PDRN Skin Booster: PN vs PDRN Polynucleotides

A PDRN skin booster is an injectable of purified DNA fragments, usually from salmon, placed into the dermis to support how the skin repairs itself. PDRN refers to shorter fragments and PN, polynucleotide, to longer chains, and products built on each differ. Neither adds volume or lifts. A fish or salmon allergy is checked first.

On this page

Key Facts
What are PDRN / polynucleotides and what do they do?
What does the evidence show?
Who should avoid PDRN / polynucleotides?
Are PDRN / polynucleotides available in Singapore?
Prefer Not to Use WhatsApp?
Questions Patients Actually Ask
PN vs PDRN: what is the difference?
Availability in Singapore

Key Facts

What it is: Purified DNA fragments, usually from salmon, used in injectable and topical products to support skin repair and hydration.
Also called: PDRN is polydeoxyribonucleotide; PN is polynucleotide, a longer-chain relative; both are called salmon DNA
Pairs with: Hyaluronic acid skin boosters, ceramides, sunscreen; often combined with laser or microneedling plans
Who should take care: People with fish or salmon allergy should avoid these products.
In Singapore: Topical PDRN and polynucleotide skincare is sold in Singapore as cosmetic products.

What are PDRN / polynucleotides and what do they do?

PDRN and polynucleotides are chains of DNA fragments extracted and purified, usually from salmon or trout. PDRN consists of shorter fragments; polynucleotides are longer chains that form a viscous gel. They are thought to work in two ways: by activating adenosine A2A receptors, which reduces inflammation and supports tissue repair, and by supplying nucleotides that cells can reuse for renewal. The long chains also bind water, adding hydration. In aesthetic medicine they are mainly injected into the skin as skin boosters for texture, fine lines, thin skin under the eyes and acne scars. Topical products exist, but penetration of large molecules through intact skin is limited. [1]

Three small glass ampoules of clear and pale-blue solution standing on white marble

“Evidence for topical PDRN is weaker than for injectable use, and results reported with one brand may not apply to another.”
Dr Sin YongOn the evidence for polynucleotides

What does the evidence show?

Reviews describe consistent laboratory and animal evidence for anti-inflammatory and repair effects, and wound-healing studies support PDRN in tissue repair. A systematic review of polynucleotides in aesthetic medicine found improvements in skin quality, scars and periorbital rejuvenation, but noted small sample sizes, short follow-up and few controlled trials. Evidence for topical PDRN is weaker than for injectable use, and results reported with one brand may not apply to another.

Who should avoid PDRN / polynucleotides?

People with fish or salmon allergy should avoid these products. Injectable polynucleotides are not used over active infection, inflammation or in pregnancy, and anyone with an autoimmune condition or bleeding tendency should discuss it with the doctor first. Injection causes temporary bumps, redness and possible bruising. Topical products occasionally cause irritation.

Are PDRN / polynucleotides available in Singapore?

Topical PDRN and polynucleotide skincare is sold in Singapore as cosmetic products. Injectable polynucleotide products are regulated health products that should be administered by doctors in a clinical setting. Status depends on the product, so check with a doctor before choosing any injectable treatment.

If a dark patch, breakout or irritation is not responding to what you are using, the next step is a diagnosis rather than another product. See the Skin A–Z library for related ingredients.

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Questions Patients Actually Ask

What are PDRN / Polynucleotides used for?+

Purified DNA fragments, usually from salmon, used in injectable and topical products to support skin repair and hydration.

Who should avoid PDRN / Polynucleotides?+

Can PDRN / Polynucleotides be combined with other skincare?+

It is commonly paired with Hyaluronic acid skin boosters, ceramides, sunscreen; often combined with laser or microneedling plans; introduce one new active at a time and stop if irritation develops.

What is Plinest, and is it the same as Rejuran?+

Plinest is a polynucleotide product from a different manufacturer, used by some clinics; Rejuran is the polynucleotide booster used at this practice. They are separate products, so concentration, viscosity and the evidence behind each differ, and a result reported with one does not transfer to the other. Both are fish-derived, so a fish or salmon allergy should be raised first.

What is PN Healer?+

'PN healer' usually refers to Rejuran Healer, the standard facial preparation in the Rejuran range, with polynucleotide at approximately 20 mg/mL. Other preparations in the range are formulated for scarred skin, for the under-eye area, or combined with hyaluronic acid.

Does a PDRN skin booster add volume or lift the face?+

No. PDRN and polynucleotide boosters are directed at the repair environment of the dermis, and nothing in the syringe is designed to occupy space or hold a contour. Hollowing and sagging are different problems with different tools, decided at assessment.

Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong, MBBS (NUS), MRCS (Edinburgh) · Last updated 7 September 2026 · Editorial policy

PN vs PDRN: what is the difference?

PN and PDRN come from the same source but differ in chain length. PN, polynucleotide, is made of longer DNA chains that form a viscous gel; PDRN, polydeoxyribonucleotide, is made of shorter fragments. A 2025 review comparing the two attributes extracellular matrix remodelling mainly to the longer PN chains, and adenosine receptor activation mainly to the shorter PDRN fragments.

The terms are often used interchangeably in marketing, so a 'PDRN skin booster', a 'PN healer' and a 'salmon DNA injection' may or may not describe the same product. Products differ in concentration, viscosity and intended use, and results reported for one may not apply to another. Rejuran, a PN product registered with Singapore's Health Sciences Authority as an injectable medical device, is the polynucleotide booster used at this practice. Plinest is another polynucleotide brand, from a different manufacturer, used by some clinics.

Whichever is offered, it is reasonable to ask which material and which product it is, and to have it recorded in your notes. Both are fish-derived, so a fish or salmon allergy is raised before either is considered. The polynucleotide skin booster article on this site sets out how PN compares with hyaluronic acid boosters and collagen biostimulators.

PDRN, PN and other skin boosters compared
Option	What it does	What it cannot do	Typical recovery	Who it tends to suit
Injectable PN (polynucleotide), such as Rejuran, the product used at this practice	Places longer-chain polynucleotide into the dermis by micro-injection, directed at the repair environment of the skin	Add volume, lift or remove pigment	Small raised points at the injection sites, redness and possible bruising that settle	Texture, fine lines, crepey under-eye skin or post-acne skin quality, in people without a fish allergy
Injectable PDRN preparations (other brands)	Places shorter DNA fragments into the dermis; their action is described mainly through adenosine A2A receptor signalling	Add volume or lift; findings reported with one product do not transfer to another	Similar injection-point redness, bumps and bruising that settle	Skin-quality complaints, with suitability depending on the specific product
Hyaluronic acid skin booster, including Profhilo	Places a water-binding molecule into the dermis for hydration; Profhilo is also designed to stimulate	Deliver a repair signal in the way polynucleotides are described to, or build structure	Small bumps at the injection points that settle	Dry, dehydrated skin or loss of skin bounce
Collagen biostimulator (PLLA, PCL or PDLLA)	Acts as a resorbable scaffold that fibroblasts respond to with new collagen over weeks and months	Treat surface texture on its own; PLLA and PCL cannot be dissolved	Swelling, tenderness and possible bruising that settle	Diffuse volume loss and loss of firmness
Topical PDRN or polynucleotide skincare	A cosmetic product applied to the skin surface	Reach the dermis as an injection does; large molecules penetrate intact skin poorly and the evidence is weaker	Usually none; occasional irritation	Anyone wanting a skincare step, with realistic expectations of what a topical can do