l Written by Dr. Kim Ju-min at The Wells Clinic
l Edited by Sia, The Pylon Square
One of the questions I hear most often in my practice is: "Does stem cell therapy really work?"
Online, there's no shortage of exaggerated claims — and, on the other side, people who dismiss it outright as "unproven."
So today I'd like to walk through:
✔ What stem cells are
✔ The different types of stem cells
✔ What actually happens in your body when stem cells from your own blood are activated with ozone gas and delivered intravenously (IV)
— drawing on the changes I've seen firsthand in the clinic.
Stem Cells: Helping the Body Heal Itself
A stem cell is, put simply, a cell that can renew itself and differentiate into many different cell types.
When the body is injured or ages, stem cells play a central role in repairing damaged tissue, regulating inflammation, and coordinating the signaling between cells.
In that sense, a stem cell is less a "cell that builds something new" and more a "regulator that helps the body heal itself."
Types of Stem Cells
Stem cells fall into three broad categories.
- Embryonic stem cells — Their capacity to differentiate is remarkable, but ethical concerns and the risk of tumor formation mean their clinical use remains limited to research.
- iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) — Adult cells reprogrammed back to an earlier state; still largely at the research stage.
- Adult stem cells — Obtained from blood, bone marrow, fat, and other sources; these are the cells handled clinically in Korea.
At The Wells Clinic, we use cellular components obtained from the patient's own blood.
When Might Blood-Derived Cell Therapy Be Worth Considering?
This is a complementary (adjunctive) treatment that may be considered for a range of conditions, from hair loss to Parkinson's disease.
One important point to keep in mind: all of this is complementary care, and a consultation with a specialist in the relevant condition is essential before any procedure.
- Intractable neurological conditions (including dystonias such as torticollis)
- Degenerative neurological conditions (such as Parkinson's disease)
- Hair loss
- Other chronic conditions
Rather than simply turning into new cells that replace an organ, these cells may work by reducing inflammation and creating an environment in which neurons are better able to survive.
What Is Blood-Derived Cell + Ozone-Activated IV Therapy?
Cellular components (stem cells, growth factors, and so on) are separated from the patient's own blood, activated with ozone gas, and reintroduced intravenously (IV).
Ozone has proposed mechanisms including support for oxygen metabolism, mitochondrial activity, and anti-inflammatory regulation.
In practice, I've seen a variety of changes in the clinic — though the effect can differ considerably depending on each person's circumstances and the severity of their condition.
Hair-Loss Treatment for My Needle-Averse Wife
The first case I'll share is my own wife. She's sensitive to pain and doesn't tolerate injections well, so we used a very fine needle for both the blood draw and the scalp injection. The procedure takes under 10 minutes and involves almost no pain.
- After one month: Fine new hairs began to grow in an area where the thinning had been severe enough to expose the side of her scalp.
- After two months: It had improved to the point where the thinning was no longer noticeable even with her hair tied back.
A number of studies report that PRP and autologous blood-based treatments can have a positive effect on hair density, with some evidence for hair thickness as well.
The effect is often more pronounced in early-stage or actively progressing hair loss.
A Torticollis Patient Whose Constantly Turning Neck Settled
A woman in her 40s with torticollis had long struggled with her neck turning to one side, along with significant pain and muscle tension.
After this treatment, her neck pain nearly disappeared and the force pulling her head into rotation diminished markedly.
She was not cured, but a clear change in neural excitability and muscle-tone regulation was observed.
When I discussed this case with professors at major university hospitals in Seoul, their feedback was that, rather than the cells replacing brain cells with new ones, the more likely effect was an improvement in the environment of the affected region of the brain.
In other words, the treatment most likely worked by lowering inflammation and calming an overactive immune state.
A Grandfather With Parkinson's Whose Overall Condition Improved
A man in his 80s who had lived with Parkinson's for more than five years came in stooped, his head bowed toward the floor, walking with a cane. His digestion had declined significantly and his energy was very low.
For him, we performed manual therapy to correct the temporomandibular joint, the upper cervical and thoracic spine, and the pelvis, followed by IV blood-derived cell therapy.
Afterward, it was his caregiver who spoke first: "He's been eating well lately, and he seems so much lighter."
- Reported improvements: improved digestion, better sleep, a lift in overall condition, and a subjective sense of smoother movement
This suggests the treatment may have influenced the nervous system, the autonomic nervous system, and the gut-brain axis.
Consistent with this, emerging research suggests that tissue-derived stem cell therapy may positively influence Parkinson's disease.
How Should We View This Therapy?
Stem cells are not a cure-all, and this is not a treatment where a single injection makes every illness disappear.
But what is clear is that it represents an important pillar of future medicine — one that may awaken the body's repair systems, regulate inflammation and immunity, and influence the nervous system and whole-body condition.
As a neurologist, I apply this treatment carefully — neither overstating nor dismissing it — in the space between scientific evidence and clinical experience.
This is medicine that is still evolving.
And that change has already begun, quietly — in the clinic, in the expressions and daily lives of patients.
I'll continue to research and share treatments that can genuinely help patients, scientifically and responsibly.
⇒ Book an appointment with The Wells Clinic through The Pylon Square
