PDRN, a DNA-derived ingredient that began in Korean dermatology clinics, is now appearing on serum labels everywhere. Dr. Macrene Alexiades, MD, PhD, recently spoke with the Los Angeles Times about whether PDRN and other "regenerative" ingredients can deliver when applied to the skin — and which ingredients have the evidence to back them. "Enthusiasm should follow evidence, not marketing," she told the LA Times.
Her Recommendations
1. Know What a Topical Can Reach Healthy skin keeps out most molecules heavier than about 500 daltons, and PDRN is orders of magnitude larger. Dr. Macrene explains that a PDRN serum can hydrate and support the barrier, while its other documented effects come from injection.
2. Question "Regenerative" Claims She names "regenerative" the most overhyped word on topical products. Exosome products lack standardized isolation and dosing, and growth factors are large, fragile proteins whose human data come from microneedling — a procedure, not a cream.
3. Invest in Ingredients With Years of Evidence Her priorities, ranked by strength of evidence: daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, vitamin C with vitamin E and ferulic acid, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and well-studied peptides and DNA repair ingredients. Because skin ages across laxity, wrinkles, pigmentation, redness and keratoses at once, her formulas combine 37 classes of actives at high concentrations — the MA37 complex.
4. Choose Formulation Over the Label An ingredient list shows what is in the bottle, not how much, in what form, or how stable it is. Vitamin C needs a low pH and protection from air and light, and retinoids and peptides depend on concentration and delivery. Dr. Macrene recommends a retinoid at night and sunscreen in the morning, and cautions that irritation is not a sign a product is working.
Read the Full Article
Dr. Macrene's interview with the LA Times offers a clear, dermatologist-backed guide to separating skincare evidence from marketing — grounded in the same clinical authority and prevention-first philosophy behind DR. MACRENE actives. Read the full article for her complete take on PDRN, exosomes, ingredient labels and layering actives.