Overview
Charlotte has emerged as one of the Southeast’s most active markets for regenerative medicine. The metro area now hosts a range of physician-led clinics offering platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, bone marrow-derived stem cell treatments, amniotic and umbilical tissue allografts, and combination biologic protocols. This growth reflects a broader national trend: patients with chronic joint pain, degenerative disc disease, and soft-tissue injuries are increasingly seeking alternatives to corticosteroid injections and elective orthopedic surgery. Charlotte’s concentration of board-certified physiatrists and sports medicine physicians with dedicated regenerative medicine training makes it a strong destination for these treatments within the Carolinas region.
The range of conditions addressed at Charlotte-area stem cell clinics spans both orthopedic and non-orthopedic categories. On the musculoskeletal side, clinics most commonly treat osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, and shoulder; rotator cuff tendinopathy; herniated and degenerating spinal discs; labral tears; and chronic tendon injuries such as plantar fasciitis and lateral epicondylitis. Many clinics also offer protocols for sacroiliac joint dysfunction and facet arthropathy. Beyond orthopedics, some Charlotte providers have expanded into hormone optimization, sexual wellness, and IV-based biologic therapies, reflecting the broader “functional regenerative medicine” model that combines cellular therapies with lifestyle and metabolic support.
Understanding what the treatment process looks like helps patients set realistic expectations. A typical initial consultation involves imaging review (often ultrasound or MRI), a physical examination, and a detailed intake covering prior treatments and functional goals. If a patient is a candidate, the procedure itself generally takes one to three hours depending on the protocol. Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) procedures require drawing marrow from the posterior iliac crest; adipose-derived procedures involve a small liposuction harvest; PRP procedures use a simple blood draw. All of these are processed on-site using centrifuge systems and then injected under ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance into the target tissue. Most patients return to light activity within days, with the full biologic response building over three to six months.
Choosing a provider requires scrutiny beyond a polished website. The most important factors are physician credentials, procedural volume, guidance technology, and transparency about what the science does and does not support. Regenerative medicine in the United States sits in a regulatory grey zone: the FDA classifies most autologous cell therapies as “minimally manipulated” and therefore permissible, but enforcement and clinic practices vary widely. In Charlotte specifically, patients benefit from having multiple physician-led options where treatments are performed or directly supervised by a licensed MD or DO with formal training in interventional procedures. The buyer’s guide section at the end of this page covers what questions to ask before booking.
Top Stem Cell Therapy Clinics in Charlotte, NC
1. Stem Cell Carolina
Address: 8035 Providence Road, Suite 340, Charlotte, NC 28277
Phone: (704) 542-3988
Website: https://stemcellcarolina.com
Physician: Dr. Usman Ahmad, DO, Board-Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, subspecialty training in Interventional Sports and Spine Medicine
Services:
- Stem cell treatment (bone marrow aspirate concentrate)
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
- Shockwave therapy
- Nerve hydrodissection
- Ultrasound-guided regenerative injections
- Fluoroscopic regenerative treatments
- Non-surgical orthopedic consultations
Conditions Treated:
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Herniated and degenerating lumbar and cervical discs
- Sciatica and radiculopathy
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy
- Shoulder labral injuries
- Hip osteoarthritis
- Chronic tendon injuries (Achilles, patellar, plantar fasciitis)
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
About: Stem Cell Carolina is led by Dr. Usman Ahmad, DO, a physiatrist who trained at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial and completed advanced interventional training at the Center for Advanced Pain Management and Rehabilitation in New Jersey. Dr. Ahmad has performed over 30,000 spine and joint injections, and the clinic claims to be the only practice in Charlotte where every stem cell and PRP procedure is performed directly by a physician with his level of PM&R subspecialty training. All injections are delivered under ultrasound or fluoroscopic image guidance to verify precise needle placement, which is a meaningful differentiator from clinics where injections are performed without real-time imaging confirmation.
2. NeoGenix Stem Cell and Regenerative Therapies
Address: 16147 Lancaster Highway, Suite 140, Charlotte, NC 28277
Phone: (704) 727-6551
Website: https://www.neogenixstemcells.com
Physician: Dr. James Altizer, MD, Board-Certified Internal Medicine and Phlebology; Founder and Medical Director
Services:
- Bone marrow aspirate concentrate stem cell therapy
- Adipose (fat-derived) stem cell therapy
- Combination bone marrow and adipose protocols
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
- Regenerative consultations for surgical avoidance
Conditions Treated:
- Knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle osteoarthritis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Ligament and tendon injuries
- Rotator cuff tears and shoulder impingement
- Elbow, wrist, and hand joint pain
- Foot and ankle pain (plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy)
- Neck pain and cervical spine degeneration
About: NeoGenix was founded in 2020 by Dr. James Altizer, MD, who trained at the Medical College of Virginia and completed an internal medicine residency before serving as a naval physician and teaching faculty at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Altizer is credited as one of the first physicians in the United States to combine bone marrow and adipose tissue stem cells in a single treatment protocol for severe arthritis. The clinic reports over 5,000 procedures performed and maintains a stated commitment that every patient is evaluated, diagnosed, and treated by a board-certified physician. Their South Charlotte location on Lancaster Highway serves patients across the greater Charlotte, Ballantyne, and Pineville areas.
