“Salmon sperm injections” sounds crazy and yet it is the latest trend flooding social media for must try aesthetic treatments from South Korea. As with many aesthetic trends, salmon sperm-derived injections come from South Korea, which is truly a driver and innovator in the aesthetic space. You may have seen videos or pictures of people getting these treatments and leaving clinics with embossing or bumpy injection points all over their faces. So what exactly are these treatments and what do they do?
What is PDRN?
PDRN stands for “polydeoxyribonucleotide;” simply put, PDRN is DNA fragments known for having regenerative properties. Commonly, PDRN is derived from salmon or trout sperm because salmon are a quick and readily available source that has similar properties. In the 1980s, PDRN was extracted from human placenta and proven to have reparative and wound healing benefits when injected. A more renewable and accessible source of PDRN is salmon or trout, and the process of preparing it is highly regulated in Korea. These days, PDRN has transcended wound healing and tissue repair to also being an injectable treatment with cosmetic benefits. PDRN has also been recently been utilized in many skincare products and topicals.
What is PN?
PN is short for “polynucleotide” and are also a form of DNA fragment generally sourced from salmon or trout testes. PN and PDRN differ in molecular weight and polymer length, with PN being comprised of longer polymers than PDRN. This key difference is what gives PDRN and PN different benefits. Understanding the difference between the two allows for better understanding of which treatment is more suitable for you.
PDRN helps boost nucleotide synthesis. Injectable PDRN treatments leads to accelerated wound healing, helps reduce inflammation, and helps improve over skin condition by stimulating fibroblast production. PN, with its longer and larger polymers (creating a more viscous texture), assists in remodeling and support of the extracellular matrix (macromolecules such as collagen or elastin that surround cells and comprise various tissues in the body). This leads to improvements in skin texture, elasticity, skin hydration, and structural integrity.
PDRN vs. PN
You might be wondering which is more suitable for your skin when comparing PDRN vs. PN clinical treatments. Because they are derived from very similar sources, they are easily confused even though they have different benefits. Simply put, because PDRN has would healing properties, it is great to pair with other procedures like microneedling, RF microneedling, and some laser treatments for a synergistic effect. It can also be beneficial for hair rejuvenation, improving skin tone, and superficial skin repair.
PN has larger molecules than PDRN, lending it a more viscous texture (almost akin to HA filler). PN also has great water affinity. PN has greater effect on skin structure and repair when compared to PDRN, thus making it more suitable for aesthetic treatments where greater biostimulation is needed, such as in acne scar treatments, deeper wrinkle treatments, skin hydration and repair. PN also pairs well with hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers. Oftentimes, when you see embossed skin (raised bumps all over the skin) on social media from “salmon sperm” treatments, it is most likely PN treatment and not PDRN treatment.
What is Rejuran?
Rejuran is the most well-known PDRN and PN brand from Korea. It would be remiss to discuss PDRN without discussing Rejuran. While it is the most well-known, it is certainly not the only PDRN/PN line that exists; there are many PDRN/PN brands that exist worldwide. Rejuran’s product range includes injectable skin boosters, PN, and PDRN products for clinical use and are approved by KFDA. They also carry topical skincare products that consumers are able to purchase.
Read More: All About Rejuran
A caveat for topical use of PDRN and PN is that all existing literature for the efficacy of PDRN and PN comes from injected treatments. Molecular size is quite large for PDRN and even larger for PN, which means that neither can penetrate the skin barrier (which is why clinical literature shows efficacy of injected PDRN and PN) and thus generally both work only superficially on the skin.
If you are interested in learning more about PDRN, PN, and other biostimulatory treatments, please feel free to contact DSC! We offer complimentary consultations in Los Angeles, California.
DSC Laser & Skin Care Center
www.dscbeauty.com
(626) 285-0800
info@dscbeauty.com
889 S. San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
