Since 1998 · Zagreb & Daruvar

Polynucleotides for the Scalp in Croatia

Before any therapy, we examine the scalp and assess whether polynucleotides are suitable for the type and stage of your hair loss.

Ana Maletić, MD, PhD, at Polyclinic Maletić

Some patients have already tried shampoos, ampoules, or supplements before their examination, and want to know whether those approaches suited their form of hair loss. An examination and a scalp analysis are the basis for choosing the right therapy.

Is this for me?

What polynucleotides are and how they act on the scalp

Polynucleotides are DNA fragments used in regenerative medicine for their possible effect on tissue repair processes, and in recent years they have also been used on the scalp. They are injected with a fine needle into the skin of the scalp, in small amounts and into a precisely defined layer, with the goal of supporting the conditions in which the follicle produces hair. They are not a filler and do not add volume; their goal is to act on biological processes in the treated tissue, not to enlarge it mechanically.

This is a minimally invasive medical procedure. That is why a professional assessment of the indication and a correct application technique are important parts of the process.

Where the name 'salmon DNA' comes from

The polynucleotides used in aesthetic medicine are derived from DNA of fish origin, most often salmon or trout, and go through purification processes before medical use. That is where the name that often appears in public comes from. The origin of the preparation also matters when taking an allergy history before therapy.

What exactly they act on

According to research to date, polynucleotides may influence inflammatory processes, the formation of new blood vessels, and cell repair processes. Those effects could also be relevant in certain forms of hair loss, because in some patients thinning can be linked to mild inflammatory changes of the scalp, while local conditions in the tissue can affect the function of preserved follicles.

Polynucleotides, then, do not create new hair. The goal is to support the conditions in the tissue around the existing, active follicles.

The right indication

When polynucleotides can be considered

The therapy can be considered when the hair has thinned and active follicles still exist in the treated area. When the part line is widening, the overall volume of hair is decreasing, or the crown is becoming more visible, there may be preserved follicles that therapy can act on — which is why it is then reasonable to assess the options for scalp therapy. With advanced thinning, the possible reach of the therapy is limited by the state of the preserved follicles.

Situations in which we most often suggest them

Certain forms of diffuse thinning in women, when the part line is widening and density is dropping evenly across the whole scalp.
Hair loss after childbirth, illness, or a longer period of stress, when the underlying condition has stabilized but hair density has not fully recovered.
Early thinning of the crown and temples in men, where the relationship to other therapeutic options is assessed individually.
A sensitive scalp that tolerates certain topical preparations poorly, after assessing the cause of the sensitivity and the suitability of injection therapy.
As a complement to other scalp therapies, such as laser hair growth stimulation.
When there is an indication for injection therapy and the patient prefers a preparation that does not require drawing blood.

How to choose between polynucleotides, PRP, and laser

Patients often ask how these three therapies differ from one another, because all three are used with the goal of preserving or improving the existing hair. The difference is in how they get there. A PRP treatment uses your own plasma, so it involves drawing blood and preparing it, while polynucleotides are a ready-made, purified preparation without that phase. The laser hair growth treatment involves no needles and is done in a series.

The choice of therapy depends on the diagnosis, the scalp findings, your health status, and the goal of treatment. They can also be combined, when the same scalp holds different patterns of thinning that call for different therapeutic approaches.

“Polynucleotides can support the conditions in the tissue around an active follicle, but they do not create new follicles. They can be considered when preserved follicles exist in the treated area, while in areas without active follicles they cannot restore hair — which is why the state of the follicles is assessed before the therapy protocol is drawn up.” — Ana Maletić, MD, PhD

How it is performed

What a polynucleotide treatment with us looks like

The whole procedure takes about half an hour and is a minimally invasive medical procedure.

