Despite having voluminous, wavy-curly hair that often leads people to assume I have great density, there are days when I gather it into a ponytail and sense something is off – it feels thinner, lighter, and less substantial than it used to. For many women today, hair thinning doesn’t arrive slowly or politely in their 40s. Now, it shows up abruptly in their late 20s or early 30s. “Thinning hair can be caused by several factors, including lifestyle choices like hair treatments and diet, genetics, and underlying medical disorders. This type of hair loss affects both men and women and is the most frequent cause of hair loss around the world,” reasons Dr Asima Mir, Aesthetic Specialist at Orskin, Dubai.
Mostly, it happens after a significant period of stress, illness, hormonal fluctuation, or burnout. What’s unsettling isn’t just the shedding. It’s the loss of density, volume, and strength. It breaks more easily. It refuses to hold shape. And no amount of volumising shampoo seems to fix what feels like a deeper issue. Unlike hereditary hair loss, this new wave of thinning often feels sudden and unexplained. That said, the majority of cases are classified as androgenic alopecia, also called female pattern hair loss.
Globally, women are increasingly seeking targeted solutions for sudden loss of density, volume, and strength. Once reserved for injectable skincare, polynucleotides (PNs) are now breaking into haircare, and experts believe they may be among the most promising solutions for early hair thinning that address hair loss at its root. Often shortened to PNs, they might sound futuristic, but they’ve been used quietly in aesthetic medicine for years, especially for skincare treatments. Interestingly, they are derived from highly purified fragments of salmon or trout DNA.
“It can stimulate dormant hair follicles to produce thicker, healthier hair strands by enhancing blood flow and nutrition to the follicles. Furthermore, they may lessen hair loss and encourage longer-lasting hair growth by extending the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle,” she explains how these treatments help restore density, volume, or hair strength at the scalp level. “PN hair growth treatment suits most individuals experiencing hair loss or thinning.”
Sometimes, a clinic may use the term PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide) when referring to hair-thinning treatments. While the terminology can be confusing, the meaning is closely related: all PDRN is a form of polynucleotide, but not all polynucleotides are PDRN. Some scalp treatments rely specifically on PDRN for repair and calming inflammation, while others use broader PN complexes designed to hydrate the scalp, improve elasticity, and support deeper regenerative activity. The option a clinic chooses usually depends on what the scalp needs most.
Well, a polynucleotide scalp treatment can be delivered via micro-injections or mesotherapy techniques across the scalp, sometimes combined with microneedling, LED therapy, or low-level laser. Sessions are quick, with minimal downtime. “They can be administered through various methods, including topical applications and injections,” she adds. “This is a versatile skin and hair treatment that uses the skin-regenerating properties of polynucleotides to improve skin condition, fight ageing, and address hair and scalp issues like alopecia, scalp sensitivity and dryness.”