Polynucleotides vs Skin Boosters: Which Is Right for Your Skin?
Both are injectable treatments for skin quality and hydration, so here is how polynucleotides and skin boosters differ, and which one suits which skin at our nurse-led Soho clinic.
In this article
The short answer
Polynucleotides and skin boosters get grouped together, and it is easy to see why. Both are injected. Both improve the quality of your skin rather than its shape. Both belong to the regenerative side of aesthetics, the approach we favour at Perfectus Derma.
They are not the same treatment.
Polynucleotides are purified fragments derived from salmon DNA. Injected into the skin, they work with your own repair cells to support hydration, elasticity and gradual renewal.
Skin boosters are mostly hyaluronic acid, a hydration molecule your body already makes. They draw water into the skin and improve glow, smoothness and firmness.
The difference is mechanism. One asks your skin to repair. The other hydrates and remodels it from within.
Side by side
| Polynucleotides | Skin Boosters | |
|---|---|---|
| What we use | PhilArt and Plinest, derived from purified salmon DNA | Jalupro, Stylage Hydro, Stylage HydroMax and Baby Glow |
| Main action | Supports the skin’s own repair, elasticity and hydration | Hydrates, adds glow and gently firms |
| Best for | Delicate under-eye skin, skin quality, resilience | Dull, dehydrated or tired-looking skin |
| Adds volume? | No | No |
| Typical course | 2 to 3 sessions a few weeks apart | Usually 2 sessions a few weeks apart, then maintenance |
| Price at our Soho clinic | £220 per session, or £600 for three | £170 to £280 per session |
What polynucleotides do
Polynucleotides are short chains of purified DNA, most often derived from salmon because the molecular profile is well tolerated by human skin. We use PhilArt, made by Croma Pharma, and Plinest, made by DermaFocus.
Once injected, the fragments signal your fibroblasts, the cells responsible for repair, to get to work. Over the following weeks that means better hydration, improved elasticity and a stronger, more resilient skin surface. Results build gradually, and individual results vary.
Polynucleotides are a favourite of ours for the under-eye area. The skin there is thin and delicate, it creases early, and it responds well to a treatment that improves quality rather than adding filler. We also treat the face, neck and hands.
A typical plan is a short course of two to three sessions, spaced a few weeks apart, followed by maintenance.
What skin boosters do
Skin boosters are injectable hydration. Most are based on hyaluronic acid, which holds water in the skin and improves the way it looks and feels. Some also encourage a little collagen, which is why skin often looks firmer as well as more hydrated.
We use a range of boosters so we can match the product to your skin:
- Jalupro Young Eye targets the eye area with amino acids and hyaluronic acid. £170 per session.
- Stylage Hydro is a hydrating booster for the face. £200 per session.
- Stylage HydroMax is a stronger hydration booster for skin that needs more. £280 per session.
- Baby Glow is the newest booster in our clinic, combining hyaluronic acid, amino acids, antioxidants and vitamins for a fresh, glowing finish.
Profhilo sits within the wide range of skin boosters we use, and we will only recommend it if it suits your skin and your goals.
Which is right for you?
As a rule of thumb:
- Choose polynucleotides if your priority is the quality and resilience of delicate skin, especially under the eyes, or if you want a regenerative treatment that works with your own biology.
- Choose skin boosters if your skin looks dull, tired or dehydrated and you want visible glow and hydration, or a refresh before an event.
In practice the honest answer is often both, sequenced sensibly over a few months. Many people start with hydration and add polynucleotides for skin quality, or the reverse. A bespoke plan lets us do that safely.
Neither one is a filler
This is the point worth underlining. Neither polynucleotides nor skin boosters restore lost volume. If your concern is a hollow cheek or a deep tear trough, that is a volume problem, and a dermal filler is the tool for it. Boosters and polynucleotides improve the skin itself. Understanding that difference is half of choosing well.
It starts with a consultation
Every skin is different, so the right treatment is not something to decide from a price list. At our Soho clinic we begin with a face-to-face consultation and facial analysis, look at your skin honestly, and build a plan around what will genuinely help. Sometimes that is polynucleotides. Sometimes it is a skin booster. Often it is a considered combination, delivered by a nurse, over time.
