Does PDRN Skincare Really Work? Here's What You Need to Know

A skincare ingredient called PDRN has been showing up on store shelves and social media all over Singapore. It is made from tiny fragments of DNA, often taken from salmon or trout. Fans say it helps reduce wrinkles, shrink pores, and smooth out rough skin. But doctors warn that many product claims may be bigger than what the science actually proves.

Chiarina Mapa, a 37-year-old chemist, has been using PDRN products for almost a year. Once a week, she applies a serum that makes small cuts on her skin to help the ingredients soak in better. She started after social media kept showing her PDRN content again and again. "I don't fall for trends easily," she said, "but in this case, social media did get me."

PDRN stands for polydeoxyribonucleotides, which means small pieces of DNA. It was first used in medicine in the 1980s to help heal wounds and repair tissue. Today, it is sold in serums, creams, masks, eye patches, and even facial sprays. Stores like Guardian and Sephora carry dozens of these products, and sales at Guardian have more than doubled in the past year.

The ingredient first became famous as an injectable treatment used in clinics in South Korea. A skin booster shot called Rejuran became popular in Asia around 2018. Then, in 2024, celebrity Kim Kardashian told her TV show audience that she had tried a salmon sperm facial with the ingredient injected into her face, and the trend went viral on social media.

Dr. Gerard Ee explains that PDRN is made from carefully purified DNA fragments taken from salmon or trout. The material goes through heavy processing and cleaning, so only tiny DNA pieces remain — not whole cells. He says calling it "salmon sperm" gets attention, but it is not fully accurate from a scientific standpoint.

When PDRN is injected into skin, it helps the body make more collagen and elastin, which keep skin firm and youthful. It can also help heal acne scars and reduce fine lines. Dr. Rachel Ho explains that PDRN works by activating cells deep in the skin to repair themselves and by providing building blocks for new cell growth.

The big question is whether PDRN creams work as well as injections, and doctors say the answer is probably not. The skin is built to block large molecules, and PDRN is a fairly big molecule, making it hard for creams to match what a needle can do. Dr. Ho says the evidence for injections is strong, but evidence for creams and serums is much weaker.

That does not mean all PDRN creams are useless, though. A well-made product might still help with hydration and protecting the skin's outer barrier. But Dr. Ee warns shoppers to watch out for big promises on labels, because the quality of the formula matters far more than the concentration number printed on the bottle.

Not all PDRN comes from salmon anymore, as brands now offer plant-based options using rose, green tea, ginseng, and rice. These vegan choices are growing in popularity, but large human studies comparing them to fish-based PDRN have not been done yet. For now, salmon-derived PDRN still holds the longest and strongest track record in medical use.

Some signs suggest the PDRN trend is already cooling off. Mapa says she plans to stop using her cream because other ingredients work faster for her. Market analyst Laura Tjahjadi says the hype will likely fade just like other trendy ingredients before it, but the broader demand for science-based skincare is expected to stay strong for years to come.