PDRN in a skincare formula
A label used for DNA fragments in some serums.
PDRN marketing and Sodium DNA labels do not specify the same details
PDRN is short for polydeoxyribonucleotide, a DNA-derived polymer studied in medical and dermatology contexts. Sodium DNA is a separate cosmetic INCI name. These labels alone do not tell you the source, fragment profile, concentration or whether a product matches a preparation used in a study.
Marques et al., 2025 · PDRN and polynucleotide nomenclature review ↗
How do you choose a PDRN serum or cream?
Compare the exact product’s INCI list, the brand’s description of the ingredient source and any finished-product test. “Vegan PDRN” is a market phrase; check which material the brand means rather than assuming it is chemically identical to fish-derived PDRN.
Injection evidence concerns a different dose, route and clinical context. Do not use it to predict what a cosmetic serum will do, and do not interpret this ingredient page as advice about procedures.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What does the INCI list say? | The front label may use a broader marketing phrase |
| What source does the brand name? | Source can differ across products |
| What exact formula was studied? | Concentration and delivery method affect applicability |
Serum or cream? Start with the step you need
| Your starting point | A product to examine |
|---|---|
| You want a serum before your moisturizer | Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum. Anua places this serum before moisturizer. Think of it as an optional serum step, not a replacement for moisturizer. |
| You are choosing a moisturizer | Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Moisturizing Cream. This is the cream step in Anua’s routine. Follow daytime sunscreen directions separately. |
If the ingredient’s source matters to you, Anua describes its serum’s PDRN as salmon-derived; haruharu wonder Rose PDRN Soothing Serum is described by its brand as vegan and rose-derived. Those source descriptions do not establish equal ingredients or results. Compare the complete formulas and directions.
Product information checked November 2, 2026: Anua serum · Anua cream · haruharu wonder serum. These are brand directions and source statements, not a clinical comparison of the products. Read the topical research and its limits →
PDRN in skin care: research findings and limits
A 28-day randomized, double-blind split-face study tested a 0.1% medium-length PDRN eye cream against a 0.1% retinol formula in photoaged skin. The paper reported changes in periocular wrinkle-related measures and other skin parameters, but it did not test the finished products listed here.
2026 topical PDRN-850K split-face study · PubMed ↗The limit: PDRN preparations can differ in molecular length, source, concentration and delivery system. An eye-cream study cannot establish the same result for a serum, another facial area or an individual routine.
This is an educational summary of selected research, not a medical recommendation.
Products with PDRN in skin care
Based on the highlighted ingredients in brand information; this is not a complete ingredient database.
A PDRN label identifies an ingredient story, not a complete routine. Start with the product format and its directions.
A serum step
Anua · PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum
This serum lists Sodium DNA and hyaluronic acid. Read the exact formula and directions before deciding where it fits; the name alone does not establish the results of a clinical PDRN treatment.
30 mL
Ingredients, directions & buying options ↗Brand photo & product source ↗Brand product photographs. Texture descriptions and directions are on the linked product pages.
- Anua · PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Moisturizing Cream
- haruharu wonder · Rose PDRN Soothing Serum
- medicube · PDRN Pink Collagen Jelly Gel Mask
- COSRX · PDRN EXOSOME Skinplaning Glaze Mask
- medicube · PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream
- medicube · PDRN Pink Peptide Serum (Salmon DNA PDRN)
- medicube · PDRN Pink Collagen Glow Jelly Mist Serum
- medicube · PDRN Pink Peptide Ampoule Mask
PDRN in skin care: common questions
Does a PDRN label prove that a serum will change wrinkles?
No. The cited study used a specific 0.1% PDRN-850K eye cream for 28 days. Check the exact product label and treat its PDRN claim separately from research on another formula.
Can the Sodium DNA label tell me a product’s concentration or fragment size?
No. The INCI name identifies the listed ingredient but does not state its concentration or fragment profile. Look for the brand’s information about the exact finished formula; a study of another preparation does not fill in those details.
Is a PDRN serum the same as PDRN injections?
No. The study cited on this page tested a cream applied to the skin, not an injection. Findings from injections do not transfer to a serum, and findings from a cream do not transfer to injections either.
Does PDRN in a serum penetrate beyond the skin’s surface?
The paper’s exploratory human measurement used one 0.1% PDRN-850K eye cream on one volunteer’s forearm and detected a PDRN-associated Raman signal in the superficial viable epidermis. This single-person result does not establish delivery or effects for another serum or cream.
2026 topical PDRN-850K study · PubMed ↗Where do Anua’s PDRN serum and cream fit in a routine?
Anua directs its PDRN serum before moisturizer and describes its cream as the moisturizing step. Its product directions call the cream the final skincare step in that routine; follow daytime sunscreen directions separately. This placement applies to these products, not every PDRN formula.
Anua · PDRN serum official directions ↗
What is the difference between salmon PDRN and “vegan PDRN”?
Check the source for the exact product. Anua describes the PDRN in its Capsule 100 Serum as salmon-derived; haruharu wonder describes Damascus rose PDRN in its Rose Soothing Serum and states that the product is vegan. These are the named brands’ source descriptions. The words “vegan PDRN” alone do not establish fragment size, purity, concentration or an equivalent effect. The study cited here tested one 0.1% PDRN-850K cream, not these two serums or a comparison of their sources. If an animal-derived ingredient matters to you, read the exact ingredient list and brand source statement together.
haruharu wonder: Rose PDRN source and vegan statement ↗Anua PDRN serum — the brand describes its PDRN as salmon-derived ↗
haruharu wonder Rose PDRN serum — a plant-based “vegan PDRN” example ↗