Ingredient glossary
PDRN
On your shelf ✓What PDRN does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Sodium DNA · Also: Polydeoxyribonucleotide
In short: PDRN delivers repair and hydration, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is moderate. One thing to know: clear it with your doctor if pregnant.
- What it does
- Repair, hydration
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Watch out
- Clear it with your doctor if pregnant
- Evidence
- Moderate
- How long
- Never measured
The Glow take
Genuinely worth a spot in your routine.
When your goal is softening fine lines and keeping skin firm, PDRN pulls genuine weight, with a solid amount of evidence behind it. Gentle enough that most skin types can reach for it.
— Maya
What it does
- repair
- hydration
- anti aging
moderate evidenceA double blind randomized trial of intradermal polydeoxyribonucleotide injections showed significant gains in hydration elasticity and collagen density versus saline yet comparable evidence for topical use is sparse.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- normal
- dry
- photoaged
- compromised barrier
Approach with care
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
- fish allergy
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
- Allergen originComes from fish
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
Often chosen for photoaged, compromised barrier. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: pregnancy, breastfeeding, fish allergy.
Where it fits in your routine
Nobody has published how long this takes to work.
What is known, and what is missing
Measured on: Skin elasticity and hydration, cutometer and corneometer.
The quantified results are intradermal - injected polydeoxyribonucleotide beating saline on elasticity, hydration and roughness at around 12 weeks - and an injection timeline says nothing about a topical one for a large polyanion whose penetration is the unresolved question. The topical work is a 28-day split-face comparison of a 0.1% PDRN eye cream against 0.1% retinol with no vehicle arm, plus supplier claims of hydration gains at 4 weeks. No vehicle-controlled topical trial reports a time course.
Intradermal PDRN vs saline trials; 2025 28-day split-face topical PDRN vs retinol study (described, no PMID verified)
Plays well with
- hyaluronic acid
- vitamin c
- peptides
PDRN, answered
Is PDRN safe during pregnancy?
Clear it with your doctor first. PDRN is flagged as use-with-caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife before adding it.
Who should avoid PDRN?
Approach PDRN with care if any of these apply to you: pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fish allergy.
What concentration of PDRN actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
During pregnancy
Treat PDRN as a maybe rather than a yes for now. It is flagged as one to use with caution while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is worth clearing before you carry on.
When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.When it is worth booking →
Compare PDRN with
- Niacinamide
- Vitamin C (LAA)
- Retinol
- Retinal
- Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
- Retinyl Palmitate
- Retinyl Acetate
- Retinyl Propionate
- Retinyl Retinoate
- THD Ascorbate
- Ascorbyl Glucoside
- Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
- Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
- Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
- GHK-Cu
- Argireline
- Bakuchiol
- N-Acetyl Glucosamine
- Adenosine
- Phytosphingosine
- Leuphasyl
- Rigin
- Matrixyl Synthe'6
- Syn-Ake
- Exosomes
- Epidermal Growth Factor
- Colostrum
- Carnosine
Can you mix PDRN with
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.