Polynucleotides are easy to hear about and surprisingly hard to find a plain explanation of. This is what they are, what they are made from, and how treating the under-eye differs from treating the whole face.
The short answer
Polynucleotides are purified chains of nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA, prepared for injection into the skin. Small amounts are placed just under the surface with a very fine needle.
They are not a filler. They add no volume and do not change the shape of your face. They are aimed at the quality and hydration of the skin itself, so any change is about texture rather than structure.
That makes them a slow treatment by design. They are usually given as a course of three sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart, and any change builds gradually across the course rather than arriving on the day, so it is judged over weeks, not after one session.
Yes, it is usually fish DNA
This is usually the part people have heard about. Most polynucleotide products used in the UK are made from fish DNA, typically from salmon or trout, which is highly purified before it is used. What goes into your skin is the purified nucleotide chains, not fish tissue.
Two things follow from that.
- It is not your DNA, and it does not change yours. It is a purified material that started from a natural source, as many medical products do.
- A fish allergy matters. If you have a known allergy to fish, polynucleotides are not for you. I ask everyone about it at the consultation.
What they will not do
Because polynucleotides are so often discussed alongside filler, it is worth being clear about the limits.
- They will not lift, plump or reshape anything. Filler is a gel that adds volume. Polynucleotides do not.
- They will not give you a visible change for an event next week.
- They are not the answer to every under-eye concern. If what is really bothering you is volume loss, or a shadow that a different approach would address better, I will tell you so.
Under-eye or full face?
I offer polynucleotides in two ways: concentrated on the under-eye, or across the face. The principle is the same. What changes is the area treated, and that changes the cost.
The under-eye
This is one of the more common reasons people ask about polynucleotides. The skin under the eyes is thin and delicate, and it is often where people feel they look most tired. It is also an area where filler is often not the right answer, which is why a treatment aimed at the skin itself appeals.
Full face
Full face treatment is aimed at skin that looks tired, crepey or dull across the face as a whole, rather than in one area. It suits people who are more bothered by the overall quality of their skin than by any one feature.
How to choose between them
If the thing that bothers you is mostly under your eyes, that is usually the place to start. If it is the skin across your face more generally, full face makes more sense. Either way, we decide at the consultation, once I have seen your skin in good light. Full face costs more than under-eye because more of the skin is treated, and both are offered as a single session or a course of three.
What a session involves
The area is cleansed and numbing cream applied if you would like it. A session usually takes around 30 minutes, including preparation. Small raised bumps at the injection points are normal straight afterwards and usually settle within a few hours to a day. Occasionally there is a small bruise. Most people carry on as normal the same day.
Every course starts with a face-to-face consultation, and there are at least 72 hours between that consultation and your first session. Current prices, aftercare and suitability are on my page about polynucleotide treatment in Birmingham.
Could they suit you?
Polynucleotides tend to suit people whose skin looks tired, crepey or dull rather than deflated, and who are happy to commit to a course and wait for a gradual change. They are not suitable if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have an active skin infection or inflammation in the area, or have a known fish allergy.
If you are also weighing up other skin treatments, I have written a separate guide to choosing between Profhilo and LumiPro. And if you would like to know how the first appointment works, here is what happens at a consultation.
Have a question, or ready to book?
Every treatment begins with a face-to-face consultation. Prices are a guide and confirmed at that appointment.