PDRN has been medically studied for decades. I found countless articles in well-respected publications like the Journal of Korean Medical Science or The National Institute of Health showing significant results for wound healing in everything from ulcers to diabetes complications. So, it’s no wonder the transition was made from medical to dermatological uses.

My first exposure to PDRN products was from Genabelle (Gena in Latin means Face and Belle=beautiful in French) and they have a very interesting story. They are founded by Dr. Conan who runs a thriving dermatology clinic in Gangnam called Personal Beauty GU clinic located W. Tower54, Seocho-daero 77gil, Seocho-gu Seoul. He’s known for treating many K-pop idols as well as some of Korea’s most famous actors. If you visit Dr. Conan or one of the 20 doctors in his clinic you can have a PDRN facial, more professionally referred to as micro-needling. Since PDRN contains polynucleotides, a key element in the production of collagen, this procedure should have a regenerative effect. It should strengthen the skin barrier, help skin elasticity, and leave you with a glow that will make you look younger. PDRN is not a filler but has a hydrating and plumping effect on the skin and stimulates natural collagen production. Kim Kardashian paid over $500 for her treatment and is supposed to have it repeated at least three times. Dr. Conan wants skincare to be affordable to all people and he knows that not everyone can afford expensive treatments. His philosophy in developing Genabelle skincare is to provide dermatologist-quality ingredients available to everyone at reasonable prices. Dr. Conan uses the Genabelle skincare line in his clinic and sells the products to over 30 other professional dermatology clinics in South Korea. 

After hearing all of this, I decided to give the Genabelle PDRN line a try. This consisted of a toner, an ampoule, a cream, and face mask sheets. You can purchase the full set of four products from the Genabelle Skincare website for $113 or you can purchase them individually from Amazon or Olive Young online for about $16 - $30 each. The product line is made for use in dermatology clinics, so an important factor is the amount of PDRN in each product. They strive for the perfect balance and blend to help the skin absorb the PDRN as deeply as possible so that it boosts powerful skin repair. All of the products have between 1,000 ppm and 5,000 ppm (parts per million) of PDRN. Products are designed to be layered in a 3-step process to maximize how the product is absorbed and facilitate the repair of damaged skin to give that signature Korean glass skin glow. In addition, each product has a few added ingredients to maximize the benefits. For example, the ampoule has 5,000 ppm of PDRN, but also contains 10,000 ppm of concentrated vitamins B, C, and E to help achieve the desired outcome of radiant sunlit skin. 

I started my routine by using the Genabelle Pink Cloud Cleansing Foam. This is a very thick, concentrated formula so a little goes a long way. This cleanser is formulated with calamine so it’s good for reducing inflammation and great to use if you have acne and sensitive skin. Additionally, it’s PH balanced, so it felt good on my dry skin and left me feeling clean and clear. I love the fact that they claim not to add any harmful ingredients or artificial coloring to the cleanser. Next, I used the PDRN toner. A little splash on a cotton ball swabbed across the face preps the skin by creating a moisture barrier that helps give the skin a glass glow. The following step was the PDRN toning ampoule. This highly concentrated ampoule is formulated with very small molecules to enhance absorption of the high amounts of PDRN deep into the skin. It goes on smoothly and smells a bit like baby powder. It has a fun texture with little beads that disappear into the skin. Finally, I added a few dabs of the moisturizing cream. This is a cream formula but it comes in a tube so it’s convenient for travel and easy to apply in small quantities. It’s nice to have a cream that you don’t have to scoop out of a pot as I hate getting it under my fingernails and I’m often too rushed to use a spatula. Everything absorbed into the skin well without being greasy and I was able to apply my foundation on top of it. I can tell that Dr. Conan is a perfectionist as this is probably one of the most luxurious product lines that I have ever applied to my face. Initially, my skin felt soothed and refreshed and when it was absorbed, my skin was plump and radiant.  

