Does salmon sperm work against skin ageing?
Het Nieuwsblad, 17 January 2024
What is PDRN or 'salmon sperm' in skin care, and does it work against skin ageing? Dr Fran Baete puts it into perspective in Het Nieuwsblad.
After Jennifer Aniston talked about a salmon sperm treatment, Het Nieuwsblad asked aesthetic physician Dr Fran Baete of Clinique Dermatologie Gent to put it into perspective. She clarifies that it is not about the sperm itself, but about PDRN, a substance made of DNA fragments extracted from it that appears mainly in Asian skin care.
PDRN is credited with antioxidant properties, and studies point to a beneficial effect on skin texture, pigmentation, skin repair and collagen production. The big question is whether the product gets deep enough into the skin. According to Dr Baete, prior microneedling or fractional laser can help with that.
She calls it a promising ingredient, but whether it will earn a lasting place in Europe remains to be seen.
Key advice
PDRN is mainly effective if it can penetrate deep enough into the skin.
A pre-treatment such as microneedling or fractional laser can improve absorption.
“The question is whether or not the product can penetrate deep enough into the skin.” — Dr Fran Baete