Rejuran is an injectable made by the Korean company PharmaResearch from polynucleotides (PN), long chains of DNA purified from salmon. It is placed into the dermis, the layer just under the skin's surface, through many small injection points. Its purpose is the quality of the skin itself: fine lines, thinness, texture and how resilient the skin feels. It does not add shape and it does not lift loose tissue. It tends to suit people whose main concern is tired, thinning or finely lined skin, and it is usually planned as a short course of sessions rather than a single visit, with the number and spacing set by your doctor after looking at your skin. In Korea it is often called the "salmon injection", and Taiwanese clinics list it as 麗珠蘭.
That is the short answer. The rest of this article covers where the material comes from, how its purpose differs from a hyaluronic-acid booster, who should wait, what happens during a session and what your skin looks like for the first few days.
What Rejuran is made of, and why it comes from salmon
PharmaResearch describes Rejuran as a medical device made with PN, a salmon-derived regenerative substance, processed with the company's patented DNA Optimizing Technology (DOT). On the manufacturer's product page the composition is listed simply as PN, the packing unit as 2 cc syringes, and the intended purpose as the temporary improvement of facial wrinkles. That last phrase is worth reading carefully. The manufacturer describes it as a medical device for a specific, modest purpose, and anything a clinic says beyond that is a description of what doctors observe, not the product's stated purpose.
The source is less strange than it sounds. A 2024 review of skin boosters in Archives of Plastic Surgery describes PN as high-molecular-weight DNA chains taken from the reproductive cells of salmon or trout and purified so that the DNA remains while most of the proteins are removed. The same review describes PN as having a low tendency to provoke an immune reaction.
You may also see the word PDRN. PDRN and PN belong to the same family. Both are DNA fragments from the same kind of source, but PDRN chains are shorter and PN chains are longer. A 2025 review in Biomolecules points out that the two terms are often used loosely, even in research papers, which causes confusion. The practical difference is that longer chains make a thicker gel that binds water and, once injected, forms a fine porous mesh in the tissue. Reviews describe that mesh as a scaffold that supports the skin's own repair processes.
Rejuran is also a family of products rather than one syringe. PharmaResearch lists four:
- Rejuran, the original product, often called Rejuran Healer, for use across the face. This is the name on our treatment list.
- Rejuran i, made for thin skin such as the fine lines around the eyes.
- Rejuran S, aimed at wrinkles and scars.
- Rejuran HB plus, which adds lidocaine, a local anaesthetic, and hyaluronic acid.
Because the versions differ, it is reasonable to ask which one will be used on you and why. At Beauty Story the product and the planned amount are confirmed with you before treatment begins.
How it differs from a hyaluronic-acid skin booster
"Skin booster" covers several different materials, and our earlier piece on skin boosters treats them as a group. Here the question is narrower: what is PN for, compared with the hyaluronic acid (HA) boosters people often know first?
HA is a sugar-based molecule that is already present in the skin and holds a large amount of water. Injected as a booster, its main job is hydration, and through that, the surface plumpness and fine lines that come with dry, dehydrated skin. The 2024 review describes HA boosters as the usual first-line choice when hydration is the goal.
PN is described differently. It is placed in the same layer, but the aim is the condition of the skin tissue: how thin it is, how well it recovers, how fine lines and texture develop over time. Reviews describe it as a biostimulator that supports collagen production and has shown anti-inflammatory effects in early research. That is a different purpose, not a stronger version of the same one. Someone with dehydrated but otherwise healthy skin and someone with thin, tired, finely lined skin may be steered toward different materials, or toward both. The two are often used together, and one Rejuran version already contains HA.
It is also fair to say how much is known. A systematic review in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, published online in 2024, found nine studies of PN in aesthetic use, covering 219 patients, and rated them low to moderate in quality. The results for wrinkles, texture and elasticity were promising and side effects were generally mild and short-lived, but the authors noted limited agreement on how PN should be used and called for larger, better studies. The evidence is real but still young, and a doctor who tells you that is giving you an accurate picture.
The table compares three groups of injectables by what each is mainly used for. None of them is better in general.
Swipe sideways to see the full table
| Rejuran (PN) | Hyaluronic-acid skin booster | Collagen stimulator (PLLA or PDLLA, e.g. Sculptra, Juvelook, Estefil) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Purified salmon-derived DNA chains (polynucleotides) in a gel | Hyaluronic acid gel, often lightly cross-linked | Biodegradable particles of polylactic acid in a carrier |
| Mainly used for | Skin condition: thin or tired skin, fine lines, texture | Hydration and the fine lines of dry skin | Gradual volume and skin thickness over broader areas |
| Where it goes | Into the dermis, at many small points | Into the dermis, at many small points | Depends on the product and goal; volume-focused use is deeper |
| What you notice first | Small bumps at each point for the first days, then a gradual change in texture | A smoother, more hydrated surface | Some early fullness that settles; the main change develops over weeks |
| How it is usually planned | A short course of sessions, then a review | A short course, then maintenance by observation | Often staged, with time to judge the response |
| What it is not designed to do | Add shape or lift loose tissue | Add shape or lift loose tissue | Give a defined shape on the day |
For the right-hand column in more depth, our article on Estefil and collagen-stimulating fillers goes through how those materials work.
Who it may suit, and who should wait
Beauty Story describes Rejuran as most often considered for dull, tired or thin skin, for fine texture and elasticity, and for the skin under the eyes. The clinic's Korean page also lists the neck and the backs of the hands as areas where it is used. These are all concerns about the skin itself rather than the structure beneath it.
