Does Rejuran (PDRN Injection) Actually Work? A Review of the Evidence and Studies

Key summary. Rejuran is a procedure that injects DNA fragments (PDRN) extracted from salmon testes into the skin to support regeneration. In Korea, a product called Rejuran HB Plus received Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approval under license number Jeheo 21-629 like. According to a systematic review that examined this ingredient across a total of 183 participants, the effect varied completely depending on "what it was used for."

When used to treat pressure sores or wounds after skin grafts, the effect was clear — wounds healed faster and infection rates decreased. However, for cosmetic purposes such as improving fine wrinkles, the evidence was not nearly as conclusive (see the specific figures in table 2 below).

A point worth noting here.

Why is the evidence weaker for cosmetic uses? Most studies conducted for this purpose had all participants already receiving PDRN, and only compared different injection methods or product types — they never compared "with PDRN" versus "without PDRN" from the start. To use an analogy: to find out whether coffee is good for you, you'd need to compare people who drink coffee with people who don't. But these studies instead took a group who all already drink coffee and only compared "hot coffee versus iced coffee." So this level of evidence isn't enough to say with confidence that "the PDRN ingredient itself is effective" (you can check which study compared what in section 2-1 below).

What this article covers

• Comparison criteria: ingredient/mechanism (PDRN/PN) · differing degrees of effectiveness by area (cosmetic use vs. scars vs. wound healing) · limitations of study design · domestic approval status · reported adverse reactions
• Caution: the claim that "since it's a regenerative ingredient, it must be equally powerful for both wound healing and cosmetic use" does not precisely match the conclusion of this systematic review

Key points

1. Definition: PDRN is a DNA fragment extracted from salmon testes. It is known to stimulate cells in the body to grow new blood vessels and to activate the cells that produce collagen, which supports the skin.
2. For whom: it is commonly used cosmetically by people who want to improve fine wrinkles and skin texture. However, the area where this ingredient showed the clearest effect was not cosmetic use, but rather treating pressure sores or wounds after skin grafts.
3. Steps to check: ① confirm the product name and whether it has formal approval → ② determine whether the study examined "the effect of the ingredient itself" or merely "compared injection methods" → ③ check the reliability of the study (presence of a comparison group, number of participants) → ④ confirm the qualifications of the medical staff actually performing the procedure.

01What exactly is Rejuran made of?

PDRN is described as sending signals to cells that cause new blood vessels to grow, calm inflammatory responses, and activate the cells that produce skin-supporting substances like collagen (fibroblasts) (the formal name of the pathway through which cells receive this signal is listed in the "Terminology" section below). The formal name of the domestically approved product mentioned above is Rejuran HB Plus by Pharma Research Co., which is an enhanced version of the base ingredient (PN) with added hyaluronic acid and lidocaine.

02What level of effect has been confirmed in studies?

The table above was compiled on 2026-09-19 by directly reading the original sources; it is not a single pooled statistic combining the 7 studies, but rather a listing of each study's results as reported. It is also worth examining why the degree of effectiveness differs so much by area — the physicians themselves stated that they observed "a tendency for the treatment effect to grow larger as you move from cosmetic use to scars to wound healing." In wound areas, inflammatory and regenerative responses are already actively occurring, so adding PDRN stimulation on top of that makes the effect more visible. In contrast, skin that has gradually sagged with age shows these responses more slowly to begin with, which may mean the effect takes longer to become visible.### 2-1. A Closer Look at the 4 Cosmetic Skin Studies

All 4 studies below were conducted for cosmetic purposes such as fine wrinkles and skin texture, but only 1 of them actually compared "with PDRN" versus "without PDRN" directly. The remaining 3 assumed PDRN use as a given and compared only the method or product used. Here they are one by one:

