Polynucleotides and plasma for the eye area — regeneration of thin skin around the eyes

Why the skin around the eyes ages differently

To understand what this zone needs, it is worth first understanding what makes it different. Saying that it is “thinner” is not enough — it is too general. The differences are specific and anatomical. They explain why treatments that work very well on the cheeks or forehead have limited potential here.

• Skin thickness — three times less tissue. Skin in the eye area is among the thinnest on the entire body. Less tissue means less collagen, less elastin and fewer resources for regeneration. Every loss is proportionally more noticeable here. There is also less for the natural defence mechanisms to repair.
• No sebaceous glands — no natural lubrication. The rest of the facial skin has a network of glands that produce sebum — a natural lipid film that protects against water loss. The eye area is excluded from this system. Skin here dries out faster, the barrier is weaker and absorbing topical substances is more difficult than elsewhere.
• Movement — many thousands of times a day. Blinking, facial expressions, squinting in sunlight, crying and smiling — the skin around the eyes is under constant mechanical strain. This accelerates fatigue in elastic fibres. It also creates so-called dynamic wrinkles much faster than in less mobile zones.
• Blood vessels close to the surface. The vascular network beneath thin skin is easily visible here. This is one reason why dark circles and shadows appear beneath the eyes after poor sleep, dehydration or stress. The skin is simply too thin to “hide” them.
• Fat tissue — a cushion that disappears with age. Beneath the eyes and in the upper eyelid, there are small fat pads that create a full and “rested” appearance over the years. With age, these pads shrink. This leads to a hollow appearance, a deeper tear trough and a shadow that no concealer can fully cover.

What are polynucleotides and what do they have to do with DNA?

This is one of those cases where the name sounds scientific, but the mechanism is highly logical. Polynucleotides (PDRN/PN) are DNA fragments — specifically, long nucleotide chains that form the basic building blocks of nucleic acids. They are most often obtained from salmon roe, where they occur naturally at very high concentrations. Biologically, they are similar to fragments of human DNA — enough for skin cells to recognise and use them.

The mechanism works in two ways. First, polynucleotide fragments bind to A2A receptors on the surface of fibroblasts — cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin. This binding stimulates them to work more intensively: more collagen, more elastin and a denser extracellular matrix. Second, polynucleotides have proven anti-inflammatory effects and support microcirculation. This is particularly significant in the eye area, where blood vessels and shadows are a primary concern.

Platelet-rich plasma — when skin repairs itself with your own blood

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP — Platelet Rich Plasma) follows an entirely different philosophy — and is also one of the most biologically logical treatments available. The material comes from you. A blood sample is centrifuged to isolate the platelet-rich fraction. Platelets are a natural reservoir of growth factors — proteins the body activates whenever regeneration is needed: after an injury, inflammation or any situation requiring tissue repair.

When plasma is introduced into the eye area, growth factors send a signal: “regeneration is taking place here”. Fibroblasts work faster, blood vessels become more sealed, microcirculation improves, and the synthesis of new collagen and elastin is stimulated. The result is particularly distinctive because the material is entirely autologous. There is no risk of a reaction to a foreign substance, because your body works with its own material.

When to choose polynucleotides, when plasma — and when both

This is the question most often asked during consultation — and it is a sensible one. Both treatments belong to the biostimulation category. Both regenerate and improve skin quality. But they are not the same and do not replace one another.

Polynucleotides act very precisely on specific fibroblast receptors. Their advantage is predictability of the result and a standardised composition. This matters in a zone as subtle as the eye area, where there is little margin for error. Plasma, in turn, is a complete regenerative cocktail — hundreds of proteins acting in multiple ways. However, its composition varies depending on the individual, diet, health and even the season.

This is why they are increasingly used together in clinical practice — as a regenerative protocol combining the precision of polynucleotides with the broad action of plasma. They are not competitors. They are like two instruments playing towards the same purpose, each with a different tone.

What you can realistically expect — and what to do next

Biostimulating treatments around the eyes are among the most effective tools for improving skin quality in this zone — but they require realistic expectations and patience. They do not work like a filler, which provides an immediate volume result. They work like training — the first weeks are a warm-up, results build over a course of sessions, and the outcome is more lasting when the protocol is followed consistently.

• Improved skin quality and density — skin feels and looks thicker, less “papery”, and better able to tolerate fatigue and dehydration.
• Improved hydration and radiance — an indirect result: skin retains water more effectively because the cellular matrix is denser.
• Reduced visibility of fine lines — especially superficial lines caused by dryness and loss of elasticity.
• Improved appearance of under-eye shadows (with a vascular cause) — regular treatments may gradually improve microcirculation and reduce the visibility of blood vessels.
• Slower further ageing — this is often an underestimated result: skin better prepared for regeneration ages more slowly.

The only sensible starting point is a consultation — because the eye area is a zone where diagnosis truly matters. A concern that looks identical in two people may have entirely different causes. For one person, it may be microcirculation and thin skin. For another, deep volume loss. For a third, dysfunction of the orbicularis oculi muscles. Choosing a treatment without assessing your individual face is always a gamble. Below, we have gathered the treatments we perform in this zone — as a starting point for discussion, not a ready-made list to order from.