Duration: about 30 minutes
Anesthesia: usually not needed; a numbing cream can be applied if required
Protocol: most often a series of four treatments; the schedule is set by your findings
Performed by: Ana Maletić, MD, PhD

1 · Examination and scalp analysis. The scalp is examined trichoscopically and, when needed, the findings are supplemented with a digital analysis using the TrichoLAB system, which measures hair count, thickness, and density by region. Based on the measurements and the clinical examination, we assess what form of hair loss is involved and whether there are preserved follicles that can be expected to respond to the therapy.

2 · Preparation. The scalp is disinfected following medical protocol. If needed, a numbing cream is applied to the area beforehand or a local nerve block is used, and vibration can be used during the application to soften the sensation.

3 · Application. The preparation is applied with a fine needle to the areas defined by your findings, at a depth and in a pattern adapted to the treatment area and the protocol.

4 · After the treatment. Most patients can return to their usual obligations after the treatment, following the written scalp care instructions.

The therapy is most often carried out in a series of four treatments, with the schedule and any repeat sessions set by your findings. Changes are followed with repeated trichoscopic measurements and standardized photographs.

See the full price list

A realistic outcome

Possible results of the therapy

With a good response to the therapy, you may notice less hair falling out when washing or combing. Visible changes develop gradually and are usually moderate: hair shaft thickness may increase and the impression of hair density may improve, while in some patients the part line may look less pronounced.

What such a change means differs between patients and depends on the starting state and the goals of the therapy. The reach of the therapy depends on the number and state of the preserved follicles, and the effect is followed by comparing trichoscopic measurements and standardized photographs.

Honest about the limits

Limitations, and situations in which the therapy is not recommended

Before deciding on the therapy, it is important to understand its limitations and the level of available evidence.

They do not create new follicles. In areas where no active follicles remain, polynucleotides cannot restore hair growth, which is why they are not a therapy for areas of complete hair loss. In that situation, for suitable candidates, a hair transplant can be considered.

They are not an approved medication for hereditary hair loss. Minoxidil and finasteride are approved for androgenetic alopecia, while polynucleotides are a therapy that supports the scalp. The first clinical studies have recorded positive results, but the evidence is still limited by small numbers of participants and short follow-up. Polynucleotides should therefore be distinguished from therapies for androgenetic alopecia whose effectiveness is backed by a larger body of clinical evidence.

They do not remove the cause of hair loss. If the shedding is linked to a thyroid disorder, iron deficiency, or another hormonal disorder, the underlying condition needs to be diagnosed and treated first. Scalp therapy cannot replace proper medical diagnostics and treatment.

There are also health conditions in which the treatment needs to be postponed or is not recommended, and possible contraindications are assessed during the examination and history-taking. If the findings do not point to an expected benefit from polynucleotides, we consider other options for treatment or follow-up.

Why us

Why choose us for a polynucleotide treatment

ABHRS Diplomate

Dr. Ana Maletić is the only physician in Croatia with this title, one of 260 physicians worldwide

Croatia’s only ISHRS member

regular membership in the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery

One of 6 clinics worldwide

with this level of international certification for hair treatments

The only clinic in Croatia performing all four transplant methods

FUE, DHI, Sapphire, and STRIP; the method is chosen based on your scalp findings and the state of the donor area

Since 1996

the year hair transplant training began at Polyclinic Maletić

TrichoLab scalp analysis

hair shaft thickness, density, and hairs per follicular unit measured before every plan

A trichoscopic examination before therapy

the therapy is planned according to the type of hair loss and the scalp findings

The indication is assessed before therapy

the findings show whether there are preserved follicles that can be expected to respond to the therapy

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Who we are

Who will be taking care of you

The Hair Center is led by Ana Maletić, MD, PhD, a specialist in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery. She holds the FISHRS and ABHRS Diplomate titles, is the only physician in Croatia with the ABHRS Diplomate title and one of 260 physicians worldwide to have earned it, and is the only physician from Croatia in regular membership of the ISHRS. In March 2026 she defended her doctoral thesis on the connection between hair transplantation and biopsychosocial factors of health.