• PDRN vs. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) comparison (24 patients): In the group that received microneedling with PDRN mixed in, the wrinkle score (Lemperle scale, lower is better) decreased by 57%, from 2.33 to 1.00, within 6 weeks. This was a greater improvement than in the group that received PRP alone (2.33→1.50), and the difference was unlikely to be due to chance (p=0.021 — see the "Terminology" section below for what a p-value means). However, the degree of improvement in pigmentation was similar between the two groups.
• RFMN (radiofrequency microneedling) alone vs. RFMN+PN (29 patients, 6 months): The group with PN added showed faster improvement in wrinkle "depression" at 2 months (p=0.006), but there was no significant difference in wrinkle "depth" itself between the two groups. At 6 months, both groups improved to a similar degree (82% showed 25% or more improvement).
• Injection method comparison (needle vs. needle-free, 10 patients): This study compared the injection method (needle vs. needle-free jet injection) rather than the PDRN ingredient itself. The needle-free method caused less pain (VAS 2.9 vs. 5.4) and had higher satisfaction (p=0.019).
• Formulation comparison (ionization-adjusted vs. conventional filler, 15 patients): Again, this compared formulations rather than the presence or absence of PDRN. The ionization-adjusted formulation caused less pain (p<0.005), but the wrinkle-improvement effect itself did not differ from the conventional formulation.

In short, among the 4 cosmetic skin studies, only the RFMN study directly compared "with PDRN" versus "without PDRN." The remaining 3 studies started from the premise that PDRN/PN was already being used, and instead compared "which ingredient it's compared against," "how it's injected," and "which formulation is used."

03How Severe Were the Reported Adverse Events?

Among the 7 studies (183 patients) synthesized in this literature review, no serious treatment-related adverse events were reported, but the type and frequency of local reactions observed varied by area.

For cosmetic purposes (the 3 studies comparing injection method and formulation), erythema after the procedure was common — reported in 60% of the group injected using the conventional method and 40% of the group injected using the improved method, while the embossing method showed 56.7% and 13.3%, respectively. However, this erythema was mild and transient, and no infection, prolonged erythema, pigmentation changes, or scarring were reported.

In the study of 42 patients conducted to prevent surgical scarring, the physicians directly reported that there were no adverse events such as infection, post-procedure pigmentation, or scarring at all.

In the wound-healing (skin graft donor site) study as well, there were no adverse reactions to the PDRN ointment or its other ingredients — but it should be noted that this study used an ointment applied to the skin rather than an injection, which is a different formulation from the actual injectable form used in Rejuran.

The physicians themselves stated that "although no serious treatment-related adverse events occurred, the small sample sizes and short follow-up periods limit the interpretation of the safety results," since each individual study, with only about 10 to 40 participants, inherently has limited power to detect uncommon side effects. While they assessed that most reported adverse events were "mild, transient, and localized to the treatment site," they added that larger-scale studies are needed to confirm rare adverse events and long-term safety. However, the paper itself did not explicitly describe specific allergies or contraindicated populations (e.g., pregnant or breastfeeding women, patients on anticoagulants, those with fish protein allergies), and this check also could not locate the original contraindications text from the domestic product's package insert.

04Items to Check Before the Procedure| Check item | Why it matters | How to check |

05Choosing by condition

• Concerned about post-surgical scarring → The evidence for scar prevention (a 42-person RCT) is relatively solid, so confirm this during consultation
• Goal is improving fine lines and skin texture → The direction is positive, but keep in mind the degree of improvement is small, and discuss this during consultation
• Goal is treating wounds, pressure ulcers, etc. → This is the area with the clearest evidence for this class of ingredient, but note that indications and approval may differ from cosmetic-purpose products like Rejuran
• Pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking anticoagulants → Neither this review nor the domestic approval information search confirmed whether this is a contraindication, so you must check directly with your treating physician before the procedure

06Common misconceptions

"Since it's a regenerative ingredient, it must be equally powerful for wound healing and for cosmetic skin improvement" — The review found a pattern closer to the opposite. The area with the clearest effect was wound healing, while in the cosmetic/dermatologic area the direction was positive but the degree of improvement was relatively small.

"These studies prove the standalone effect of Rejuran (PDRN)" — Of the 4 dermatologic studies, 3 compared injection method or formulation under the premise that PDRN was already being used, rather than comparing against a "control group without PDRN." "A study exists" and "that study proves the effect of the ingredient itself" are different claims.

"All 7 studies are equally reliable" — In the risk-of-bias assessment, 3 of the 7 studies were rated "low," another 3 were rated "some concerns," and the remaining 1 (a skin graft donor site study) was rated "high" due to lack of blinding and manufacturer sponsorship. In other words, these are different studies split across three tiers.

