Treatment guide · Wilmslow

Polynucleotides

Learn about Polynucleotides at Dr Sknn, including suitability, treatment planning, the procedure, recovery, material risks, aftercare and frequently asked questions. Your clinician will confirm whether this treatment—or another treatment—is appropriate for you.

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Compare current Single and Subscription prices, book an exact treatment directly, or add several treatments to one visit plan. Suitability is confirmed before treatment.

Polynucleotides before and after result at Dr Sknn
Treatment planning

What treatment planning should establish.

These four points support treatment planning. The detailed guide below covers this treatment.

Dr Eddie Shaffu, Medical Lead at Dr Sknn
Dr Eddie Shaffu Medical Lead · Dr Sknn
The treatment explained

About Polynucleotides.

Read more about Polynucleotides Treatment details and clinical context

Polynucleotides in Skin Rejuvenation | Dr Sknn Aesthetic Skin Clinic, UK

Published mechanisms remain under investigation. Laboratory or theory-based vascular effects do not prove better blood flow, nutrient delivery or a clinical result for an individual patient.

Pigmentation evidence is limited and concern-specific. In one randomised melasma study, adding topical polynucleotides after microneedle radiofrequency was not superior to radiofrequency with saline, so reduced pigmentation should not be promised.

A consultation may conclude that a different treatment—or no treatment—is the safest and most appropriate recommendation.
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What to expect

Before, during and after your treatment.

Your exact experience and recovery are individual. Your clinician will explain what applies to you.

01 · Before Who is Unsuitable for Polynucleotide Treatments?

Contraindications and precautions must be checked against the exact product instructions. Tell your clinician about allergies, active infection or inflammation, pregnancy or breastfeeding, autoimmune or granulomatous disease, medicines affecting bleeding, immunosuppressive treatment and previous procedures. This is not a complete product-specific list.

02 · During Are Polynucleotide Treatments Painful?

Injections can cause pain or discomfort, and the experience varies by product, treatment area and technique. A topical anaesthetic may be considered where appropriate, but it does not make the procedure painless and has its own suitability and reaction risks.

03 · After Recovery, review and aftercare.

You receive individual aftercare, warning signs and review guidance. Response and recovery vary between patients, and no particular outcome can be guaranteed.

Preparing relevant clinic results...

Photographs show individual patients. Results vary and do not guarantee a particular outcome.

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What patients say about Dr Sknn.

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Complete treatment guide

Treatment information and questions

Treatment information covering suitability, what to expect and aftercare.

What might change in lines and skin quality?

Small clinical studies suggest possible improvements in selected wrinkle and skin-quality measures. The evidence is heterogeneous and does not guarantee wrinkle reduction, tissue regeneration or a more youthful appearance for an individual.

What is known about skin tone?

Some studies have measured skin tone or pigmentation, but the findings are product- and condition-specific. Polynucleotides should not be presented as a universal brightening or pigmentation treatment.

What are the limits of appearance claims?

Hydration or radiance may change in some patients, but the size and duration of benefit vary. The available studies do not support a guaranteed restoration of glow, repair or overall skin health.

What is known about elasticity?

Some studies report changes in elasticity or texture measures, but formulations, techniques and outcomes differ. These findings do not establish universal tightening or repair.

Treatment benefits and aims

Hair-growth use remains emerging and formulation-specific; it should not be presented as an established general benefit.

Mechanistic and early clinical evidence does not justify a general claim that polynucleotides reduce inflammation or treat an inflammatory skin condition.

Injection, microneedling, nanoneedling and topical application are different delivery routes and cannot be treated as interchangeable. The exact product instructions and local protocol must support the chosen route; deeper delivery does not by itself prove greater effectiveness.

Formulation, route, treatment area and indication matter. Evidence for selected facial skin-quality or scar outcomes does not establish comprehensive treatment of wrinkles, scarring, pigmentation and hair loss across the face and body.

