People now want improved skin quality, as flawless skin is one of the most universally desired features. The quality of the skin has been shown to have a substantial impact on self perception. Polynucleotides are part of Regenerative Medicine which supports the body in restoring itself to a state of wellbeing. It helps the cells to behave in a way that they behaved when you were younger.
What are polynucleotides?
Polynucleotides are fragments of DNA which help to improve skin and hair and are at the leading edge of Regenerative Aesthetics. The technology has been around for 70 years in the field of wound healing and there are publications on its benefits going back to the mid 1980s.
Polynucleotides are extracted from fish (trout or salmon), and are specially designed for skin renewal and bio-restructuring and are becoming a popular alternative to ‘Botox and fillers.’ They act on multiple cells in the body to help the cells work better as they did earlier on in life.
The treatment acts on three levels: lifting, antioxidation and hydration. They improve hydration and the synthesis of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. They stimulate cell proliferation, induce angiogenesis (blood supply), inhibit melanogenesis (pigmentation), have an anti-inflammatory effect and restore the activity of fibroblasts which are crucial in the structure of the skin.
Polynucleotides are bio-revitalizing product which can be used on the face and on various areas of the body for both prevention in young people to prevent tissue relaxation and correction in mature people to help delay and counteract skin ageing (particularly useful around the time of menopause).
The main intention is for a lifting, tightening and hydrating effect. A younger person may need fewer treatments than an older person.
Treatments are usually performed in a series of 2- 4 sittings every 15-30 days. The lifting effect after the treatment usually lasts up to 18 months. Treatment can be repeated as early as 3- 6 months.
Are polynucleotides similar to skin boosters like Profhilo or Belotero Revive or Definisse Hydrobooster?
Skin boosters like Profhilo are Hyaluronic acid. The effects are seen relatively quickly, and they are useful in the shorter term for results.
Belotero Revive is another great skin booster which is available at this clinic, which can take a few months for peak results to be seen after repeated treatments. Definisse Hydrobooster Skin Booster is a skin booster which is used on the neck, hands and décolleté at this clinic.
For clients who are looking to combine the longer terms benefit of polynucleotides with the shorter term benefits of skin boosters, the NEWEST product combines both properties in 1 product.
What can polynucleotides be used for?
- Ageing prevention and maintaining younger skin quality
- Helping to remodel areas with a high fibrous content such as acne scars
- General skin quality improvement, restoring radiance and freshness, promoting bio-regeneration, reducing wrinkles and skin laxity
- Improving hair quality on the scalp and eyebrows
- Improving the appearance of stretch marks
- Improving skin quality around the eye
- Improving the appearance of old scars
This should be though of as a more subtle aesthetic procedure than fillers because it enables important results to be achieved with:
- Skin firmness
- Elasticity
- Radiance
- Fullness
What sort of results are possible?
Can young adults start using Polynucleotides?
Younger adults are becoming more interested in preventive treatments for ageing concerns.
Polynucleotides are perfect for this. The technology is suitable for all skin types, regardless of its maturity. They can be useful to help in remodelling of the skin after acne scarring. There are also potential benefits for redness and pigmentation.
Benefits include
- Visible rejuvenating effect without affecting facial features
- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles and creases and firms the skin
- Skin exposed to oxidative stress (due to air pollution, sun exposure, smoking, poor diet)
- Dehydrated skin
- Before injections, to extend their aesthetic effects.
Which brand of polynucleotide is used for injections?
- This clinic uses the Plinest Brand (Dermafocus) for polynucleotide due to the quality of the product, extensive peer support network and training. The products used are Plinest Hair, Plinest Eye (Same concentration of product), Plinest and NEWEST (Plinest with Hyaluronic acid and Mannitol to enhance hydraton and skin health). Produced by Mastelli, the product is sourced from freshwater Italian trout and utilises trout sperm DNA. The product chose for treatment depends on the aesthetic needs of the individual e.g. under eye/hair/ skin rejuvenation/stretch marks/acne scarring
Under eye area
Polynucleotides can specifically improve:
- Puffiness / Bags under eyes
- Wrinkles around the eyes
- Skin quality around the eye
- Darkness under the eye
2-4 sessions are recommended exactly 14 days apart. Maintenance ever 3-6 months.
General face and neck rejuvenation
Unlike standard skin boosters, NEWEST works through a synergistic “dual-action” formula:
The Power of Polynucleotides (PN): These DNA-derived building blocks act as “skin primers,” signaling your fibroblasts to produce fresh collagen and elastin. This firms the skin and improves the appearance of fine lines and “tech-neck” wrinkles.
The Hydration of Hyaluronic Acid (HA): A non-crosslinked HA provides instant deep hydration, plumping the skin’s surface and restoring a youthful, dewy radiance.
Antioxidant Protection: NEWEST helps neutralize free radicals, protecting your skin from the environmental stressors that cause premature aging.
The delicate skin of the face and neck is often the first to show signs of “crepiness” and dehydration. NEWEST is specifically formulated to address:
The Face: Softens crow’s feet, smooths vertical lip lines, and restores “snap” to sagging cheeks.
The Neck: Targets horizontal “tech-neck” lines and restores the skin’s thickness and elasticity in this notoriously difficult-to-treat area.
The Décolletage: Smooths sun-damaged, crepey skin on the chest.
