PDRN Skincare

Chosen by a dermatologist

PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide) is a mix of DNA fragments, usually taken from salmon. In medicine it is injected to support wound healing and tissue repair; in Korean skincare it has become one of the most popular new ingredients, listed on the label as sodium DNA. Here you can buy PDRN skincare in Switzerland, from a hydrogel mask and eye patches to a retinal ampoule, a toner and a sun spray.

Most products list PDRN in tiny amounts, so I judge each one by its whole formula, not by the PDRN alone.

PDRN Skincare

5 products

The evidence behind PDRN

Does PDRN on the skin really make it firmer?

Evidence strength 2 of 5: one small human study
Who
10 adults aged 20–59
How long
4 weeks
Result
about 4% more elasticity around the eyes

In a small Korean study, 10 adults applied a cream with 1% PDRN from peony, a plant source, twice a day for 4 weeks; a cream without PDRN served as the comparison. Skin elasticity around the eyes rose by about 4% with the PDRN cream and hardly changed with the plain cream.1 PDRN’s strongest evidence comes from medicine: in a double-blind trial with 216 people with diabetic foot ulcers, about 37% of ulcers healed completely after 8 weeks of PDRN injections, compared with about 19% with placebo.2

To be honestThe skin study was tiny, not described as randomised or blinded, lasted only 4 weeks and was run by the company that makes this plant PDRN. It used 1%, while the products here list 1 to 3 ppm where the amount is given, thousands of times less. PDRN molecules are also large, so on intact skin they mostly stay on the surface. Injections into muscle and around wounds are a different situation, so I see PDRN in skincare as a pleasant extra.
  1. Bak SU, Jung MS, Kim DJ, Jin HU, Lee SY, An CE. Anti-aging efficacy of low-molecular-weight polydeoxyribonucleotide derived from Paeonia lactiflora. Int J Mol Sci. 2025;27(1):220.
  2. Squadrito F, Bitto A, Altavilla D, et al. The effect of PDRN, an adenosine receptor A2A agonist, on the healing of chronic diabetic foot ulcers: results of a clinical trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99(5):E746–E753.

How to choose

Start with your skin’s main need

  1. Intensive hydration

    medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask, a hydrogel mask with niacinamide, hydrolysed collagen and peptides; PDRN is listed at 3 ppm. It contains fragrance.

  2. Tired-looking under-eyes

    BIODANCE Caviar PDRN Eye Patches, cooling hydrogel patches with caffeine and niacinamide; PDRN is listed at 1 ppm. They contain caviar and salmon egg extract.

  3. Fine lines and rough texture

    APOTHE TulipRx PDRN Retinal Night Cell Ampoule with retinal, a fast-acting form of vitamin A, for the evening. Start two to three evenings a week and wear sunscreen by day. Not for use in pregnancy.

  4. A hydrating first step

    APOTHE TulipRx PDRN Hydro Capsule Shot Essence Toner with niacinamide and panthenol. Its tiny sponge spicules can tingle, so it is not for very sensitive skin or rosacea.

  5. Topping up sunscreen

    numbuzin No.9 NAD+ PDRN Glow Lock Sun Spray SPF50+ PA++++, a fine mist to reapply during the day, also over make-up; the PDRN amount isn’t given. It contains silk.

Questions about PDRN

Is PDRN in skincare the same as PDRN injections?

No. Injections bring PDRN into the skin in medical doses. In skincare, PDRN stays mostly on the surface and is usually listed in very small amounts, so the visible effect comes mainly from the other ingredients, such as humectants, niacinamide or retinal.

Is PDRN vegan?

Usually not: most PDRN comes from salmon. Plant versions exist, for example from peony, but labels usually only say sodium DNA. If you avoid animal ingredients, check with the brand first.

Who should be careful with PDRN?

If you are allergic to fish, ask your doctor before using PDRN products, because PDRN usually comes from salmon. Otherwise, in the products here, the retinal, the acids or the spicules are more likely to irritate than the PDRN.

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