Tommy Rhee

President & CEO, RheeGen

Dr. Tommy Rhee, DC, is a sports chiropractor, regenerative medicine pioneer, military veteran, and the founder and CEO of RheeGen — the world's first transdermal stem cell-derived regenerative therapy cream. Based in Tampa, Florida, Dr. Rhee has built a career defined by an unrelenting pursuit of what comes next in human performance and recovery, consistently introducing innovations to his region before they became standard of care. A man of uncommon range, he brings the discipline of military service together with the precision of clinical science and the vision of a serial innovator. Dr. Rhee's path into sports medicine began with his military background, which instilled the foundational principles of performance under pressure that have guided every stage of his career. He went on to establish himself in the Los Angeles market, working extensively with athletes at UCLA before relocating to Tampa Bay. His reputation as a high-performance clinician earned him the role of Team Chiropractor for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2015 to 2018, where he worked directly with NFL players navigating the extreme physical demands of professional football. During this period he also worked with WWE performers and professional tennis players — populations whose bodies face chronic, high-intensity wear and who require solutions that are both effective and operationally viable within the rhythms of a competitive season. Throughout his clinical career, Dr. Rhee established a pattern of being first. He became the first Master Provider of Active Release Techniques (ART) in Tampa Bay in 2008, introduced Exercise With Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) to the region in 2012, brought WholeBody Cryotherapy to Tampa Bay in 2015, introduced PiezoWave Shockwave therapy in 2016, and pioneered CryoFos in 2018. Each milestone reflected not just adoption of emerging technology, but a deliberate philosophy: meet the cutting edge and bring it to the people who need it. That same philosophy eventually pointed him toward the frontier of regenerative medicine — and toward a problem no one had yet solved. The genesis of RheeGen came directly from his NFL players. During the season, stem cell injections were not a viable option — the logistics, the recovery windows, and the risks of live-cell administration made them impractical. His players wanted the benefits of regenerative therapy without the injection. Dr. Rhee's response was to build an entirely new delivery system. The result is RheeGen: a patent-pending transdermal cream containing human mesenchymal stem cell-derived bioactive biomolecules sourced from the Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord tissue. The formula, encased in lipid nanoparticles and lyophilized for stability, is engineered to penetrate all three layers of skin — delivering signaling molecules including cytokines and proteins that instruct the body's existing tissue to regenerate, heal, and recover. Critically, RheeGen contains no live stem cells and carries no foreign DNA, making it FDA-compliant and eliminating the risks associated with live-cell injection therapies. At up to 95% less cost than injections that can run from $4,500 to $15,000, RheeGen represents one of the most significant accessibility breakthroughs in the history of regenerative medicine. Dr. Rhee is also the published author of "The Future of Regenerative Medicine: Unlocking the Potential of Topical Stem Cell Therapy," a work that articulates both the scientific foundation and the broader vision for non-invasive regenerative care. In his clinical practice, he integrates Heart Rate Variability (HRV) monitoring as a tool for measuring autonomic nervous system function, recovery status, and the body's readiness to regenerate — bridging the gap between subjective recovery reports and objective physiological data. His work with professional athletes has deepened his understanding of the mental architecture of recovery, and he applies those insights to everyday patients, weekend warriors, and anyone seeking access to the regenerative tools that were once reserved exclusively for the elite.

Key Insights from Tommy Rhee

RheeGen represents a significant leap forward in regenerative medicine. Our commitment to innovation and accessibility has led to the development of a transdermal regenerative cream that redefines the possibilities of at-home regenerative therapy.

— Tommy Rhee on Regenerative medicine evolution

It's going to basically signal. That's where you look at the real merit of this. It's information that you're trying to get from this tissue to go into your existing tissue to say — turn on, regenerate, heal faster. It's about signaling.

— Tommy Rhee on Signaling vs. live cells explained

They were complaining about stem cell injections. They can't do it during the season — so that's why this was developed. They wanted a different delivery system than injectable.

— Tommy Rhee on The NFL player problem that created RheeGen

If it works for NFL players, I can go ahead and provide it to civilians and weekend warriors.

— Tommy Rhee on Cost disruption and accessibility

HRV and the autonomic nervous system — understanding how you can command it — that's the hardest thing. This thing that's supposed to be automatic in our body. Well, there's a subconscious level where you can really grasp and hold it and control it.

— Tommy Rhee on HRV and the autonomic nervous system

Recovery isn't just physical. The mental game is everything. I've watched guys with god-given talent not make it because they couldn't get their mind right after an injury. And I've watched guys with less talent come all the way back because they stayed locked in.

— Tommy Rhee on The mental game of recovery

We went from prolotherapy to PRP to bone marrow stem cells to fat tissue to Wharton's jelly — and now we're taking the best of what we've learned about signaling and putting it into a format that anybody can use, every day, at home.

— Tommy Rhee on The evolution of regenerative medicine

The future of regenerative medicine is non-invasive. We're going to look back at this period of injections the same way we look back at early surgery — as a necessary step, but not the destination.

— Tommy Rhee on The future of non-invasive regenerative therapy

Notable Quotes from Tommy Rhee

They were complaining about stem cell injections. They can't do it during the season — so that's why this was developed. They wanted a different delivery system than injectable.

— Tommy Rhee

It's information that you're trying to get from this tissue to go into your existing tissue to say — turn on, regenerate, heal faster. It's about signaling.

— Tommy Rhee

If it works for NFL players, I can go ahead and provide it to civilians and weekend warriors.