Upper-arm treatment requires confirmation that the exact product instructions and local protocol support this area.
  • A clinician should not promise that polynucleotides will tighten loose upper-arm skin or correct post-weight-loss laxity; evidence and suitability are product- and area-specific.
  • The available evidence does not establish a predictable smoothing or youthful appearance for upper-arm skin.
Scalp and hair evidence is emerging; diagnosis, exact product and realistic limits must be reviewed before treatment.

Evidence for scalp injections and hair growth is emerging and formulation-specific. It does not establish suitability for every cause of hair loss or guarantee regrowth.

  • A small prospective study in androgenetic alopecia reported changes in hair measures, but it did not establish universal follicle regeneration or thicker hair.
  • Improved general scalp health, dryness or irritation has not been established as a predictable outcome on this page and requires diagnosis of the underlying concern.
Additional treatment and aftercare information

about Polynucleotide Treatments

Areas and concerns

Areas Treated with Polynucleotide Therapy

Review the treatment areas and concerns below. Your clinician will confirm suitability, preparation, recovery and aftercare before treatment.

View treatment areas and concerns 12 options covered on this page
Face Treatment with PolynucleotidesFacial treatment may be considered for selected skin-quality concerns after assessment of the exact product, treatment area and delivery method. Published studies suggest possible improvements in some wrinkle, hydration and texture measures, but they do not establish restoration of lost facial volume or guarantee a visible result.
Under Eyes and EyelidsTreatment with PolynucleotidesSmall studies have evaluated selected polynucleotide formulations around the eyes. The evidence does not establish that every product or technique will correct dark circles, puffiness, eyelid laxity or sagging; the cause of the concern and periocular suitability require individual assessment.
Neck Treatment with PolynucleotidesSome product-specific literature discusses the neck, but suitability, injection plane and expected benefit depend on the exact formulation and its current instructions. Treatment cannot be assumed to correct every wrinkle, pigment change or degree of laxity.
Décolletage Treatment with PolynucleotidesSome product-specific literature discusses the décolletage. A clinician must confirm that the exact formulation and local protocol support this area, and explain that evidence for wrinkles, sun-related pigmentation and laxity is not interchangeable.
Abdominal Treatment with PolynucleotidesAbdominal treatment should be considered only when the exact product instructions and local protocol support it. Current clinical evidence does not justify promising correction of post-pregnancy change, post-weight-loss laxity or stretch marks as a single established outcome.
Thigh/Leg Treatment with PolynucleotidesThigh or leg treatment requires product-specific and concern-specific assessment. Evidence for skin quality cannot be treated as proof that polynucleotides remove cellulite, tighten every area or correct stretch marks.
Buttocks Treatment with PolynucleotidesTreatment of the buttocks should be offered only if supported by the exact product instructions and local protocol. A smoother or more toned appearance cannot be promised from the limited and formulation-specific evidence.
Hand Treatment with PolynucleotidesSome product-specific consensus material discusses the backs of the hands, but the exact formulation, injection method, likely benefit and risks must be confirmed before treatment. Improvement in visible ageing is variable and not guaranteed.
Scalp and Hair Treatment with PolynucleotidesEvidence for scalp injections and hair growth is emerging and formulation-specific. A small prospective study in androgenetic alopecia does not establish universal hair regrowth or suitability for every cause of hair loss; diagnosis and product-specific assessment come first.
Eyelash Growth Treatment with PolynucleotidesEyelash strengthening, lengthening and volumising are not presented here as established outcomes of polynucleotide treatment. Lash loss or breakage can have different causes and should be assessed before a clinician discusses evidence-supported options.
What to Expect Before the ProcedureDoctor consultations are free; a £50 reservation fee applies to Doctor bookings. Nurse and Qualified Practitioner consultations are free. The eligible clinician and clinic depend on the selected service. The consultation covers medical history, medicines, allergies, previous procedures, the exact product and route, alternatives, material risks and realistic limits before consent.
What to Expect After the ProcedureRecovery depends on the exact product and delivery method. Injections can cause temporary pain, redness, swelling, small raised areas, itching or bruising, and the small published studies cannot reliably estimate uncommon or long-term effects. Follow the aftercare and warning signs given by your clinician.
Questions before booking

Frequently asked questions.