It is usually the wrong tool, or at least not the first one, in a few situations:
- Your main concern is laxity. If the jawline has softened because tissue has loosened and moved down, adding PN to the skin will not move it back up. An energy-based lifting treatment, or a thread lift in some cases, is the more relevant conversation.
- Your main concern is volume loss. Hollow temples or flattened cheeks are a volume question. A filler or a collagen stimulator is closer to the point.
- You want a visible change by a set date. The early bumps come first and the change in texture builds over weeks.
There are also times to wait, even if Rejuran would otherwise fit:
- Active inflammation or infection in the area, including a flare of acne or eczema where the injections would go. Your doctor checks for this at the examination.
- A history of allergy or hypersensitivity. The clinic asks for a full conversation about allergies before treatment. Because the material comes from salmon, mention any past reaction to fish products as well as any reaction to previous injectables or to lidocaine.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- A flight, a wedding or a photo shoot in the next day or two. This is a question of timing rather than safety, and it is covered below.
Whether you fall into any of these groups is decided at the consultation, not from a list. At Beauty Story each consultation is booked as one patient per hour, so the examination of your skin comes before any product is named.
What a session involves
The visit starts with the consultation and an examination of your skin: its thickness, any active inflammation, which areas concern you and what you have had done before. The doctor then explains which formulation they would use, roughly how much and on which areas, and confirms it with you.
Before the injections the skin is cleansed, and a numbing cream is often applied. Rejuran is then injected into the dermis through a fine needle at many small points across the treated area. Many people find it more uncomfortable than they expect. PharmaResearch itself notes that PN's high molecular weight and thick consistency can cause pain during injection, which is why it developed the version with lidocaine. The clinic's Korean page lists numbing cream, the lidocaine-containing version and, in some cases, sedation as options. Which of these suits you is part of the consultation.
Rejuran is often combined with other treatments on the same day. The clinic's Korean page notes that when it is paired with an energy-based lifting treatment, the lifting treatment usually comes first and the Rejuran injections follow. Whether combining makes sense for your skin is the doctor's judgement, and it is worth asking how the combination changes the recovery for your trip.
How sessions are spaced
Rejuran is planned as a course rather than one session. Beauty Story's position is simple: the number of sessions and the interval between them are individual, and your doctor plans them at the consultation based on your skin.
For context, published research gives a starting point. The 2024 review describes standard practice in Korea as three to four sessions spaced three to four weeks apart, and the clinic's Korean page describes a first course followed by maintenance at longer intervals. That figure describes a common pattern, not a schedule set in advance for you. Your doctor plans the number and spacing of sessions, and may suggest fewer sessions, a different gap or a pause, depending on how your skin responds.
For a visitor, this has a practical side. A course spaced weeks apart rarely fits inside one short trip. Before you start, ask the doctor how they would plan around your travel: whether a first session during this visit is worthwhile on its own, how a second visit would be timed, and who to contact about your skin once you are home. When to lengthen the gap, and when stopping is the right answer, is covered in our article on how often skin boosters make sense, linked above.
The first few days: bumps, redness and aftercare
The most visible after-effect is a pattern of small raised bumps at the injection points. The gel sits in the skin as tiny deposits, and the bumps are those deposits before they spread and absorb. Beauty Story's treatment information notes that small raised injection marks, tenderness, bruising or swelling may occur. The marks usually settle within a few days, and bruising or redness can last a little longer. Everyone's skin is different, and the areas treated and the amount used both affect this.
The clinic's Korean page also gives plain aftercare guidance, which your doctor will confirm or adjust for you:
- Washing. Avoid washing the treated area with water for the first several hours. Gentle cleansing and light makeup are usually possible from the next day, as long as the bumps and marks are left alone.
- Heat and exertion. Avoid alcohol, saunas and hard exercise for several days.
- Touch. Do not rub or press the treated area.
- Problems. If something feels wrong after treatment, contact the clinic.
For visitors, the timing matters more than the bumps themselves. Avoid having Rejuran on the morning of a flight or right before an event where you will be photographed, and leave a few days if you can. The face you see on the first evening is not the result.
Where Rejuran fits in a slow-aging plan
Beauty Story's approach to aging is slow by design. The aim is to look after the face you have rather than change it, and to do as little as works. Rejuran fits that approach in a specific way. It does not alter shape, it works on the condition of the skin, and its effect builds gradually. When it is the right material, it is a quiet step that other people are unlikely to notice as a "treatment". When it is not, the right answer may be a different treatment, or nothing for now.
These questions tell you more than the product name does:
- Is my concern the skin itself, or laxity or volume underneath it?
- Which Rejuran formulation would you use, and why that one?
- How many sessions do you expect, how far apart, and how does that fit my travel dates?
- What will my skin look like tomorrow and the day after, and when can I fly?
A clear, specific answer to each is a good sign. Beauty Story offers Rejuran alongside hyaluronic-acid fillers, collagen stimulators and lifting treatments, and the choice is made after the examination. The clinic is on the fifth floor of the KM Building at 562 Gangnam-daero, a minute's walk from Nonhyeon Station Exit 9, and offers English and Chinese-language consultation support.
Beauty Story Clinic (예쁜얼굴의원) is a slow-aging lifting clinic near Nonhyeon Station, Gangnam, led by a female doctor. This article was written from Beauty Story Clinic's published information and the doctors' explanations. It is general information, not a diagnosis or a treatment recommendation for any individual. Individual results vary.