397
- Maisel-Campbell AL, et al. A systematic review of the safety and effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for skin aging. Arch Dermatol Res. 2020;312:301–315. doi:10.1007/s00403-019-01999-6
Related treatments
This therapy is part of Regenerative medicine.
Not sure which treatment is right for you?
For musculoskeletal pain the practice follows several routes, often combined. The specialist visit, with ultrasound when needed, clarifies which one is indicated in your case.
Rheumatology
Diagnosis and treatment plan: the first visit when the pain is in the joints, back or tendons.
Acupuncture
Needles, needle-free laser or ear acupuncture, performed by a specialist physician.
Interventional pain therapy
Ultrasound-guided injections of joints and soft tissues, with hyaluronic acid or PRP when indicated.
PRP for joints and tendons
Plasma prepared from the patient's own blood and injected into tendons and joints.
Laser therapy
Laser light applied locally, in the joint or in the bloodstream, without drugs.
The information on this page is for general information only and does not replace medical advice. The indication, expected benefits and risks of every treatment are assessed individually during the specialist consultation.
Let's assess the regenerative pathway together
Indication and preparation, PRP or exosomes, are defined after the specialist consultation.
We accept referrals and second-opinion requests from your physician, via HIN. dr.djordjevic@hin.ch
How to reach us
In Lugano, a short walk from USI and EOC
The practice is centrally located in Italian-speaking Switzerland, also reachable from Mendrisio, Bellinzona, Locarno and Chiasso, and is easy to reach from Italy, Milan, Como, Varese and Lombardy by car and by train.
By car: the practice's own car park is right in front. By public transport: a short walk from USI.
Address
Via Alessandro Volta 1
6900 Lugano
Opening hours
Monday and Wednesday 08:00–16:30
Friday 08:00–13:30