Polynucleotides are an injectable skin treatment made from purified DNA fragments, typically derived from salmon trout. Injected into the skin, they stimulate your own cells to produce more collagen, improve hydration, reduce inflammation, and repair damage over a course of treatments. They are a regenerative treatment, not a volumising one. They will not fill out a line or contour a cheek the way filler will. They will improve the actual quality of your skin.
I am Cristina Pardo, an NMC-registered aesthetic nurse in Norwich. Polynucleotides have become one of the most-requested treatments at Pardo Medical Aesthetics, particularly for the under-eye area where dermal filler is not always appropriate. This post explains what they actually are, what they do, and how to decide whether they are the right treatment for you.
Where polynucleotides come from
Polynucleotides have been used in regenerative medicine for over 60 years, originally as a wound-healing treatment. The fragments of DNA used in the product are taken from salmon or salmon trout, purified to a very high standard, and processed into a hyaluronic-acid-based injectable.
The salmon DNA is biologically compatible with human DNA in this context because the basic building blocks (the nucleotides) are the same across species. The product does not change your DNA. It provides the raw material your skin cells use to repair and regenerate.
The clinical and aesthetic use has grown rapidly in the last five years. UK aesthetic practitioners adopted it widely from around 2022 onwards. It is regulated as a medical device and prescription-only in the UK.
What polynucleotides actually do to your skin
Stimulate collagen production. Treated skin produces measurably more collagen over the weeks following each session.
Improve hydration. Polynucleotides bind water in the skin and improve the way your own cells retain moisture, separate from the filler effect of hyaluronic acid.
Reduce inflammation. The treatment has a measurable anti-inflammatory effect, which is part of why it works well for irritated or red areas.
Repair existing damage. UV damage, environmental stress, and age-related thinning of the skin all respond to the regenerative effect.
Important: none of this happens instantly. Polynucleotides work over weeks. Most clients see initial improvement after 2 to 3 weeks, peak result at 8 to 12 weeks, and a full course gives lasting change.
Who polynucleotides suit
Clients with tired-looking skin, dark circles under the eyes, fine lines, or texture concerns. The under-eye area is one of the most common treatment zones because dermal filler is high-risk there.
Clients who want results from a regenerative rather than a volumising treatment. Polynucleotides do not fill anything. They improve the structure of the skin itself.
Clients with thin, fragile, or photoaged skin. The repair effect is most visible where there is most to repair.
Clients combining polynucleotides with other treatments. They sit alongside filler, Profhilo, and microneedling extremely well. I often pair polynucleotides with a small amount of filler in the cheek area for a layered, natural improvement.
Who polynucleotides do not suit
Clients looking for an immediate change. The result builds over weeks. If you have an event in 10 days, polynucleotides are not your answer for that event.
Clients hoping for a contour change. If you want a stronger jawline or fuller cheeks, you need filler, not polynucleotides.
Clients with a confirmed salmon allergy. This is rare but worth flagging. I screen for it during the consultation.
The protocol I recommend
Most areas respond best to a course of two sessions, four weeks apart, followed by a maintenance session every 6 to 9 months. The under-eye area sometimes benefits from three initial sessions.
Treatment itself takes around 45 minutes per session. I use a very fine needle to deposit small amounts of product across the treatment area in a layered technique. There is some bruising risk in the first 48 hours. Most clients are presentable for work the next day.
Aftercare is minimal. Avoid intense exercise and saunas for 24 hours. Avoid makeup over the treatment area for 12 hours. Drink water. The aftercare sheet covers everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Both are skin-quality treatments delivered by injection, but they work differently. Profhilo is hyaluronic acid that hydrates and bio-stimulates over a few months. Polynucleotides are DNA fragments that drive deeper cellular regeneration over a longer arc. Many clients benefit from both, with polynucleotides treating specific concerns and Profhilo as a broader hydration layer.
Yes, salmon or salmon trout DNA fragments, highly purified. The product is regulated as a medical device in the UK and approved for aesthetic use.
Initial improvement at 2 to 3 weeks. Peak result at 8 to 12 weeks. Full course (typically 2 sessions) builds the visible improvement over about 3 months.
Around 6 to 9 months for the strongest result, gradually softening. Most clients maintain with a single session every 6 to 9 months.
Yes, and this is one of the most common treatment areas. Polynucleotides are safer for the under-eye than filler because they regenerate rather than add volume to a high-risk area.
Single session £250 launch (regular £300). Course of two sessions £490 launch (regular £550). Mobile appointment, no travel surcharge inside the 15-mile zone.
Related treatments at Pardo Medical Aesthetics
Written by Cristina Pardo, NMC-registered aesthetic nurse practitioner at Pardo Medical Aesthetics. Mobile aesthetics across Norwich and Norfolk. Read more at JCCP guidance on regenerative aesthetics for further reading.
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