Can Polynucleotides Help Skin Dents After Steroid Injections?

A small 2026 report from a single aesthetic clinic described six women who developed dents in their facial skin after steroid-containing "fat-dissolving" injections, and who were then treated with polynucleotide injections. All six were judged to have improved substantially on photographs. The report is encouraging but very limited, polynucleotides are still considered experimental for this use in Canada, and the more useful lesson for most readers is how to avoid this problem in the first place.

Why steroid dents happen

Corticosteroids such as triamcinolone are valuable medicines. Doctors inject them to calm inflamed joints, shrink thick scars and treat some skin conditions. One known side effect is that a steroid placed in or near fat can shrink that fat, leaving a visible hollow or dent. This is called lipoatrophy. It is more likely when the dose is high, when the medicine is placed too shallow, or when it is injected into areas where fat gives the face its shape.

In some places, steroids are mixed into injections sold as a way to slim the cheeks, jawline or under-chin area. This is an off-label practice, meaning the medicine is being used outside its approved purpose, and it carries a real risk of uneven dents. It is not the same as the fat-reduction treatments discussed in our article on non-surgical double chin options. Steroid dents often improve slowly on their own over months, but not always completely, and they can be distressing in the meantime.

What polynucleotides are

Polynucleotides are purified chains of DNA building blocks, usually derived from fish. They are injected into the skin in some countries with the aim of supporting tissue repair and skin quality. Their availability and Health Canada authorization status vary, and they are not a standard treatment in Canadian aesthetic practice. If you are curious about it, ask a physician whether it is authorized in Canada and appropriate for you. Nobody should look for them from online sellers or non-medical providers.

What the researchers did

The team looked back at the records of patients seen at their clinic in 2025. Nine people had been treated for dents after steroid-containing slimming injections. Six had enough treatment and clear enough photographs to be included, and all six were women, mostly younger adults. Dents had appeared two to four weeks after the original injections, and every patient recalled heavy bruising at the time.

Treatment combined tiny injections into the skin with small deposits just under it. Each person had between one and three sessions, two to four weeks apart. A physician then rated the photographs on a five-point improvement scale.

What they found

Three patients were rated as having near-complete resolution, and three were rated as having substantial improvement. Improvement seemed to build gradually with repeated sessions. Apart from brief discomfort at the injection sites, no side effects were reported.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a retrospective case series, which sits near the bottom of the evidence ladder. It can raise a question worth testing, but it cannot show that the treatment caused the improvement. Several features are important to understand:

• No comparison group. Steroid dents often recover partly on their own, so some or all of the improvement may have happened anyway.
• Six patients is a very small number, and they were selected partly on photo quality.
• Photo-based ratings by a clinician are subjective, and no measurements of volume or tissue were taken.
• Treatment was not standardized, with different numbers of sessions and intervals.
• Industry involvement. The study was funded by a polynucleotide manufacturer, and two authors advise that company.

The authors acknowledge most of these limits. A fair reading is that polynucleotides might help, and that a controlled study is needed to find out.

What it means for you

The most practical takeaway is prevention. If you are offered injections to slim the face, ask exactly what is in them. Be cautious about any product that contains a steroid for cosmetic slimming, and about treatments offered outside a medical setting. A physician should be able to explain what is being injected, why, and what the risks are.

If you already have a dent after a steroid injection, whether it was cosmetic or medical, do not panic. Many improve with time. It is worth seeing the clinician who gave the injection, or your family doctor, so the area can be assessed and photographed. Sometimes waiting is the safest choice. In other cases, carefully chosen treatments such as hyaluronic acid filler may be discussed once the area has stabilized. Any approach should be individualized and conservative. Our article on what dermal fillers are explains how volume replacement works.

Warning signs that need prompt medical attention after any injection include spreading redness, warmth, increasing pain, fever, skin colour changes such as white, grey or purple patches, or a wound that will not heal.

Questions to ask at your consultation

• What exactly is in this injection, and is it approved for this purpose?
• Does it contain a steroid, and if so, what is the risk of dents or thinning?
• If I already have a dent, how long should we wait before considering treatment?
• What options have the most evidence for my situation, and is no treatment reasonable?

Frequently asked questions

Will a steroid dent go away on its own?

Many improve gradually over several months to a year or more as the fat recovers. Some do not resolve fully. A physician can follow the area over time and help you decide whether and when treatment makes sense.

Are steroid injections for medical problems dangerous?

No. When used for appropriate medical reasons, such as a painful joint or a thick scar, the benefits often outweigh the small risk of a dent. Your doctor will weigh that with you. Never stop or refuse a prescribed treatment without discussing it first.

Can I get polynucleotide injections in Nova Scotia?

Availability in Canada is limited and depends on regulatory status, which can change. Because this remains an emerging area, a physician can explain what is authorized and suitable rather than relying on social media or overseas providers.

Skin dents after injections are upsetting, but they can often be managed calmly with time and careful assessment. If you would like to talk through what happened and what options may suit you, HealthPark Medical Aesthetics can review your concerns at a consultation.

Source

Park SM, Oh SM, Oh M, Lee DK. Efficacy of polynucleotide for the recovery of depressed lesions following steroid-based lipolysis injections. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2026. Read the study