Rejuran is now one of the more well-known names among skin boosters.

 

However, during consultations, many people are still unsure about exactly what kind of treatment Rejuran should be considered.

 

“Is Rejuran different from a skin hydration injection?”

“Does it build collagen like Juvelook?”

I hear these questions very often.

 

To explain Rejuran simply, it is closer to a skin booster that gradually improves the dermal environment, helping with skin texture, fine wrinkles, dryness, and decreased elasticity, rather than a treatment that only gives the skin a temporary glow on the surface.

 

So today, I would like to explain why Rejuran is often used for skin texture improvement, what studies have reported, and who may be a good candidate for it :)

 

The key ingredient in Rejuran is PN.

PN stands for Polynucleotide, which may sound a little difficult.

 

Simply put, it is a substance made of small units that form DNA, connected together in a long chain.

 

Rejuran is a treatment that injects this PN ingredient into the dermal layer of the skin in very small divided amounts, with the goal of improving overall skin condition.

 

You can think of Rejuran as a treatment that helps stabilize the dermal environment inside the skin and gradually improves the appearance of dry, thin-looking skin, fine wrinkles, and rough skin texture.

 

To understand the effects of Rejuran, we first need to look at the dermis.

 

The skin is broadly divided into the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous fat layer.

 

The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin, while the dermis underneath is deeply involved in skin thickness, elasticity, fine wrinkles, pores, and overall texture.

Inside the dermis, there are components such as collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and fibroblasts.

 

To use a simple analogy, if the epidermis is like wallpaper, the dermis is closer to the wall and framework underneath it.

 

Even if the wallpaper is clean, if the wall underneath is weak, the surface can still look uneven.

The skin is similar.

 

When the dermis becomes weaker, thinner, and drier, fine wrinkles become more noticeable, pores can appear more stretched, and makeup may not sit smoothly on the skin.

 

Rejuran is a treatment that focuses on gradually improving this dermal environment.

 

There are also studies related to Rejuran.

 

A study by Pak et al. evaluated the effect of Rejuran on crow’s feet.

 

Crow’s feet are a good area to evaluate this kind of treatment because the skin is thin, facial movement is frequent, and fine wrinkles easily develop.

 

This study used a randomized, double-blind design to evaluate whether Rejuran could help improve crow’s feet.

The paper reported that Rejuran helped reduce crow’s feet, and no major safety concerns were noted.

The important point here is that Rejuran does not improve crow’s feet by “filling them up” like a filler.

 

Rather, when the skin around the eyes is thin and dry-looking, Rejuran works more in the direction of helping the skin foundation become slightly denser, so that fine wrinkles appear less prominent.

 

If you look at the photo above, you can think of the pre-treatment state as skin that appears dry with fine wrinkles.

 

When Rejuran is injected in small divided amounts at an appropriate depth, it does not immediately change the overall facial shape.

 

Instead, over time, the skin texture may look more refined, the dry and cracked appearance may become less noticeable, and fine wrinkles may appear less prominent.

 

That is why Rejuran is better described as a treatment that gradually improves skin condition, rather than a treatment that creates a dramatic change in one session.

 

In many cases, it is not done as a one-time treatment. Instead, it is repeated at appropriate intervals depending on the skin condition while observing gradual changes.

 

Many people also ask about the difference between Rejuran and Juvelook.

 

Both are often referred to as skin boosters, but their characteristics are slightly different.

Rejuran is PN-based.

 

It is easier to explain for people with thin, sensitive, dry skin and fine wrinkles.

 

Juvelook is a PDLLA-based collagen biostimulator.

 

It is often explained in relation to pores, skin texture, shallow depressions, and collagen response within the skin.

 

Simply put, Rejuran is somewhat closer to improving skin condition, while Juvelook is somewhat closer to inducing collagen response.

 

For that reason, in people with very sensitive and thin skin, we may first work on improving the skin condition with Rejuran rather than starting with a stronger collagen biostimulator.

 

On the other hand, if pores, shallow acne scars, or reduced skin texture are more noticeable, Juvelook may be a better fit in some cases.

In the end, the question is not which one is better, but what condition your skin is currently in.

 

After Rejuran treatment, small raised bumps often appear on the skin.

 

This happens because Rejuran is injected in small amounts into a relatively shallow layer of the skin.

 

In most cases, these bumps settle down over time.

 

However, immediately after the treatment, redness, stinging, swelling, or bruising may occur.

 

Especially in thin areas such as around the eyes or the neck, the injection depth and amount need to be adjusted more delicately.

 

Rejuran is not a treatment where more is always better.

 

The result and discomfort can vary depending on which layer it is injected into, how densely it is divided, and how much is injected per point.

 

So Rejuran is not a treatment that should be decided based only on the product itself.

The injector’s depth control and treatment design are quite important.

 

Then who may be a good candidate?

 

People whose skin looks thin and dry.

 

People with fine wrinkles spread across the skin.

 

People whose makeup does not sit well and whose skin texture looks rough.

 

People who want to support skin condition after laser or radiofrequency treatments.

 

People who feel uncomfortable with the idea of filler-like volume.

 

These are the types of patients for whom Rejuran can be a good treatment to discuss.

 

On the other hand, if deep nasolabial folds, clear volume loss, or sagging of the facial contour are the main concerns, Rejuran alone may not be enough.

 

In those cases, we need to redesign the overall plan and consider whether filler, lifting, radiofrequency, or laser treatment should be prioritized or combined.

 

Even when people describe the concern as “my skin looks older,” the actual cause can be different for each person.

For some people, pigmentation is the main issue.

 

For others, dryness and skin barrier weakness may be the problem.

 

For some, pores and skin texture may be the issue.

 

And for others, reduced dermal elasticity or structural sagging of the face may be the bigger concern.

 

So to see Rejuran’s effects properly, it is important to first determine whether your skin concern really matches the direction of a PN-based skin booster.

 

To summarize, Rejuran is a PN-based skin booster.

 

It is not a treatment that immediately fills the face like filler.

 

Rather, it is closer to a treatment that gradually improves the dermal environment, skin texture, fine wrinkles, dryness, and roughness.

 

Studies have reported the use of Rejuran for crow’s feet, and PN ingredients are being studied in various ways in relation to skin texture, wrinkles, elasticity, and hydration.

 

However, the same result does not occur in every skin type.

 

It is important to first distinguish whether your skin needs hydration support, dermal environment stabilization, collagen stimulation, lifting, or volume correction.

 

In the end, skin treatments are not simply about choosing one good product.

 

The difference comes from accurately diagnosing what kind of recovery your skin needs and designing the treatment accordingly :)

 

This was Director Won Dae-han.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

References:
Pak CS, Lee C, Lee J, et al. A phase III, randomized, double-blind, matched-pairs, active-controlled clinical trial to compare the efficacy and safety between polynucleotide and hyaluronic acid for the correction of crow’s feet. PubMed PMID: 25473210.

Lee KWA, Kim M, et al. Polynucleotides in Aesthetic Medicine: A Review of Current Evidence. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024.

 

※ This article is intended to provide general medical information. Actual suitability and treatment methods may vary depending on each individual’s skin condition, skin thickness, facial structure, and injection area. An accurate diagnosis and treatment plan should be determined through consultation.