Before bed I tried the PDRN sheet mask on my face. I love sheet masks because they feel good and put me in relaxation mode but, typically they don’t do much for me. However, I could actually feel this one working. It had a true plumping sensation when I took it off. It had lots of extra serum to rub on the neck so If you’re looking for results from a face mask, this is the one to use for luminous skin.

In researching PDRN, I found another company by the name of COCOnCO that has an interesting product called a PDRN Booster Shot. The CEO, Young Sin Ham, majored in beauty and taught natural cosmetics and aromatherapy in Korea before starting her company. In doing this she learned that everyone has diverse skin and different concerns about their skin and beauty routines. So, she was qualified by the Korea Food and Drug Administration as an expert in customized cosmetics. She shares the opinion that professional treatments are extremely important but, she believes that it’s paramount to follow up with good at-home care after your professional treatment to maximize the benefit. In addition, she knows that realistically, people lead busy lives so they can’t always get to the dermatologist as often as they should or want to. Therefore her goal is to make cosmetics that can be customized to every type of skin and used easily at home. The goal of at-home skincare led her to develop the Booster Shot ampoule series. 

It’s designed to be mixed with a cream or serum so you can customize your own formula. You can buy the COCOnCO For Me Cream in a 50ml jar and mix in the booster shot or you can mix the PDRN booster shot into any cream you have at home. Since I had a new jar of snail mucin cream, I added the booster shot, hoping to combine two of my favorite ingredients, snail mucin and PDRN. The booster shot absorbed beautifully into the cream and didn’t change the texture at all. This is a really inexpensive way to try PDRN as the shot retails for about 8,000 won or $6. With this low-cost price point, the booster shot is perfect for people who want the benefits of PDRN but are on a very tight budget or those who want the benefit of PDRN but are loyal to their current face cream since it can be combined into any cream or serum. You can purchase COCOnCO Booster Shots in Korea through many online stores like Coupang, and soon it should be available in the USA through Amazon.

I can see why the salmon sperm facial is going viral in Hollywood. I’m very impressed with the results I have personally seen from PDRN and I will continue to use it. I feel that salmon sperm skincare is very effective and a great way to take care of your skin at home.  

Follow me on Instagram @AlisonRockUSA or YouTube/AlisonRockUSA for a deeper dive into each of the products mentioned above. In addition, I plan to give away some free products on October 31 to one lucky subscriber. Stay tuned and pick up next month's edition of United on the RoK where I look forward to sharing a new skincare product line with you each month.

Skincare Resources

Genabelle Skincare Website: https://genabelle.com/

COCOnCO Skincare Website: https://coconco.com/

Olive Young Website: https://global.oliveyoung.com/

Coupang Website: https://m.coupang.com/

Amazon Website: https://www.amazon.com/

About the Author

Born in California Alison Rock is a trained culinarian, painter, and most importantly a wife and mom to two teenage boys. She enjoys travel and has resided in Korea for ten years. 

Sources

Gamerman , E. (n.d.). How Jennifer Aniston Went From Sitcom Star to Hollywood Power Player. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/style/jennifer-aniston-morning-show-season-3-59413d2f 

Kim JY, Pak CS, Park JH, Jeong JH, Heo CY. Effects of Polydeoxyribonucleotide in the Treatment of Pressure Ulcers. J Korean Med Sci. 2014 Nov;29(Suppl 3):S222-S227. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2014.29.S3.S222

Lee DW, Hyun H, Lee S, Kim SY, Kim GT, Um S, Hong SO, Chun HJ, Yang DH. The Effect of Polydeoxyribonucleotide Extracted from Salmon Sperm on the Restoration of Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw. Mar Drugs. 2019 

Specter, E. (2024, July 12). What, exactly, is the Kim Kardashian–approved salmon-sperm facial, and should I be saving up for one?. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/what-exactly-is-the-kim-kardashian-approved-salmon-sperm-facial