Around the mouth
No “Duck” Effect: Unlike dermal fillers, this protocol does not add unnatural volume or “puffiness” to the upper lip.
Elasticity: The skin remains flexible and moves naturally with your expressions.
Longevity: By regenerating the skin’s own collagen, the results are more durable and improve the health of your skin over time.
Hair eyebrows and beard
Ideal for women with menopausal hair loss and thinning eyebrows.
It is also suitable for men with balding.
The product is injected into the scalp, and arches of the eyebrow for:
- Moisturisation, facilitated growth
- Before and after hair restoration surgery (best started 2 months before surgery.
As with all injectable treatments, suitability is to be assessed following a consultation to ensure that the cause of the hair loss is fully assessed.
1 session is done every 1-2 weeks on 4 occasions to begin with. This is then followed by a further 4 sessions 3 weeks apart. At least 8 treatments are usually needed. You would expect to see results at about 4-6 months later. Treatment can be repeated again for maintenance
Can polynucleotides be used before hair transplant surgery?
As a skin primer it can ideally be started 2-3 months before surgery to help optimise the skin before surgery.
Can it be used after hair transplant surgery?
Yes. There are reports from aesthetic clinics that it could help to reduce the shock hair loss which commonly follows surgery.
What is the ideal frequency of treatments?
In comparison to other polynucleotide treatments at least 8 sessions are recommended.
– Phase 1 every 7-14 days for 4 sessions
– Phase 2: Every 21-30 days for a further 4 sessions
– Maintenance every 6 months if required to maintain results
Where can I read more detail about the evidence of benefit in male and female pattern hair loss?
For females, click here; for both males and females with pattern hair loss click here
Can it be commbined with mesotherapy?
Yes. Day 0 Plinest Hair, Day 20, Mesotherapy, Day 40 Plinest Hair, Day 60 Mesotherapy
What should I expect after treatment?
Immediately after the treatment the following can be experienced:
- Slight swelling
- Redness
- Bruises
- Sense of warmth in the treated area
These side effect pass on their own after a few hours/days.
Acne Scars
Acne scars are the result of deep-seated inflammation and collagen loss. Plinest doesn’t just “fill” the indentations; it communicates with your cells to jumpstart the natural repair process.
Fibroblast Activation: It stimulates the cells responsible for collagen production, effectively “plumping” atrophic (pitted) scars from beneath.
Tissue Repair: Polynucleotides promote intensive bio-regeneration, healing the damaged dermal structure caused by past breakouts.
Hydration & Elasticity: By improving the skin’s internal environment, Plinest enhances overall skin quality, making scars appear softer and less noticeable.
Anti-Inflammatory: It helps calm the skin and improve vascularization, which can reduce the persistent redness often associated with scarring.
Body
Higher strength polynucleotides can be used on the face for deep wrinkling, but can also be used to improve the appearance of the neck, decollete, and body for saggy skin and stretch marks.
What are the expected side effects?
- Bruising may occur
- Some swelling in the injection area for 1-2 days
Who is not suitable for Polynucleotides?
- Undergoing cancer treatment.
- Pregnancy;
- Breastfeeding;
- Blood coagulation disorders;
- Current herpes and other viral infections;
- Fungal and bacterial skin infections;
- Skin inflammations/ current autoimmune disease of the skin
- Because the product is highly purified it can be possible to use this in case of fish allergy. However alternative treatments are available
- Vegan
What preparation is needed?
Arrive make up free for the treatment if your face is being treated. Wash your hair either the night before or on the morning of treatment.
A topical anaesthetic may be required for the face. This won’t be offered for the hair. A vibration device can be used instead.
There is a risk of bruising from multiple punctures so make up should be avoided for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
What should be done after the treatment?
What is the Science behind it?
The synergy of 4 types of stimulation:
- Skin regeneration.
- Cleansing effect on the cells by increasing circulation and blocking free radicals.
- Deep moisturizing effect.
- Firming and contouring.
The product contains high molecular weight polynucleotide chains whose biochemical peculiarities make it highly viscoelastic and capable of binding and orienting in space a considerable amount of water molecules, which are primarily retained in the hydrophilic groups level of phosphorylated sugars of the individual nucleotides.
The polymeric macromolecules are able to also play an immediate “scavenger” action against free radicals.
This effect of this polynucleotide gel is possible thanks to the chemical structure capable of blocking free radicals in the nitrogenous ring.
Moreover, the progressive degradation of polynucleotide molecules by enzymes present in the extracellular environment, free metabolites which, in turn, accentuate the protection activity against free radicals.
The biostimulating effect is given both by the presence of nucleoside structures capable of activating cell membrane receptors and by metabolites that are produced by the enzymatic attack during the degradation process. A slow and continuous effect.
By promoting the metabolic activity of the fibroblastic cells, polynucleotides collaborate to reintegrate into the dermis various fundamental autologous components (glucoseaminoglycans, proteins, glycoproteins, fibrils, etc.) tending to maintain their physiological functionality.
Their repeated administration over time determines:
– protracted isosmotic hydration of the dermal matrix
– an anti-radical action
Both of these effects combine to recreate in the dermal matrix the most favourable physiological conditions for the regeneration and metabolic activity of fibroblasts, with long-lasting biorevitalizing effects.
The maturation of fibroblasts in myofibroblasts and the production of collagen determines a strong specific lifting and revitalizing effect suitable for all skin types