Three words get used interchangeably in this corner of aesthetics, and they do not mean the same thing, which is why comparing clinics on it can feel like reading three menus in three languages. PDRN is polydeoxyribonucleotide, a specific type of DNA fragment used in regenerative medicine. Polynucleotides are the broader family of DNA fragments it belongs to, and that is the treatment category. Rejuran is a brand, a Korean-manufactured polynucleotide product and one of several available. Asking whether to have Rejuran or polynucleotides is a little like asking whether to buy a Hoover or a vacuum cleaner: the brand sits inside the category.
Regents Park Aesthetics offers polynucleotide treatment at our Berkhamsted clinic, performed by Kay Greveson, our founder and advanced nurse prescriber, or by Dr Grace Adamson on Thursdays. We choose the product for the area being treated rather than by the name on the box, and we do not stock the Rejuran brand specifically.
What polynucleotides do beneath the skin
Polynucleotides are purified DNA fragments derived from salmon, chosen because their molecular structure is remarkably close to human DNA and extremely well tolerated. Injected into the skin, they do three things over the following weeks. They bind water, hydrating the tissue from within. They stimulate fibroblasts to produce collagen and elastin. And they calm inflammation in the tissue, which is a large part of why they suit damaged and reactive skin so well. The important distinction is that this is regenerative rather than corrective. A filler corrects a shape immediately by occupying space; polynucleotides improve the quality of the tissue slowly and add no volume at all. That is exactly why they have become the go-to answer for the under-eye area, where volume is the last thing thin skin wants.
Why the hands matter more than the box
Polynucleotide products differ in concentration, in the molecular weight of the fragments, and in whether they are formulated for skin, scalp or a specific area. Those differences are real, and they are smaller than the difference between an experienced injector and a novice. What matters most is assessment. Polynucleotides shine on thin, damaged, reactive or under-eye skin. A structural hollow wants volume, and crepey cheeks and neck are Profhilo territory. The first ten minutes at our Berkhamsted clinic are spent working out which of those you are looking at, in good daylight, before any product is opened. Bring a photograph of yourself from ten years ago; it is the most useful thing in the room.
Polynucleotides, Profhilo or filler: choosing the right tool
These three are confused constantly and they solve different problems. Filler is cross-linked hyaluronic acid that stays where it is placed, replacing lost volume and creating contour for twelve to eighteen months. If your cheeks have flattened or your jawline has softened, this is the one. Profhilo is uncross-linked hyaluronic acid that spreads through the tissue, hydrating and stimulating collagen without adding volume, and it suits crepey cheeks and neck for around six months. Polynucleotides work by cellular repair and calming inflammation, the strongest choice for very thin, damaged or under-eye skin and for the scalp in early hair thinning, lasting six to nine months after a course. At Regents Park Aesthetics we frequently combine them, running polynucleotides under the eyes and Profhilo across the cheeks within one plan.
What a course at our Berkhamsted clinic looks like
Three sessions, three to four weeks apart, because the mechanism is cumulative repair and the result builds with each visit. Each appointment takes twenty to thirty minutes: a series of small injections across the treatment area with a fine needle or a cannula, with topical anaesthetic under the eyes, and then back out onto the High Street. Small bumps at each injection point settle within twenty four hours, and any bruising under the eyes fades within the week. Hydration improves within two weeks.
The change in skin quality, tone and under-eye darkness builds from week four through week twelve, with the under-eye result usually clearest at eight to twelve weeks. Results last six to nine months after a full course, and most people repeat annually or book a single maintenance session in between. Polynucleotide treatment is £320 per area in Berkhamsted, and we quote the course at consultation.
What to pair it with
Because polynucleotides work on quality rather than shape, they combine beautifully. A true under-eye hollow, the kind that disappears when you gently draw the skin outward at the temple, is a volume question, and tear trough filler answers it. Darkness that is pigment rather than thin skin showing the vessels beneath responds to the Harmony XL Pro laser or Cosmelan in Anna’s laser room. For the scalp, polynucleotides sit alongside PRP in early thinning. And if there is a wedding at Ashridge in three weeks, we will plan the course to begin after it, since this is a treatment whose best moment arrives at two to three months. Your clinician covers suitability, timing and aftercare at your consultation, and the team is a phone call away afterwards.