With salmon DNA treatments, trap tox, and lip flips, there’s a little more to explain than a photo can show. Here’s what we’d want you to know before making an appointment.
Salmon DNA: promising research, with some important distinctions
The name “salmon sperm facial” gets plenty of attention. The ingredients behind it are usually described as polynucleotides or PDRN—related DNA-derived materials that shouldn’t automatically be treated as interchangeable. Researchers have been studying their potential uses in skin repair and rejuvenation. Read the research overview.
There are encouraging findings. In one small study of injections around the eyes, polynucleotides improved certain measures of skin roughness and hydration compared with a hyaluronic acid treatment. Overall aesthetic improvement scores, however, weren’t significantly different between the two. That’s a more useful description than simply saying one treatment “worked better.” Read the study.
The distinction that matters most when you’re shopping for a treatment is how the product is being used. An injection, a serum, and a product applied with microneedling are different treatments. Results from an injectable study don’t establish what a topical version will do.
At Rejuvia, we offer Rejuran as an optional addition to our SkinPen microneedling treatments. We don’t offer injectable PDRN.
We also want to be clear about the limits of the combination. The FDA has not cleared microneedling devices for delivering cosmetics or other topical products into the skin. Creating channels doesn’t, by itself, establish that a particular product is safe or effective to use through them. FDA guidance on microneedling.
Our view is that this is an interesting area of research. We’re following it, while being careful about what we promise today.
Trap tox: shoulder contour and tension deserve separate conversations
Trap tox treats the trapezius muscles across the upper shoulders. If those muscles are enlarged, treatment can reduce their size and change the contour between the neck and shoulder. Small studies have documented that effect, although the research is still limited. Read a clinical study.
We offer trap tox, and the first thing we’d ask is what you want from it. Are you interested in the appearance of your shoulders? Are you dealing with tightness or discomfort? Both?
Some research has found improvements in trapezius muscle pain as well as contour. That doesn’t mean trap tox will resolve every sore neck or tight shoulder. Discomfort needs its own assessment, rather than an assumption that the cosmetic treatment will take care of it. Read the trial.
There are practical trade-offs, too. These muscles have a job to do, and temporary weakness can occur after treatment. Your work, exercise routine, and existing neck or shoulder problems belong in the consultation. Cosmetic trapezius contouring is an off-label use, which we should discuss with you before treatment. Review the published evidence.
We’ll also explain the proposed dose and total cost beforehand. You can find our treatment options on the Neurotoxins page.
Lip flips: understand how much change to expect
A lip flip can be appealing if you want a little more upper lip to show. It uses a neuromodulator to relax the muscle around the lip, allowing the edge to turn outward slightly. It doesn’t add volume the way filler does. Learn how lip flips work.
That difference matters when deciding what to book. If you like your lip size but want a subtle change in how the upper lip sits, a lip flip may be worth discussing. If you’re hoping for substantially fuller lips, we’d talk through other options and the amount of change you actually want.
The part that deserves more attention is how your mouth may feel afterward. Relaxing this muscle can temporarily affect drinking, keeping a firm seal around the mouth, or speaking. A small published study reported temporary weakness around the mouth, so even a subtle cosmetic treatment deserves a proper discussion of the trade-offs. Read the study.
A lip flip is temporary, and you’ll need repeat treatment if you want to maintain the effect. It also can’t be immediately reversed if you dislike the result. Those details are worth weighing alongside the price and the before-and-after. More on results and recovery.
Start with what you want to change
You don’t need to arrive knowing which treatment to choose. That’s what the consultation is for.
Tell us what you’re noticing, what you’d like to change, and how subtle or noticeable you want the result to be. We’ll explain the options, the limitations, the cost, and what maintaining the result would involve.
You’re welcome to bring a trend you’re curious about—or a photo you like. We’ll take it from there.