Polynucleotides are used to improve skin quality — texture, fine lines and elasticity — rather than to add volume, and they are usually given as a course rather than in a single appointment. The evidence is promising but genuinely limited: a systematic review of the randomised trials found consistent but modest improvements and concluded that there is not yet enough consensus to define an optimal protocol (Cureus, systematic review of randomised clinical trials, 2026).
What polynucleotides actually are
Polynucleotides are chains of nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA and RNA, purified from salmon or trout gonads and supplied as a sterile product for use in the skin. They are not synthetic polymers, unlike several other collagen-stimulating products (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, review, 2024).
Dr Vicky Bu is a registered dentist (GDC 309759) with a BDS from King's College London. She provides facial aesthetics treatments at My Timeless, a clinician-led clinic in the City of London.
They are not a dermal filler. A hyaluronic acid filler occupies space and changes contour; polynucleotides are used to influence the skin itself. The mechanism usually described is borrowed from a related molecule, polydeoxyribonucleotide: stimulation of adenosine A2A receptors, proposed to support blood vessel formation and reduce inflammation. That review is explicit that this has not been scientifically demonstrated for polynucleotides.
What they are used for — and what they are not
Polynucleotides are used where the concern is skin quality rather than volume: fine lines and crepey texture; skin that has lost elasticity; under-eye skin quality, as distinct from under-eye hollowing; and scars, where the evidence is thinner still.
They are not a treatment for structural change. If your concern is a hollow tear trough, a flat cheek or a lip that needs shape, they will not correct it — and a clinic suggesting otherwise is overselling. Telling the two apart is a clinical judgement made in person.
Who should not have this treatment: we do not treat during pregnancy or breastfeeding, where there is an active infection, cold sore or inflammation in the treatment area, or where there is a known allergy to any component. Active skin disease in the area, and some medical conditions, require assessment first.
What the evidence actually shows
A systematic review of polynucleotides in aesthetic medicine found nine studies of low to moderate quality covering 219 patients. It reported promising results for wrinkles, skin texture and elasticity, with mild and transient side effects and moderate to high satisfaction. It also found wide variation in injection areas and techniques between studies, and concluded that "there is limited consensus regarding their optimal use" (systematic review, 2025; PMID 39645667).
A second review, restricted to randomised trials, included seven studies with 183 participants, four in skin rejuvenation. It reported no serious treatment-related adverse events, with important caveats: small studies, different protocols, inconsistent outcome measures, and improvements "more modest" than the wound-healing results. The authors called for larger randomised trials to establish optimal protocols (Cureus, 2026).
Sessions, timing and what to expect
How many sessions
The published studies do not agree on a protocol — session numbers, intervals and follow-up all varied — so no single "correct" course can be quoted. At My Timeless the number is set at your assessment and confirmed in writing.
What the appointment involves
Your first appointment is a consultation. Suitability, medical history, the areas under discussion and the alternatives are gone through before anything is agreed, and you are given time afterwards to decide. NHS guidance is explicit on this point: always book a consultation with the person who will carry out the procedure before making your final decision, and do not pay for a procedure until you have had that consultation (NHS, Choosing who will do your cosmetic procedure, last reviewed 23 June 2023).
When you will notice a change
There is no immediate visible change. Reported improvements were measured over weeks to months, and the randomised review notes that structural skin changes "may require prolonged remodeling before clinically meaningful differences become apparent". Timelines differ between treatments; our guide to how long anti-wrinkle injections last covers that one separately.
How long it lasts
Results vary between individuals, and long-term outcomes remain uncertain because follow-up in the published studies was short. Any maintenance plan is agreed with you at review rather than assumed in advance.
Afterwards
The effects reported in the studies were mild and short-lived (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, review, 2024). Your clinician will go through what to expect afterwards, and what to avoid, in writing, before you decide to go ahead.
Risks, side effects and who we would not treat
Common. Redness, swelling, tenderness and bruising at the injection points, and small bumps that settle. In the randomised trials side effects were generally mild and transient (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, review, 2024).
Uncommon. Infection at an injection site; prolonged or uneven swelling; small lumps or nodules; delayed hypersensitivity reactions, reported with some composite formulations.
Rare. Any injection into the face carries a small risk of a vascular complication, where product enters or compresses a blood vessel. It is uncommon, but it is why these treatments belong with a clinician who knows facial anatomy and can manage it. NHS guidance notes that complications of cosmetic procedures can be serious — for dermal fillers it names infection, nerve damage and blindness (NHS, Choosing who will do your cosmetic procedure, last reviewed 23 June 2023).
We would not treat you on the day if any of the situations above apply, or if there is active skin disease in the area.
Where we are
My Timeless is at Office 603, 6th Floor, Portsoken House, 155–157 Minories, London EC3N 1LJ, close to Aldgate and Tower Hill stations. Every assessment and treatment is carried out by Dr Vicky Bu (GDC 309759), who speaks English and Mandarin, so the discussion of what polynucleotides can and cannot do for your skin can happen in the language you are most comfortable in.
Frequently asked questions
Is a polynucleotide treatment the same as a skin booster?
"Skin booster" is a marketing category, not a clinical one. It covers products used to improve skin quality rather than add volume, including hyaluronic acid products and polynucleotides — see our guide to how different injectable treatments compare.
Can polynucleotides replace filler for under-eye hollows?
No. Hollowing under the eye is a volume problem; polynucleotides address skin quality. If the issue is hollowing, a filler assessment is the right conversation.
How many sessions will I need?
Set at your assessment — the published studies used different protocols, so no single figure applies to everyone.
Book a consultation to find out whether polynucleotides are suitable for your skin, or see our prices first.
Related guide: Under-Eye Treatments in London 2026: Tear Trough Filler vs Polynucleotides
This article is general information and does not replace individual medical advice. All treatments described are medical procedures: results, recovery times and suitability vary between individuals and cannot be guaranteed. A face-to-face consultation with an appropriately registered clinician is required before any treatment, and the risks, alternatives and aftercare will be discussed with you at that appointment. Dr Vicky Bu is registered with the General Dental Council (GDC 309759).
