Beyond Hydration: The Scientific Rationale for PDRN + HA Skin Boosters

Hydration is an essential part of skin quality, but hydration alone does not describe every process involved in tissue recovery. This is the central rationale behind combining PDRN and hyaluronic acid in one injectable skin booster.

HA primarily contributes water retention and skin smoothness. PDRN is studied for its relationship with nucleotide salvage, adenosine A2A receptor signalling and tissue-repair pathways. Together, the two ingredients create a formulation concept that extends beyond hydration-only skin boosters.

Soul Youth REPAIR is formulated as a professional PDRN + HA injectable skin booster.

PDRN is a purified DNA-fragment mixture

PDRN stands for polydeoxyribonucleotide. Traditional pharmaceutical PDRN is produced through controlled extraction, purification and sterilisation of DNA obtained from salmonid sources, including chum salmon and salmon trout.

Published pharmacological reviews describe PDRN as a mixture of DNA fragments generally ranging from approximately 50 to 1,500 kDa. Its biological activity has been studied primarily in wound healing, tissue repair, vascular recovery and inflammatory models.

The term salmon-derived PDRN accurately describes its origin. However, statements such as “90% homologous to the human extracellular matrix” are scientifically inappropriate: DNA fragments cannot be directly compared with the extracellular matrix in that way.

The two principal repair pathways associated with PDRN

PDRN’s proposed biological activity is commonly explained through two complementary mechanisms.

The first is adenosine A2A receptor signalling. Enzymatic degradation of PDRN produces nucleotides and nucleosides that can contribute to adenosine-mediated signalling. Activation of A2A receptors has been associated in experimental models with modulation of inflammatory mediators, angiogenesis and tissue repair.

The second is the nucleotide salvage pathway. Cells involved in tissue repair require nucleotides for DNA synthesis and proliferation. Providing nucleotide fragments may support this metabolic pathway under conditions where cellular demand is increased.

Reviews of PDRN research report effects involving cell migration, fibroblast activity, angiogenesis and inflammatory modulation. Most of this evidence comes from pharmaceutical, wound-healing, preclinical or non-aesthetic indications, so it supports the biological rationale but should not be presented as direct proof of a specific cosmetic result for every injectable PDRN formulation.

HA and PDRN answer different skin-quality needs

Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan naturally present in human tissues. Its ability to bind water makes it important for hydration, lubrication and extracellular-matrix organisation. In a skin booster, HA is commonly used to improve moisture retention and the appearance of smoothness and plumpness.

The formulation logic can therefore be expressed clearly:

PDRN

• Repair-oriented biological support

• Nucleotide salvage support

• A2A-related signalling

• Regenerative formulation concept

Hyaluronic acid

• Hydration and moisture retention

• Smoother skin appearance

• Hydrated tissue environment

• Immediate water-binding function

This does not mean HA “cannot” participate in repair or that PDRN treats all inflammation and aging. HA itself has roles within tissue repair and cell signalling, while the strength of PDRN evidence varies by indication. The more defensible positioning is:

PDRN + HA combines repair-oriented biological support with established hydration functionality.

What does clinical evidence currently show?

Evidence for injectable nucleotides in aesthetic medicine is growing, but terminology matters.

A 2022 randomised split-face study compared a polynucleotide filler with an HA filler for periorbital rejuvenation. Both groups showed improvement; the PN group recorded higher improvement rates in elasticity, hydration, roughness and pore volume in some assessments. However, PN and PDRN have different molecular characteristics, so this study cannot be used as direct clinical proof for a PDRN formulation.

A 2025 systematic review identified nine PN studies involving 219 patients. The review found promising improvements in wrinkles, texture and elasticity, but judged the evidence to be low to moderate quality and noted substantial variation in protocols and techniques. This reinforces the need for product-specific evidence rather than broad category claims.

For Soul Youth, the strongest long-term content strategy is therefore to distinguish:

• general PDRN mechanism evidence;

• broader PN/PDRN aesthetic category evidence;

• Soul Youth REPAIR product specifications;

• future REPAIR-specific testing or clinical results.

That separation increases credibility for doctors, distributors, regulators and AI search engines.

Source purity is central to safety

Fish allergy is mainly associated with proteins, not purified DNA itself. Nevertheless, salmon-derived injectable ingredients should not be described as allergy-free.

Product safety should be supported through:

• raw-material traceability;

• purity and residual-protein testing;

• sterility and endotoxin control;

• biological evaluation;

• sensitisation-risk assessment;

• clear contraindications and source disclosure.

The scientifically responsible expression is highly purified salmon-derived PDRN, provided that purity and residual-protein results are available for the actual product.

A broader definition of skin boosting

A hydration-only booster is designed primarily around water retention. A regenerative skin booster aims to support a broader skin-quality environment.

The rationale for combining PDRN and HA is therefore not that one ingredient replaces the other. Their roles are complementary: HA supports hydration, while PDRN adds a repair-oriented nucleotide platform.

That combined logic supports the positioning of Soul Youth REPAIR as a PDRN + HA skin booster designed around skin quality, hydration and professional regenerative-aesthetic care.

References

• Squadrito F, Bitto A, Altavilla D, et al. Pharmacological activity and clinical use of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN). Front Pharmacol. 2017;8:224. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2017.00224

• Colangelo MT, Galli C, Guizzardi S, et al. Polydeoxyribonucleotide regulation of inflammation. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2020;9(10):576-589. https://doi.org/10.1089/wound.2019.1031

• Galeano M, Pallio G, Irrera N, et al. Polydeoxyribonucleotide: A promising biological platform to accelerate impaired skin wound healing. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2021;14(11):1103. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph14111103

• Lampridou S, Bassett S, Cavallini M, Christopoulos G. The effectiveness of polynucleotides in esthetic medicine: A systematic review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025;24:e16721. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.16721