Polynucleotides in East Finchley, London
Purified DNA fragments that help tired, thin skin repair itself. Not a filler, and honest about what that means.
Polynucleotides are purified fragments of DNA, taken from farmed fish, placed in tiny amounts into the upper layer of the skin to improve hydration, elasticity, texture and fine lines. People often call them salmon DNA; the products we use come from farmed freshwater fish (trout, in the case of Plinest). At Nova Beauty Clinic in East Finchley, London, we use Plinest for the face, neck and chest (£220 a session) and PolyPhil Eye, a lighter formula made for the thin skin around the eyes (£250 a session). Both are CE marked devices made for injection.
Polynucleotides suit adults with thin, crepey, dull or finely lined skin, dark circles caused by thin skin, and skin that has started to look tired after sun, illness or menopause. They add no volume, so they are not a filler, and they are not for anyone under 18. If what you want is to fill a hollow, lift a jawline or lighten pigment, we will say so and point you to the right page.
What happens at your appointment
Your first visit is a free consultation. We look at your skin, or the skin around your eyes, in good light, go through your health, allergies and medicines, and photograph the area for your record. A fish allergy means we do not treat you. We say plainly whether polynucleotides fit what you have described, and when a skin booster, filler, or nothing at all is the better answer. First-time clients are offered a few days to think; returning clients can go ahead on the day. On the day the skin is cleaned and numbing cream is applied if you want it. The product is placed as a grid of tiny droplets, each raising a small bump, with a very fine needle or, around the eyes, sometimes a blunt cannula. A session takes about 30 minutes and you leave with a written aftercare sheet.
What results to expect and how long they last
Expect small bumps for a day or two, some redness and swelling for a few days, and often a bruise, especially around the eyes. Most people notice better hydration and texture after about two to four weeks, building with each session. The fullest effect comes about one month after the last session around the eyes, and two to three months after the course on the face. In a 2023 study of 48 people treated around the eyes with three sessions of a polynucleotide at the same concentration as PolyPhil Eye, wrinkle severity scores fell by about 45 per cent four weeks after the third session. Most people have a top-up after about six to nine months. That figure comes from clinic experience rather than a trial, and results vary.
Who it suits and who it does not
Polynucleotides suit adults with crepey or thin skin on the face, neck, chest or around the eyes, early fine lines, dull or tired skin, and dark circles that come from thin skin rather than pigment. They do not suit anyone under 18 (it is an offence in England to give a cosmetic injectable to a child), anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone allergic to fish, or anyone with an infection, eczema, stye, conjunctivitis or cold sore in the area. Autoimmune conditions, blood thinners, recent eye surgery and prescription acne tablets in the last six months need a discussion first. Where a prescription treatment would serve you better, for example for pigmented dark circles, we will tell you one exists; it is discussed and prescribed only after a face-to-face assessment.
The honest limit
Polynucleotides will not fill a hollow under the eye, shift a fat bag or lighten dark circles caused by pigment. They work on the quality of thin skin, nothing else. The evidence is real but small: the trials are short, with follow-up of about six months or less, and the long-term figures are clinic impressions, including ours. Unlike hyaluronic acid, polynucleotides cannot be dissolved if you do not like the result; you wait for them to fade. Results vary and cannot be guaranteed.
Free consultation, or message us on WhatsApp: 077 21 400 600.
Nova Beauty Clinic is at 260 East End Road, East Finchley, three minutes on foot from East Finchley station on the Northern line. Our polynucleotide clients come mostly from Hampstead, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Highgate, Muswell Hill and Finchley, and we also see people from Golders Green, Crouch End, Whetstone and Barnet.
Prices
Plinest polynucleotides, face, neck or chest, per session: £220
PolyPhil Eye polynucleotides, eye area, per session: £250
Free consultation: £0
A course is usually three to four sessions, two to three weeks apart. The full plan and its total cost are set out in writing at your consultation.
Risks
Common and short-lived: bumps, redness, swelling, tenderness and bruising at the injection points. Around the eyes, swelling is often worst the next morning and settles within a few days; in a 2023 study of 48 people treated around the eyes, about half had swelling and about a third bruised, with bruises lasting up to about ten days.
Less common: firm areas or puffiness that take a couple of weeks to settle, a cold sore flare, or infection. Rare but serious: an allergic reaction (the product is fish-derived, so fish allergy is screened for), and product injected into or near a blood vessel, which can damage the skin and, near the eye, in very rare cases affect vision. We stay in the shallow layer the product is made for and treat the eye area with particular care. Polynucleotides cannot be dissolved.
Common questions
What are polynucleotides?
Purified fragments of DNA, taken from farmed fish, placed in tiny amounts into the upper layer of the skin. They encourage the skin to hydrate and repair itself, improving texture, fine lines and elasticity over a course of sessions. They add no volume.
Are polynucleotides salmon DNA?
That is the common name. The first products were made from salmon; Plinest and PolyPhil Eye come from farmed freshwater fish. If you are allergic to fish, you cannot have either.
Do polynucleotide injections hurt?
Expect a brief sting at each point and a feeling of pressure. In a 2025 split-face study, people rated the standard formula about 5 out of 10 for pain. We apply numbing cream first if you want it, and we work slowly around the eyes.
Polynucleotides or skin boosters: which do I need?
Skin boosters are hyaluronic acid, so they hydrate and plump the skin directly. Polynucleotides work more on repair and on thin, reactive skin, especially under the eyes. Many people suit either; some suit one more than the other, and we tell you which at your consultation.
Can polynucleotides fix my dark circles?
Only one kind. Dark circles come from pigment, visible blood vessels through thin skin, a hollow, or a mix. Polynucleotides help the thin-skin kind. Pigment needs a different approach, and a hollow needs filler. We look at which you have before anything is suggested.
How many sessions do I need and how long does it last?
Usually three to four sessions, two to three weeks apart, then a top-up at about six to nine months. The repeat timing is a clinic figure, not a trial result, and results vary from person to person.
Can I have polynucleotides if I am under 18?
No. We do not give any cosmetic injectable to anyone under 18, which is the law in England, and we may ask for photo ID.
Can I go back to work the same day?
Usually, yes, with small bumps and perhaps a bruise. No make-up for 12 hours, no sauna, hard exercise or alcohol for 48 hours, and no other treatment on the same area for two weeks.
This page is information, not medical advice. What suits you depends on your own history and your skin, and is decided at a consultation.