Her experience in diagnosing and treating hair loss matters in planning this therapy as well. Polynucleotides are applied by a physician who works with the scalp every day and assesses whether there are preserved follicles the therapy can act on. The Polyclinic has been operating since 1998; it was founded by Dr. Ana’s parents, and today two generations of the family work here. You can have the treatment in Zagreb and in Daruvar, with the same equipment and following the same protocol.

Meet the whole team

Ana Maletić, MD, PhD, head of the Hair Center, with a trichoscopic scalp analysis — Ana Maletić, MD, PhD, head of the Hair Center at Polyclinic Maletić

Watch

See what a scalp analysis looks like

TrichoLab Studio: precise scalp diagnostics

Price

Price and the first step

One polynucleotide treatment for hair loss costs €400.00, and a package of four treatments €1,300.00. The trichoscopic scalp analysis costs €135.00, and its findings are an important part of assessing the indication and drawing up the therapy plan.

The consultation is free of charge. Based on the examination and scalp analysis, you receive an individual assessment of what the therapy can and cannot do and, when it is indicated, a proposed protocol. You can see the prices of all treatments in the price list, and arrange an appointment via contact for Zagreb or Daruvar. You will find the other scalp therapies at the Hair Center.

If you are noticing a widening part line or decreasing hair density, an examination can show whether there are preserved follicles the therapy can act on.

Hair loss treatment with polynucleotides

€400.00
Hair loss treatment with polynucleotides — package of 4 treatments

€1,300.00
Trichoscopic scalp analysis (TrichoLAB FotoFinder)

€135.00

See the full price list

Which method for whom

Patients most often ask us which hair therapy is the best — and the answer is that a universally best therapy does not exist. Each person’s hair loss has its own cause, phase, scalp condition, and degree of follicle preservation. That is why the same method gives a good result in one person and does not match the findings in another.

So we build the treatment plan around what is actually measured on your scalp. After the trichoscopic analysis we know what kind of hair loss is involved, how far the process has advanced, and whether there are still follicles with regenerative potential. From those findings comes one therapy, or a combination of methods that complement each other. Sometimes what comes out is that a treatment makes no sense in your case — and then we talk about a transplant or about monitoring, depending on the findings. You will hear that at the first examination, not after several paid treatments.

Below is an overview of the methods we perform, how they differ, and when each one comes into consideration.

Method	How it works	When it comes into consideration
Scalp mesotherapy	Delivers a preparation of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, composed according to your findings, into the scalp skin to improve the conditions in which the follicle works.	For weakened, thinning hair, early-stage thinning, and increased shedding after childbirth, illness, or a longer period of stress.
PRP treatment	Uses plasma from your own blood and the growth factors it contains, so the treatment involves drawing your blood and preparing it.	For increased shedding and thinning, when the follicles still exist but produce a thinner, weaker hair.
Polynucleotides	Purified DNA fragments that reduce inflammation in the scalp and stimulate the formation of new blood vessels, improving the scalp’s blood supply.	For diffuse thinning and a sensitive scalp, and when you prefer a solution that does not involve drawing blood.
Scalp filler	Delivers a complex of peptides and hyaluronic acid into the scalp skin that acts on the follicle itself. Unlike facial fillers, the goal is not added volume but strengthening the existing hair.	For weakened, thin hair and in the earlier phase of thinning, while the follicles are still active.
Laser hair growth treatment	Uses a medical Er:YAG laser to improve the scalp’s blood supply and encourage follicles to shift from resting into the growth phase, with no needles and no downtime.	For increased shedding and for strengthening existing hair, on its own or alongside other therapies.
Hair transplant	Your own follicles from the donor area are moved to the areas where hair no longer grows.	When certain regions no longer have active follicles, because no treatment can bring back hair that is gone there.

Scalp mesotherapy

How it works

Delivers a preparation of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, composed according to your findings, into the scalp skin to improve the conditions in which the follicle works.