What Are Polynucleotides and How Are They Different from Other Skin Treatments
Polynucleotides are one of the most talked-about treatments in aesthetic medicine right now — and also one of the least understood. While treatments like Botox and dermal fillers have been mainstream for years, polynucleotides are newer to most patients, and the name alone can feel intimidating.
This guide cuts through the complexity. Written by Aida, our Level 7 qualified pharmacist prescriber at TE Clinic Crystal Palace, it explains in plain terms what polynucleotides are, how they work at a biological level, how they compare to other skin treatments, and whether they might be the right option for your skin concerns.
What Are Polynucleotides?
Polynucleotides are injectable molecules derived from highly purified DNA — typically sourced from salmon or trout. While that might sound unusual, the molecules are extensively purified and processed to be fully biocompatible, meaning the body accepts and responds to them naturally without recognising them as foreign.
In aesthetic medicine, polynucleotides are used as a regenerative skin treatment. When injected into the skin, they do not add volume or change the structure of the face. Instead, they work at a cellular level — stimulating the skin's own repair mechanisms, encouraging the production of collagen and elastin, and helping to restore the biological environment that healthy, youthful skin depends on.
Polynucleotide-based therapies have been used in regenerative medicine for several decades, particularly in wound healing, orthopaedics, and ophthalmology. Their application in aesthetic medicine is more recent in the UK, but the science underpinning them is well established. A peer-reviewed study published in the National Library of Medicine confirmed that polynucleotides demonstrate significant improvements in skin hydration, elasticity, and overall dermal health through cellular repair and collagen synthesis [LINK: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11311621/].
How Do Polynucleotides Work?
When polynucleotides are injected into the dermis — the deeper layer of the skin — they trigger a cascade of biological responses that improve the health and quality of the skin over time.
The key mechanisms are:
- Fibroblast stimulation: Fibroblasts are the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin — the proteins that give skin its firmness and elasticity. Polynucleotides activate fibroblast activity, essentially reawakening cells that have become less productive with age.
- Deep hydration: Polynucleotides have a strong affinity for water molecules, binding them within the tissue and improving deep dermal hydration in a way that goes beyond surface moisturisation.
- DNA repair: One of the more remarkable properties of polynucleotides is their potential to support the repair of damaged DNA within skin cells — addressing harm caused by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors at a genetic level.
- Anti-inflammatory activity: Polynucleotides help neutralise free radicals and reduce inflammation in the skin, making them particularly beneficial for sensitive, compromised, or reactive skin types.
The result of these combined actions is a progressive improvement in skin quality — better texture, improved firmness, more even tone, and a healthier overall appearance — that develops gradually over several weeks as the biological processes unfold.
How Are Polynucleotides Different from Profhilo?
This is one of the most common questions patients ask, and it is worth answering carefully because the two treatments are often grouped together as skin boosters — which, while not entirely wrong, obscures some important differences.
Both polynucleotides and Profhilo are injectable treatments that improve skin quality rather than adding volume. Neither is a filler. Both stimulate collagen production and improve hydration. But they work differently and offer different benefits.
Profhilo uses a high concentration of hyaluronic acid that disperses through the tissue to provide deep hydration and stimulate collagen and elastin production. Its primary strength is hydration and a lifting effect across a broad area, using the BAP (Bio Aesthetic Points) protocol at five specific injection points on each side of the face. Learn more about Profhilo at TE Clinic
Polynucleotides go further in their regenerative action. As well as stimulating collagen and elastin, they support cellular repair, offer anti-inflammatory benefits, and can address DNA-level damage in skin cells. They can also be applied more precisely — including delicate areas like under the eyes, around the lips, and across bonier areas of the face — where Profhilo's spreading action makes it less suitable.
In some cases, the two treatments complement each other well as part of a longer-term skin plan, with each addressing different aspects of skin health.
How Are Polynucleotides Different from Dermal Fillers?
The difference here is fundamental. Dermal fillers add volume and structure to specific areas of the face — lips, cheeks, jawline, chin — using a cross-linked hyaluronic acid that stays where it is placed. The effect is structural and relatively immediate. Read more about Dermal Fillers at TE Clinic
Polynucleotides do not add volume. They do not change facial contours or features. Their purpose is to improve the underlying quality of the skin itself — its hydration, texture, firmness, and cellular health. The results are gradual and regenerative rather than structural.
A patient with volume loss in the cheeks needs a filler, not polynucleotides. A patient whose skin has become dehydrated, crepey, or dull — or who wants to improve skin quality before or after other treatments — is a much better candidate for polynucleotides.
The two treatments can also be combined effectively. Many patients at TE Clinic use dermal fillers to address structural concerns and polynucleotides to improve the surrounding skin quality and long-term health.
How Are Polynucleotides Different from Anti-Wrinkle Injections?
Anti-wrinkle injections — commonly known as Botox — work by temporarily relaxing the facial muscles that cause dynamic expression lines. They are effective for frown lines, forehead lines, and crow's feet, but they do not address skin quality, hydration, or texture.Learn more about Anti-Wrinkle Treatments at TE Clinic
Polynucleotides do not affect muscle movement. They work entirely within the skin tissue itself, improving the biological environment at a cellular level. The two treatments address completely different concerns and can be used alongside each other as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Polynucleotides?
