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Polynucleotides at AARVA
Gradual improvement in skin quality under the eyes and on the face and neck, with a straight answer on the evidence
About Polynucleotides
Polynucleotides are an injectable treatment made from highly purified fragments of DNA, usually taken from salmon or trout. Placed into the skin, they are thought to support the cells that make collagen and help damaged skin repair itself, improving thickness, hydration and elasticity over a course. They are used for thin, crepey skin under the eyes, fine lines, neck lines and crepey neck skin, dry, tired skin and, on the scalp, thinning hair.
Polynucleotides at Aarva are planned by Dr Shivani Malhotra, a practising GP who leads our skin and regenerative medicine, and delivered in our practice on Midland Drive, Royal Sutton Coldfield. This is a newer treatment and the research is still developing, so we explain what the evidence does and does not show before you decide. You leave your consultation with a written treatment plan with clear pricing for the whole course.
“I like polynucleotides for skin that needs repair rather than filling. The change is gradual, and that is exactly why it looks natural.”
Are Polynucleotides Right for You?
Likely a good fit if you:
- have thin, crepey skin under the eyes or on the neck
- want gradual improvement in skin quality with no change to your features
- are comfortable with a treatment whose evidence is promising but still growing
Probably not the right first step if you:
- are allergic to fish or fish products
- have a deep hollow or lost volume, where dermal fillers may do more
- have hair loss that has not yet been looked into, where a GP assessment and blood tests come first
Not sure which side you are on? That is exactly what the consultation is for.
Polynucleotides Before and After
Real Aarva patients, photographed in the same light and at the same angle, three months after their last session. No filters, no retouching.
FACE · PATIENT A
FACE · PATIENT B
FACE · PATIENT A
FACE · PATIENT B
FACE · PATIENT A
FACE · PATIENT B
Every patient is different. These images show what happened for them, not a promise of what will happen for you. Shared with each patient’s written consent.
Our Promise to You
The standards every Aarva patient can expect, whatever they come in for.
- You see a doctor before any treatment is planned.
- You get a written treatment plan to take away, with clear pricing, so you can go ahead on the day or decide in your own time.
- We will tell you if polynucleotides will not help, even if that means no treatment at all.
- If something does not feel right afterwards, a doctor sees you.
- Your consultation is time with a doctor, set aside just for you.
From First Conversation to Follow-Up
Four simple steps, with the same doctor-led care from your first message to your follow-up.
Tell us what is bothering you
Request an appointment online or contact us. It might be the skin under your eyes, your neck or your hair. Tell us now, or when you arrive.
See a doctor from the start
A GP takes your history, including any allergies, examines your skin or scalp and explains what a course can realistically change, and what the evidence does not yet show. A written treatment plan with clear pricing follows.
Your treatment
The area is cleansed and numbed, and polynucleotides are placed through small injections. It takes 20 to 40 minutes.
We follow you up
You have written aftercare and someone named to call. Sessions are two to three weeks apart, and we review you at each one against your starting photographs.
Why a Doctor Plans Your Polynucleotides
Polynucleotides at Aarva are planned by Dr Shivani Malhotra, GP, who leads skin and regenerative medicine. Every treatment is planned and overseen by a doctor.
We are honest about the evidence. Laboratory work and a growing number of small clinical studies suggest polynucleotides can improve skin thickness and elasticity, particularly around the eyes, but larger, longer studies are still needed. Results vary from person to person, and we would rather you start with realistic expectations.
For thinning hair, polynucleotides can be injected into the scalp to support the hair follicles, often alongside PRP. The evidence for hair is more limited than for skin. Because we are GPs, we first look for the medical causes of hair loss, such as low iron, thyroid problems, hormonal changes, polycystic ovary syndrome and stress, and arrange blood tests where they are needed.
For the skin, polynucleotides pair well with Sunekos under the eyes, Profhilo for the face and neck, and LaserMe for crepey skin and texture.
Why Patients Choose Aarva
Questions Patients Ask About Polynucleotides
Cannot see your question? Our doctors are happy to talk it through at your consultation.
Polynucleotides are chains of purified DNA fragments. Once injected, they are thought to support fibroblasts, the cells that make collagen, help the skin hold water and calm inflammation. The aim is to improve the skin’s own repair, so changes come gradually over a course rather than straight away.
They are used for thin or crepey skin under the eyes, fine lines, crepey skin on the neck, dry or tired skin on the face and, on the scalp, thinning hair. They improve skin quality rather than adding volume, so they will not fill a hollow or lift loose skin.
It is promising but still developing. Most studies so far are small and short, and many look at skin around the eyes. We think they are a reasonable option for the right person, and we will tell you plainly if another treatment has stronger evidence for your concern.
They suit many adults with thin, crepey or tired skin who want a gradual, natural result. They are not suitable if you are allergic to fish, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with an active skin infection in the area. Autoimmune conditions and blood thinners are discussed with you at consultation.
They can be used on the scalp to support the hair follicles, sometimes combined with PRP. Evidence for hair is more limited than for skin, and results vary. We always look for a medical cause first, because treating low iron or a thyroid problem may matter more than any injection.
Small bumps, redness, swelling and tenderness at the injection points are expected and usually settle within a day or two. Under the eyes, bruises are common. Infection, lumps and allergic reactions happen less often, and a blocked blood vessel, which needs urgent treatment, is a very rare risk of any facial injection. We explain the risks that apply to you before you consent.
With numbing cream, most people find them manageable. The injections feel like quick stings, and the scalp can feel a little more tender than the face.
Usually very little. The bumps go down within a day or two, but an under-eye bruise can linger for up to a week. Keep make-up off for 24 hours, and avoid hard exercise, swimming and saunas for a day or two.
Usually three or four sessions, two to three weeks apart, and sometimes more for the scalp. Many people then have a maintenance session every six months or so. You see the full schedule in writing before the first injection.
Because the treatment works through the skin’s own repair, changes are gradual. Many people notice improvement a few weeks into the course, with the fuller result around two to three months after it starts. Hair takes longer, and we review it over several months.
Profhilo uses hyaluronic acid to hydrate and firm the skin. Polynucleotides use purified DNA fragments aimed at supporting skin repair, and are often chosen for very thin skin under the eyes. The two can be combined in one plan.
Polynucleotides are available at our practice on Midland Drive, Royal Sutton Coldfield, close to Four Oaks, Walmley and Erdington and easy to reach from Lichfield, Tamworth and north Birmingham. Parking is available nearby.
The price of polynucleotides at Aarva is set at your consultation. It depends on the area, such as the eyes, face, neck or scalp, and the number of sessions. You receive it in writing before you commit to anything.
Come With the Problem, Not the Treatment
You do not need to know whether polynucleotides are the answer. Tell a doctor what you have noticed in your skin or hair, and you will get a straight answer on what is likely to help, including what the evidence can and cannot tell us.
Conditions we treat with Polynucleotides: Fine lines and wrinkles · Under-eye hollows and dark circles · Neck lines and crepey neck · Dehydrated, tired-looking skin · Hair thinning and hair loss