The beauty world can be fickle. At any given moment, a specific treatment could be touted as miraculous (Morpheus8!) and simultaneously vilified for being disastrous (also Morpheus8!). And while some of us simply choose a trusted expert and just follow their lead, most of us have outside forces that influence our aesthetic decisions.
Right now, perennial beauty insiders (Lady Gaga's makeup artist Sarah Tanno and MAC's global creative director Nicola Formichetti) and LA It girls (actress Dree Hemmingway and designer Kelly Wearstler) and even top-secret celebs (ahem, Lady Gaga and Adria Arjona) are flocking to Dr. Ellie Byun to receive a salmon sperm treatment for a tightened jawline and perma-glow. While the concept of smearing fish sperm all over your face is no longer a shocking thought (thanks so certain skin-obsessed celebrities like Kim Kardashian), this specific treatment from this specific doctor in LA has seemed to gain a cult following amongst in-the-know Angelenos. Naturally, we needed to know what makes this sought-after service so in demand.
Who Is Dr. Ellie Byun?
Cool girls love a buried treasure–an under-the-radar gem that’s not-so-obvious (read: won’t have a marble check-in desk on Camden Drive). Part of the thrill is the hunt, the whisper, and, of course, the cherub-like glow that has friends ask what in the world you are doing to your face. But sometimes, the work is so good, gatekeeping is simply not an option. On her Instagram, jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer declared, “I kind of hate giving up this secret but Dr. Ellie is the absolute dream and I don’t know what I would do without her.” Meanwhile, Favorite Daughter founder Sara Foster echoed on her Stories that “sometimes things are too good not to share.”
Instead of the palm tree-lined streets of Beverly Hills, Byun's office is tucked away in an unassuming office building in Sherman Oaks; a "celebrity esthetician" she is not (though her license covers internal medicine, as well as external applications tied to cosmetics). Rather, she is a licensed acupuncturist with her own “kitchen pharmacy” of herbal formulas, specializing in balancing hormones and aiding in weight loss with natural elixirs. Her skincare treatments are merely an extension of her practice which aims to address beauty from the inside out and of course, the outside in.
What Is Salmon DNA a.k.a. PDRN?
Studied in Italy in the '90s, salmon sperm was originally used for treating arthritis and burns, which Korean techs eventually realized would benefit aesthetics. Though it became a mainstay in Korean skin clinics, it took a while to catch on in the US.
Byun explains that PDRN (which stands for Polydeoxyribonucleotides, or “polynucleotides” for short), is a compound extracted from salmon testes (yep!) that is so tiny, it completely absorbs into skin (large molecules struggle to penetrate and often sit on the top layer). Beloved for its anti-inflammatory properties, it’s incredible for treating dark spots, rosacea, flare-ups–and of course imparts that coveted Paris-filter glow. “The important thing to know is that it’s 95 percent similar to human DNA, which makes it biocompatible with our skin,” says Byun. And while it’s approved for injectable use abroad, risks like severe swelling and allergic reactions at the injection site mean that it’s not yet approved in America–so be wary of practitioners who inject it like filler ((Byun does not inject it, which would require a different medical license). As a topical treatment, however, it might just become the new gold standard.
What To Expect
If you can actually secure a spot with Byun and can shell out some coin (salmon sperm isn’t cheap, by the way–it’s $1,470 per service), you are in for a real treat. First, the skin is prepped with "lotus flower brushing" (this is a true art–and not to be confused with wildly whacking oneself with a dry brush before a shower). Byun then tightens skin with high frequency, which helps sculpt a more angular jawline and high cheekbones, before using her “Hyper Jet Pen”– a self-manufactured tool with a special patented silicone needle pad that allows for easy permeation. With this pen, she’s able to create “microchannels” (tiny channels in the skin barrier). “It’s less about aggressive puncturing and more about creating pathways for optimal absorption, leading to a healthier complexion and long-lasting results,” she says. Salmon DNA is not meant to add volume to specific areas, but rather acts as an all-over skin booster. “When I infuse it into the skin, I’m able to increase volume everywhere because it triggers your own collagen production, like a biostimulator,” she says. “And what’s great is that for the best results, it really only needs to go into the superficial layer for the skin to receive it properly.”
But what truly makes this treatment unique is the customization of the, er, sperm. Byun creates a different cocktail for each client that includes a blend of niacinamide, peptides, vitamin C, and glutathione. Since every skin constitution is different, blends vary. For instance, for my rosacea-prone skin, Byun says she would omit “potentially overwhelming” glutathione and would add more B complex, to soothe my redness. It’s all topped with a “melting mask” which seeps into the skin barrier, which one client aptly nicknamed the “Botox mask” for its youthful results. And the best part–there’s no downtime. Just ask any one of Byun’s die-hard fans; stylist Djuna Bell says “she gets the hype,” while Kelly Atterton, beauty editor and co-founder of Rile skincare, said she left Byun’s office “looking plump, radiant and without even a drop of redness”–and she received a pocket of herbal pellets for balance and better sleep to boot.
Risks & Benefits
To maintain that post-facial glow, Byun suggests doing the treatment every two weeks as a rhythm, and then once a month for maintenance. She adds that it can even be done on hands, knees and feet. If you can't afford the in-office treatment quite yet, Byun offers at-home products made with PDRN from her line, Mimoh. And if you're worried about smearing an animal product on skin, the most important thing to understand is that it’s extremely regenerative–perhaps the buzziest word in the skincare world. Sara Riff, Global Director of Entertainment at Jimmy Choo, says that this treatment gives her skin that "just got back from Korea” look without the airfare. “It’s amazing, and there really aren’t any adverse reactions,” says Byun. “Knock on wood, but I haven’t had one complaint!”