07In summary

When checking the evidence for Rejuran (PDRN)-class ingredients, don't lump everything together under the label "regenerative ingredient" — first distinguish which area the study covers (wound healing, scarring, or cosmetic dermatology) and whether the study compared presence versus absence of the ingredient, or only compared delivery method or formulation. Based on this review, the effect was clearest for wound healing, while for cosmetic dermatology the direction was positive but the degree of improvement was small, and the comparison designs themselves were limited. In consultation, checking two things — whether the product has domestic approval, and exactly what the evidence you're shown actually compared — is a practical next step. If you're curious about other regenerative/volumizing injectables in the same class, the Juvelook article may also be worth reading.

08Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of ingredient is Rejuran (PDRN)?

It is a DNA fragment (PDRN) purified from sources such as salmon sperm — it is described as stimulating cell receptors to promote new blood vessel growth and collagen production. That said, it's also worth knowing that the area where this ingredient showed the clearest effect was wound healing, not cosmetic dermatology.

Is Rejuran effective for improving wrinkles?

It has been reported to have some effect, but the degree was not as large as in the wound-healing area — moreover, 3 of the 4 studies compared injection method or formulation rather than presence versus absence of PDRN. In other words, keep in mind that only 1 of these studies directly demonstrated "the effect of the ingredient itself."

Does Rejuran have domestic approval?

Yes — Rejuran HB plus is confirmed as officially approved under Jeheo 21-629 ho via the MFDS UDI lookup. However, for a different formulation or generation, you should directly confirm the product name being used for your procedure.### Are all the Rejuran studies reliable?

No. 1 out of 7 studies lacked blinding and even had manufacturer sponsorship, so its risk of bias was rated "high," and most of the rest were small studies with only 10 to 42 participants, so it's worth reviewing the evidence level together with your doctor.

Does Rejuran have side effects?

No serious side effects have been reported, but that doesn't mean it's entirely safe — based on this literature review (7 studies, 183 participants), there were no serious treatment-related adverse events, but mild, temporary local reactions such as erythema after the procedure were reported in about 40–60% of cases depending on the formulation. Since the doctors themselves noted that the small sample sizes and short follow-up periods limit safety interpretation, this research cannot rule out rare side effects, and contraindications such as pregnancy/breastfeeding, anticoagulant use, or fish protein allergy were not addressed in this review, so you should check directly with the clinic performing the procedure.

09Pre-consultation checklist

• □ I confirmed the product name being used and whether it is approved in Korea
• □ I confirmed whether the evidence presented compares ingredient effects or compares methods/formulations
• □ I took the study size and risk-of-bias level into account
• □ I checked the reported adverse events (such as erythema) and their frequency
• □ I directly asked the medical staff whether I have any contraindications, such as pregnancy/breastfeeding, anticoagulant use, or allergies
• □ I confirmed the qualifications of the medical staff who will actually perform the procedure
• □ I treated definitive claims like "it's powerful because it's a regenerative ingredient" as a warning sign

10Glossary

• PDRN: Purified DNA fragments extracted from sources such as salmon testes. The main ingredient in Rejuran.
• Adenosine A2A receptor: A switch-like structure on the cell surface. PDRN stimulates this switch to trigger a regenerative response.
• Fibroblast: Cells within the skin that produce collagen.
• Randomized controlled trial (RCT): A relatively reliable type of study that randomly divides participants into groups for comparison.
• P-value: A number indicating the likelihood that the difference between two groups occurred purely by chance. A value below 0.05 is generally considered "unlikely to be due to chance (statistically significant)."
• Risk of bias: The degree to which flaws in a study's design make its results difficult to trust at face value.
• UDI: A unique identification number assigned to each medical device by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Used to confirm whether a device has received formal approval.

11Sources and verification date

• PMC13453133 — verified 2026-09-19. Systematic review of RCTs on PN/PDRN, 7 studies, 183 participants (skin aesthetics 4, scarring 1, wound healing 2). States no conflicts of interest or funding support.
• Ministry of Food and Drug Safety medical device UDI lookup — Rejuran HB plus Approval No. 21-629, verified 2026-09-19, checked directly via the official database (lookup page)
• The above research is intended as reference material for understanding the ingredient's mechanism and evidence status, and does not guarantee any specific clinic, practitioner, or outcome.

12Editorial responsibility and interests

• Written by: Korea Beauty Report editorial team · Editorial responsibility: Korea Beauty Report editorial team
• Review scope: The editorial team prepared this content from published research and public data. It was not separately reviewed by a medical professional and does not replace individual diagnosis or treatment.
• Conflicts of interest: No contracted or advertising relationship with any clinic in this article
• First published: 2026-09-21 · Sources last verified: 2026-09-21