Preparation, treatment, recovery, suitability and aftercare guidance to support your consultation.

How Do Polynucleotides Work?
Polynucleotide formulations contain purified DNA-derived chains or fragments, but products and proposed mechanisms vary. Laboratory and clinical literature suggests possible effects on hydration and tissue remodelling; it does not establish one receptor pathway, collagen increase, elastin increase or hyaluronic-acid production as a guaranteed result for every product, route or patient.
Can Polynucleotide Treatments Be Reversed?
Injectable polynucleotide treatment is invasive and should not be described as non-invasive. It is not routinely reversible in the way some hyaluronic-acid fillers may be; assessment and management of an unwanted effect depend on the exact product and what has occurred. Effects and duration are not guaranteed to follow a maintenance schedule.
Are Polynucleotide Treatments Safe?
The small published studies generally report temporary local effects and have not reported serious treatment-related events, but that does not establish blanket safety. Sample sizes and follow-up are limited, formulations and techniques differ, and uncommon or long-term risks cannot yet be estimated reliably. Safe practice still depends on the exact product, patient selection, injection technique and aftercare.
Are Polynucleotide Treatments Painful?
Injections can cause pain or discomfort, and the experience varies by product, treatment area and technique. A topical anaesthetic may be considered where appropriate, but it does not make the procedure painless and has its own suitability and reaction risks.
What Type of Polynucleotide is Used in the Treatment?
Polynucleotide products are not interchangeable. Published aesthetic studies include purified DNA-derived formulations from salmon or trout sources, but this page does not verify the exact product, concentration, constituents or current instructions used for your treatment. Those details and any relevant allergy must be confirmed before consent.
Do Polynucleotide Treatments Have Any Side Effects?
Reported effects include injection-site pain, redness, swelling, itching, bruising, small raised areas and temporary irritation. Published studies are too small and short to exclude uncommon or long-term complications. Your clinician should explain the exact product and injection risks, aftercare and warning signs, and you should contact the clinic promptly about a severe, worsening or unexpected reaction.
How Long Do Polynucleotide Treatment Results Last?
Duration has not been established uniformly across products, areas and outcomes. Small studies use different courses and follow-up periods, so a several-month result and routine maintenance every 6 to 12 months cannot be promised. Any further treatment should follow assessment of response, risks and the exact product instructions.
Who is Unsuitable for Polynucleotide Treatments?
Contraindications and precautions must be checked against the exact product instructions. Tell your clinician about allergies, active infection or inflammation, pregnancy or breastfeeding, autoimmune or granulomatous disease, medicines affecting bleeding, immunosuppressive treatment and previous procedures. This is not a complete product-specific list.
Am I Suitable for Polynucleotide Treatments?
Suitability cannot be assumed from a general wish to improve texture, ageing, scarring or pigmentation. A clinician must diagnose the concern where necessary, identify the exact product and supported treatment area, and review medical history, medicines, allergies, previous procedures, alternatives and realistic benefit before recommending treatment.
Where Can Polynucleotide Treatments Be Used?
Treatment areas depend on the exact formulation and its current instructions; evidence for one product or indication cannot be transferred automatically to the face, eyelids, neck, chest, hands, legs, scalp or other body sites. The clinician must confirm the area and intended outcome before treatment.
Can Polynucleotide Treatments Be Combined With Other Procedures?
Other aesthetic procedures should not be combined or sequenced on the assumption that polynucleotides will enhance the overall result. Evidence for combinations is treatment-specific. A clinician must plan each procedure, its timing, cumulative risks and aftercare individually.
What Results Will I See With Polynucleotide Treatments?
Some small studies report group-level changes in selected wrinkle, hydration, texture or skin-quality measures, but outcomes are generally modest and the evidence is heterogeneous. Pigmentation and hair findings are concern- and formulation-specific. No particular timing, degree of improvement or hair growth can be predicted for an individual.
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