— Tommy Rhee

Frequently Asked Questions about Tommy Rhee

What is RheeGen and what makes it different from other regenerative products?

RheeGen is the world's first transdermal regenerative therapy cream, developed by Dr. Tommy Rhee. It contains human mesenchymal stem cell-derived bioactive biomolecules sourced from the Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord tissue, encased in lipid nanoparticles and lyophilized for stability. Unlike other topical products, RheeGen is engineered to penetrate all three layers of skin and deliver active signaling molecules — cytokines and proteins — that instruct the body's own cells to regenerate and heal. The formula is patent-pending and FDA-compliant. Dr. Rhee describes it as a genuine first in the category: not an improvement on an existing product, but an entirely new delivery system for regenerative science.

How does topical stem cell therapy actually work?

According to Dr. Rhee, the key to RheeGen's mechanism is signaling rather than live cell transfer. The cream does not contain live stem cells. Instead, it delivers the bioactive molecules — the signaling compounds — that stem cells naturally produce. These molecules communicate with your existing tissue, essentially sending an instruction to turn on the body's natural regenerative processes: regenerate, heal faster, reduce inflammation. Dr. Rhee explains it as information transfer: the biomolecules carry biological intelligence from donor tissue into your skin, triggering a response in your own cells without introducing any foreign DNA or live cellular material.

Is RheeGen FDA approved, and is it safe?

Dr. Rhee describes RheeGen as an FDA-compliant bioactive biomolecule formula. Because it contains no live stem cells and no foreign DNA, it avoids the regulatory and safety complexities associated with live-cell injection therapies. The formula is patent-pending. Dr. Rhee emphasizes that the decision to use signaling molecules rather than live cells was deliberate — it makes the product both safer and more predictable, since you are not introducing unknown genetic material into the body. The lyophilization process ensures stability of up to 12 months under refrigeration.

How does RheeGen compare to stem cell injections in terms of cost and results?

Traditional stem cell injection therapies can cost between $4,500 and $15,000 per treatment. Dr. Rhee states that RheeGen is up to 95% more cost-effective than those traditional options. The protocol involves daily topical application over a 30-day process, which Dr. Rhee says yields results comparable to injectables — without the clinical setting, the needles, the recovery window, or the prohibitive price tag. He originally developed RheeGen specifically because his NFL players could not receive injections during the active season, making cost-effectiveness and operational convenience core design requirements from the beginning.

Who developed RheeGen and why was it created?

RheeGen was created by Dr. Tommy Rhee, a sports chiropractor and former Team Chiropractor for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The product was born directly out of his clinical work with NFL players who needed regenerative therapy during the active football season but could not tolerate or schedule stem cell injections. His players wanted the benefits without the injection. Rather than accepting that limitation, Dr. Rhee developed an entirely new delivery system — a transdermal cream that delivers the same bioactive signaling molecules through the skin. He has since made it available to the broader public, with the conviction that if it works for professional athletes, it can work for everyday people.

What conditions and populations can benefit from RheeGen?

Dr. Rhee originally developed RheeGen for the extreme demands of professional athletes — NFL players, WWE performers, and tennis players — who experience chronic, high-intensity physical wear. However, he designed the product with accessibility in mind, explicitly extending its availability to everyday people, weekend warriors, and anyone dealing with inflammation, slow recovery, or conditions that have traditionally been addressed through regenerative injections. His clinical practice also incorporates RheeGen alongside other modalities including HRV monitoring, shockwave therapy, and cryotherapy, suggesting it functions as part of a broader regenerative and recovery protocol rather than a standalone treatment.

Interview with Tommy Rhee — Topics Covered

  1. Center Stage introduction (~2 minutes)
  2. Tommy's background: military, discipline, and the making of a clinician (~4 minutes)
  3. UCLA to Tampa: building a reputation in sports chiropractic (~3 minutes)
  4. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers years: working with NFL players (~4 minutes)
  5. The evolution of regenerative medicine (~4 minutes)
  6. The problem with injections: why the delivery system was broken (~4 minutes)
  7. How RheeGen was born: the NFL player conversation (~3 minutes)
  8. The science of RheeGen: signaling molecules vs. live cells (~5 minutes)
  9. HRV, the autonomic nervous system, and measuring recovery (~4 minutes)
  10. The mental game: mindset and micro victories in recovery (~3 minutes)
  11. From pro athletes to everyday people: practical applications of RheeGen (~3 minutes)
  12. The future of regenerative medicine and closing (~2 minutes)

Tommy Rhee — Areas of Expertise

  • Transdermal regenerative medicine and stem cell-derived therapy
  • Sports chiropractic and high-performance recovery
  • Regenerative medicine innovation (prolotherapy, PRP, stem cells, topical)
  • Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and autonomic nervous system optimization
  • NFL and professional athlete injury management
  • Cost disruption in healthcare and regenerative access
  • Signaling molecules, cytokines, and bioactive biomolecules
  • Non-invasive alternatives to injection-based therapies
  • Mental performance and the psychology of athlete recovery
  • Biotech entrepreneurship and product development in regenerative health

Watch: The Cream Cure: The Cream That Could Bankrupt The Injection Industry

Full Center Stage interview with Tommy Rhee on Mornings in the Lab.

Watch on YouTube

Tommy Rhee — Show Appearances

  • Mornings in the Lab (2026-03-26) Watch

Tommy Rhee — Signal Brief

Signal Score: 26/100

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