PDRN ampoules are not required to state their concentration
Products that put a percentage in the name sit on the same shelf as products that never state one, and among those that do state it the figures run from 3% to 5%. It splits within a single brand, so brand-level comparison does not hold.
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A PDRN ampoule is any ampoule marketed on polydeoxyribonucleotide, typically salmon-derived. Whether the concentration is stated, and whether the product has cleared functional-cosmetic review, varies product by product.
Korean cosmetics must disclose their full ingredient list, but there is no obligation to state the concentration of an individual ingredient. PDRN ampoules therefore include products that put a percentage in the product name next to products that never mention one. The two cannot be compared on the same basis.
Even the stated figures diverge
Values checked against brand websites and Hwahae listings on 12–13 August 2026.
| Product | Brand | Stated concentration |
|---|---|---|
| PDRN 5% Active Ampoule | Leaders | 5% |
| PDRN 4% Ampoule | Dermafactory | 4% |
| PDRN 3% Hyper Boost Ampoule | Genabelle | 3% (30,000 ppm) |
| PDRN Vita Toning Ampoule | Genabelle | Not stated |
| Retinol PDRN Skin Booster Ampoule | Innisfree | Not stated |
It splits within a brand. Genabelle’s two ampoules above differ — one puts 3% in the name, the other discloses nothing. No brand-level claim about concentration holds.
Units also differ, between percentage and ppm. 3% equals 30,000 ppm, so the units must be aligned before any comparison.
What concentration does not settle
| Item | Determinable from labelling? |
|---|---|
| Concentration | Only for products that state it |
| Raw material grade and purity | Usually not |
| Formulation and delivery design | Partly inferable from ingredient order |
| Amount actually delivered to skin | Not determinable |
A topical formulation has to cross the stratum corneum, so the formulated concentration is not the amount reaching the skin. Where the literature reports effects for topical PDRN, a delivery method such as microneedling was often used alongside it.
Functional claims pass through review
Claiming “whitening” or “wrinkle improvement” makes a product a functional cosmetic, requiring MFDS review or notification per item. Numbers are searchable by product name in the MFDS functional cosmetics register.
One caveat applies to that search. The name on a brand’s own store can differ from the registered product name. One brand’s “PDRN Regeneration Cream” is registered as “Genabelle PDRN Rejuvenating Cream”. A mismatch drops the item from search results, so failing to find an entry does not establish that none exists.
From the source
A PDRN ampoule is any ampoule marketed on PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide), typically salmon-derived. Claiming “whitening” or “wrinkle improvement” requires MFDS functional review or notification on a per-product basis.
— 6 Korean PDRN Ampoules — Concentrations from 0.5% to 5%, and Where Texture Decides (kbeautyguide, 13 Aug 2026).
Related literature
- Kim HM, Byun KA, Oh S, Yang JY, Park HJ, Chung MS, Son KH, Byun K. A Mixture of Topical Forms of Polydeoxyribonucleotide, Vitamin C, and Niacinamide Attenuated Skin Pigmentation and Increased Skin Elasticity by Modulating Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-like 2. Molecules 2022;27(4):1276. PMID 35209068 · doi:10.3390/molecules27041276 → In UV-B irradiated animal skin, a topical PDRN, vitamin C and niacinamide mixture delivered by microneedling reduced melanin content and tyrosinase activity and increased elastin and fibrillin. The delivery method is part of the finding.
- Galeano M, Pallio G, Irrera N, et al. Polydeoxyribonucleotide — A Promising Biological Platform to Accelerate Impaired Skin Wound Healing. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021;14(11):1103. PMID 34832885 → A review of PDRN’s wound-healing mechanisms and applications.
Sources: Cosmetics Act ingredient disclosure requirements and the functional cosmetics review/notification system. Product values checked on 12–13 August 2026 against brand websites and Hwahae listings (per the source article). Last checked 2026-08-24.
Frequently asked questions
Must a PDRN ampoule state its concentration?
No. Full ingredient disclosure is mandatory, but stating the concentration of an individual ingredient is not required for ordinary cosmetics. Products naming a figure such as 3% therefore sit alongside products that never disclose one.
Do products from the same brand share a similar concentration?
No. In an August 2026 survey, two ampoules from one brand split between no stated concentration and 3%. Concentration has to be checked per item, not per brand.
What is different about products claiming whitening or wrinkle improvement?
They fall under functional cosmetics and must pass MFDS review or notification on a per-item basis. The review or notification number can be looked up by product name in the MFDS functional cosmetics register.