Polynucleotides have had a strange few years online.
They turn up in videos with dramatic captions and an unfortunate nickname involving salmon, and they are presented as either a miracle or something faintly alarming. Neither is accurate, and the reality is more interesting than the marketing.
Of the regenerative treatments we offer, polynucleotides have the strongest evidence behind them. They are also the gentlest, and the most misunderstood.
What they actually are
Polynucleotides are highly purified fragments of DNA. They are derived from salmon, which is where the nickname comes from, but by the time they reach your skin they have been purified to the point of being biocompatible with human tissue.
That purification matters. The finished product is protein-free, which is why a fish allergy is not usually a barrier, though it is always worth mentioning at your consultation.
How they work
Most injectable treatments add something to your skin. Polynucleotides prompt your skin to do the work itself.
Once injected into the dermis, they activate fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin. They also switch on a repair pathway that your body already uses for wound healing, which reduces inflammation and supports tissue regeneration. Alongside that they hydrate, and they mop up free radicals.
The result is not plumper skin or filled skin. It is better quality skin. More elastic, more resilient, better hydrated, and better at repairing itself.
This is regenerative medicine rather than cosmetic filling, and the underlying compound has been used in medicine for over two decades.
What they are good for
- Early signs of ageing, particularly loss of elasticity
- Skin quality and resilience rather than volume
- Under the eyes, where the skin is thinnest and most treatments are too aggressive
- Sensitive or reactive skin, because they are exceptionally well tolerated
- Skin that has lost firmness after weight loss
They are used on the face, and the neck responds particularly well.
What they will not do
They will not add volume. They will not lift sagging skin. And they will not transform your face in one session, whatever you have seen online.
If your concern is lost facial structure, Sculptra is the treatment that addresses that. If you want an immediate, visible plumping, this is not it.
What to expect, honestly
This is a gradual treatment and expectations matter more here than almost anywhere.
The standard protocol is three sessions, two to four weeks apart.
In practice, Elizabeth often finds two is enough. She has been using them for some time, including on herself, and her view is that two sessions followed by a Profhilo gives a better result than three sessions alone. You get the repair at cell level, then the hydration and glow on top.
That is not a rule, and it is not a package she will push you into. It is what she has found works for most people, and she will tell you if your skin needs something different.
Results build over weeks. You will not walk out looking different. What people tend to notice a month or two later is that their skin looks healthier, feels firmer and behaves better.
Polynucleotides or Profhilo?
This is the question we get asked most, and the answer is that they do different jobs.
Polynucleotides work at cell level. They prompt repair and regeneration, improving the underlying quality and resilience of your skin.
Profhilo works on the skin itself. It hydrates deeply and stimulates collagen and elastin, giving glow and firmness.
Both improve your skin. One works on the machinery, the other on the surface. Used together you are treating both, which is why Elizabeth so often recommends the combination rather than choosing between them.
If you can only do one, the answer depends on your skin. Sensitive, reactive or thin skin, and under-eye concerns, tend to point to polynucleotides. Loose or crepey skin that needs firming tends to point to Profhilo.
Under the eyes
The skin under your eye is the thinnest on your body, which is why so many treatments are unsuitable there and why filler in that area goes wrong so easily.
Polynucleotides are gentle enough to be used in that area, and they work by thickening and improving the skin rather than filling underneath it. That makes them one of the better options for under-eyes that look tired, shadowed or crepey.
We also offer Lumi Eyes Pro, which is a polynucleotide treatment designed specifically for that area.
Price
From £150 per session.
Is it right for your skin?
Because polynucleotides are subtle and gradual, it is worth having someone look at your skin properly before you commit to a course.
Elizabeth will tell you honestly whether this is the right treatment for what is bothering you, how many sessions she would actually recommend, and whether combining it with something else would serve you better.
The consultation is free.