3. Heritage Regenerative Medicine
Address: 8058 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28226
Phone: (980) 210-0079
Website: https://heritageregen.com
Physician: Dr. John Stavrakos, MS, MD, Board-Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Fellowship-Trained Sports Medicine (Medical College of Wisconsin)
Services:
- Stem cell and biologic injection therapy
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
- Prolotherapy and dextrose injections
- Ozone and prolozone therapy
- Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT)
- IV biologic and nutrient infusion therapy
- Sexual wellness treatments
- Cosmetic regenerative procedures
Conditions Treated:
- Joint osteoarthritis (knee, hip, shoulder, ankle)
- Chronic musculoskeletal pain
- Spinal disc and facet joint degeneration
- Tendon and ligament injuries
- Hormone imbalance and age-related decline
- Sexual dysfunction (men and women)
- Fatigue and metabolic conditions addressed through functional medicine protocols
About: Heritage Regenerative Medicine is led by Dr. John Stavrakos, MS, MD, a physiatrist with over 24 years of clinical experience who completed his residency at Stanford University and the Medical College of Wisconsin and a Sports Medicine fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Stavrakos also serves as Chief Medical Officer for New Life Regenerative Medicine, an FDA-registered tissue bank, which gives the practice direct access to rigorously sourced biologic products. He is a member and guest lecturer with the American Osteopathic Association of Prolotherapy and Regenerative Medicine (AOAPRM) and a published author on regenerative approaches to athletic injury. Heritage’s model combines orthopedic regenerative therapy with functional medicine, hormone optimization, and IV therapies, making it a strong option for patients whose goals extend beyond a single joint.
What to Know Before Choosing a Stem Cell Clinic in Charlotte
The most important question to ask any Charlotte stem cell clinic is who performs the procedure. The correct answer is that a licensed MD or DO personally delivers the injections under real-time imaging guidance. Be wary of any clinic where a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or non-physician staff member performs the procedure independently, or where injections are done “blind” without ultrasound or fluoroscopy confirming needle tip location. Image guidance is not optional for spine, hip, or deep shoulder injections. Clinics that describe it as a premium add-on rather than a standard requirement are a yellow flag. Also ask directly how many procedures of your specific type the physician has performed. Volume matters in interventional medicine: a physiatrist with 10,000 lifetime injections has a meaningfully different skill set than one who added regenerative medicine to a primary care practice two years ago.
Red flags to watch for include clinics that guarantee outcomes, market treatments as FDA-approved (most are not), or use the term “stem cell therapy” loosely to describe amniotic or umbilical cord allografts without explaining that these products contain few or no live stem cells by the time they are processed and stored. Legitimate clinics distinguish clearly between autologous treatments (using the patient’s own tissue) and allogeneic allografts, and they explain the evidence base and limitations of each. A price quote that feels extremely low compared to the Charlotte market norm (autologous bone marrow procedures typically range from $2,500 to $5,000 per treatment site as of early 2026) can indicate that the product being injected is an allograft marketed as a live stem cell treatment, which is both a regulatory concern and a scientific misrepresentation.
Regarding insurance and pricing: most regenerative medicine procedures in Charlotte are not covered by standard health insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, because they are classified as experimental or investigational for most indications. Patients should budget for out-of-pocket costs and request an itemized cost breakdown before booking. That breakdown should specify the exact biologic product being used, the guidance technology (ultrasound or fluoroscopy), the physician fee, and any facility fee. Reputable clinics offer this without pressure. Many Charlotte clinics offer free initial consultations, which is a reasonable practice, but patients should arrive at that consultation with imaging already in hand (MRI preferred, X-ray minimum) so the physician can make a genuine candidacy determination rather than a sales-oriented one. Ask explicitly whether the physician believes you are a good candidate and why, and ask what the realistic range of outcomes is based on patients with comparable pathology and imaging findings.
Before committing to any clinic, take two practical steps. First, verify the physician’s license and disciplinary history through the North Carolina Medical Board’s online lookup tool at ncmedboard.org. This takes less than five minutes and confirms that the physician holds an active, unrestricted North Carolina license. Second, ask the clinic for two or three patient references you can speak with directly, or check third-party review platforms such as Healthgrades or Google Reviews for a pattern of responses over at least 12 months. A clinic with consistently high ratings and specific, detailed patient reviews describing functional improvement is more credible than one with a high rating built on a small sample of generic five-star submissions. Charlotte’s regenerative medicine market is competitive enough that patients have genuine options, and the clinics listed in this guide have verified physicians, confirmed Charlotte addresses, and established procedural track records worth investigating further.
This directory was compiled from publicly available clinic websites, physician credentialing databases, and third-party healthcare directories as of February 2026. It is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a licensed physician to determine whether regenerative medicine is appropriate for your specific condition.