Polynucleotides tend to suit patients who are noticing changes in their skin quality — loss of radiance, increased crepiness, reduced firmness — rather than specific structural concerns.
They work particularly well for:
- Patients in their thirties, forties, and beyond who want to address early or progressive signs of skin ageing without changing their features
- Those with dehydrated, dull, or tired-looking skin that has lost its natural vitality
- Patients with sun damage, pigmentation concerns, or skin that has been compromised by environmental exposure
- Anyone looking to improve the delicate skin under the eyes — an area where few other injectable treatments can be safely used
- Those who want a preventative or long-term skin health strategy rather than a one-off treatment
- Patients seeking a natural result with no visible signs of intervention
Polynucleotides are not the right treatment for every concern. Volume loss, deep structural lines, or specific contouring goals are better addressed with fillers or other approaches. You may also want to read our guide to understanding the difference between Botox and fillers to help clarify which treatment direction suits your concerns. https://teclinic.london/blog — Botox vs Fillers: What's the Difference and Which Do You Actually Need?]
A proper consultation is always the starting point — and at TE Clinic, that consultation is led by a Level 7 qualified pharmacist prescriber, not a non-medical practitioner.
What Does a Polynucleotide Treatment Involve?
Polynucleotides are administered via a series of small injections into the treatment area. The face, neck, décolletage, and under-eye area are all commonly treated. The number of injection points varies depending on the area and the specific product being used.
Treatment typically takes 20 to 30 minutes. Most patients find it well tolerated. Some redness, mild swelling, or small bumps at the injection sites are normal immediately after treatment and usually resolve within a few hours to a day.
A standard course involves two to three sessions spaced two to four weeks apart. Results develop progressively over four to eight weeks as the biological processes unfold. Maintenance sessions are typically recommended every six to twelve months to sustain and build on the results.
If you are new to aesthetic treatments and would like to understand what to expect more broadly, our guide to preparing for your first aesthetic treatment is a useful starting point. How to Prepare for Your First Aesthetic Treatment
How Long Do Results Last?
Results from a full course of polynucleotide treatment typically last six to twelve months, though this varies between patients based on age, skin condition, lifestyle, and the area treated.
Because polynucleotides work by stimulating your skin's own regenerative processes, the results are not a temporary surface effect — they reflect a genuine improvement in skin health. Patients who maintain a regular treatment schedule often find that results become more durable over time, as the cumulative effect of repeated biological stimulation builds on itself.
For a broader look at how long injectable skin treatments last, our article on the realistic lifespan of Botox and fillers covers the key factors in detail. How Long Do Botox and Fillers Last? A Realistic Guide
Are Polynucleotides Safe?
Polynucleotides have an excellent safety profile. The purification process used to produce them removes any risk of biological incompatibility, and because they work with the body's own repair systems rather than introducing a foreign substance, adverse reactions are uncommon.
As with any injectable treatment, the safety and quality of the outcome are significantly influenced by the skill and clinical judgement of the practitioner. Polynucleotides require precise placement and a sound understanding of facial anatomy — particularly when treating delicate areas like the under-eye region.
At TE Clinic Crystal Palace, polynucleotide treatments are carried out by Aida, a Level 7 qualified aesthetic practitioner and fully qualified pharmacist prescriber. Every treatment begins with a thorough medical consultation to assess suitability, review your health history, and ensure the treatment is appropriate for your specific concern. TE Clinic is also Save Face accredited — a government-recognised register that independently assesses clinics against strict standards of medical qualification, safety, and ethical practice.
Polynucleotides in Crystal Palace and South London
TE Clinic is based in Crystal Palace, South London, and sees patients from across the surrounding areas — including Dulwich, Bromley, Croydon, Norwood, Beckenham, and Chislehurst.
Polynucleotides remain a relatively specialist treatment, and finding a medically qualified, Level 7 practitioner offering them in South London is not straightforward. As a Save Face accredited, prescriber-led clinic, TE Clinic offers polynucleotide treatments within a genuinely medical framework — not as an add-on beauty service, but as a clinically assessed, personalised treatment delivered to the highest standard of care.
If you are based in Crystal Palace or the surrounding areas of South London and would like to explore whether polynucleotides are right for your skin, we are happy to discuss your options at a no-pressure consultation before you commit to anything. Book a consultation
Quick Summary: Is a Polynucleotide Treatment Right for You?
- You want to improve skin quality, texture, and firmness — not change your features
- You are noticing dullness, dehydration, or early signs of skin ageing
- You want to address the delicate skin under the eyes
- You have sun damage or skin compromised by environmental exposure
- You are looking for a long-term, regenerative approach to skin health
- You want treatment administered by a Level 7 qualified, Save Face accredited, prescriber-led practitioner in Crystal Palace or South London
AUTHOR BIO:
Written by Aida, Specialist Clinical Pharmacist, Level 7 Qualified Aesthetic Practitioner, Pharmacist Prescriber, and Medical Aesthetics Trainer at TE Clinic South London. Save Face accredited.
