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The aesthetics world is evolving at breakneck speed, and if you get whiplash from simply scrolling your TikTok FYP or reading about new treatments, topicals, and injectables, well, same. The quest for better skin -- however you define that -- is always evolving, and we're seeing it play out in real time from our phone screens as practitioners share their favorite treatments and beauty adventurers document their appointments for all to see.
Outlandish beauty treatments have always gotten major attention; the flashier or more out-there the name, the more likely we are to pay attention to it, especially in such a crowded market. It's no wonder, then, that so-called "salmon sperm" treatments have gotten so much buzz lately. A few years ago, Allure spotlighted salmon DNA-based treatments as an emerging aesthetics trend overseas; in countries like Australia and [South Korea](https://www.allure.com/story/biggest-k-beauty-trends-2023){: target="_blank"}, the ingredient has been used as an injectable to encourage cell and tissue regeneration. It was only a matter of time until similar fish-centric treatments caught the eye of aesthetics-curious Americans like Kim Kardashian and plenty of other influencers -- but not all salmon treatments are created equal or approved for use on your face.
There are two different types of salmon DNA: polynucleotides (PN) or polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), explains Roy Kim, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in San Francisco. Despite the nickname they've been given, you're not smearing pure, straight-from-the-fish salmon semen all over your face; as Allure previously reported, PN and PDRN are simply chemicals extracted from salmon sperm.
PDRN is the only salmon DNA product that's approved by the FDA and legal to use in the United States -- but only topically. As New York City-based board-certified plastic surgeon Jennifer Levine, MD, explains, this topical-only use is because the FDA has only approved PDRN as a beauty product rather than a drug. Dr. Kim points out that it can be found in over-the-counter products like serums and masks for use at home. Otherwise, you might encounter it at the dermatologist's office; some practitioners use it as a follow-up to irritating skin treatments like microneedling or laser. When PDRN serum is applied after microneedling, which creates small wounds or punctures in the top layer of the skin to encourage collagen production, the thinking is that it will boost hydration and skin elasticity. These treatments, which are similar to getting PRP, are often called "salmon sperm facials."
Dr. Levine offers topical PDRN treatments in her practice because these topical salmon DNA products, she says, are "very similar to human DNA and can help with skin quality, luminosity, and texture." As Allure previously reported, studies have shown that polynucleotides can be beneficial for tissue regeneration and to stimulate collagen production.