Key summary Rejuran is a procedure that injects a DNA fragment-derived ingredient purified from salmon into the skin to target fine lines and skin texture improvement. In wound-healing research, effects on recovery speed and infection reduction were relatively clear, but cosmetic skin research mostly compared only injection methods or products among people who received Rejuran, making it difficult to confirm the effect of the ingredient itself. Improvement possibilities for skin texture and fine lines have been confirmed, but current research alone cannot determine how much change occurs for whom.
01 How does Rejuran work on the skin?
PDRN is explained to send regeneration signals to skin cells to help new blood vessels grow and inflammation subside, while also stimulating cells that produce collagen. Rejuran HB plus, confirmed as approved domestically, is a product that adds hyaluronic acid, which draws moisture, and lidocaine, which reduces pain, to PDRN, and is registered as permission 21-629 number.
02 Did fine lines and skin texture actually improve that much?
| Application Area | Number of Studies, Participants | Confirmed Findings |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic skin (wrinkles, pigmentation) | 4 papers (78 participants) | Most participants improved, but among these, 3 papers were studies comparing injection methods and formulations only, not "presence or absence of PDRN," making it difficult to confirm whether the effect is from the ingredient itself (see section 2-1 below) |
| Surgical scar prevention | 1 paper (42 participants) | The PDRN group significantly improved compared to the control group in scar scale (VSS) (at week 16: 2.09 vs 4.01) |
| Wound healing (pressure ulcers, skin graft donor sites) | 2 papers (23 participants, 40 participants) | The most distinct effect in this literature review, with significant differences in re-epithelialization speed and infection rate |
In the table, cosmetic skin and wound treatment should not be viewed as having the same effects. In wound treatment, differences in recovery speed and infection rate were relatively clear compared to the untreated side, but cosmetic skin research often compared injection methods and formulations under conditions where PDRN was already being used. Although there were cases of improvement in fine lines and skin texture, it was difficult to separate whether those changes came from the PDRN ingredient itself.
2-1. Looking at 4 cosmetic skin research papers in detail
Among the 4 cosmetic skin research papers, there was only 1 paper that directly compared the group with PDRN added to the group without it added. The rest were studies comparing other ingredients or changing injection methods and formulations, so they do not directly answer the question about the effect of Rejuran itself.
- PDRN and PRP comparison, 24 participants: Both groups improved in wrinkles, and the group using PDRN had greater reduction in wrinkle score, but pigmentation improvement was similar.
- Radiofrequency microneedling alone versus PDRN addition comparison, 29 participants: The group with PDRN added improved faster initially, but after 6 months the two groups were similar.
- Needle injection versus needle-free injection comparison, 10 participants: The needle-free method was less painful and had higher satisfaction, but it was not a study comparing the effect of the ingredient itself.
- Two formulation comparison, 15 participants: The new formulation was less painful, but there was no difference in wrinkle improvement.
03 How Much Pain and Side Effects Are There?
In cosmetic skin research, redness at the injection site was reported at a level of 40~60%, and most were mild and temporary. Persistent redness, pigmentation changes, or scars were not reported, and even combining 7 papers and 183 participants, there were no serious treatment-related adverse reactions.
Since participants were small at 10~42 per study and follow-up periods were short, we cannot conclude that there are no rare or late-appearing side effects. Contraindications such as pregnancy and breastfeeding, anticoagulant use, and fish protein allergies were not confirmed in the papers and domestic labeling, so individual confirmation is needed.
04 What Should Be Confirmed Before the Procedure?
| Verification Item | Why to Check | How to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Product name and domestic approval status | Approval may differ by brand and formulation (such as HB plus) | Verify the actual product name and approval number used |
| Whether the evidence is "component effect" or "method comparison" | Most skin care research compared injection methods or formulations | Verify what type of comparison the provided material shows |
| Research size and design | 7 of all 10~42 participants were small-scale, and one study was rated as "high risk of bias" (no blinding + manufacturer funding) | Ask "How many participants and what design did this study use?" |
| Contraindications and precautions | This literature review does not describe contraindications, so individual verification is needed | Ask the treatment facility directly about pregnancy, breastfeeding, anticoagulant use, fish protein allergy, etc. |
| Physician qualifications | Board certification status and experience | Hospital information + publicly available health review data |
05 How does the evidence differ depending on the purpose?
If you want minor fine line and skin texture improvements, you can consider Rejuran, but the aesthetic evidence is limited in scale and there are few studies isolating the component's effect alone. While the effect was more pronounced in wound or bedsore treatment, the purpose of use and formulation differ from cosmetic injections, so direct comparison is not appropriate. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking anticoagulants, or have a fish protein allergy, this material does not confirm contraindications, so you must discuss this directly with your medical team before treatment.
06 Common misconceptions
A regenerative component does not produce the same effect in skin care and wound treatment. In the reviewed studies, wound healing effects were most pronounced and skin care changes were relatively modest.
The mere existence of research does not validate the Rejuran component itself. Among 4 studies in skin care research, 3 were not studies comparing people who received the component to those who did not, but rather studies comparing injection methods or products.
The reliability of 7 studies was not equal. Three had low risk of bias, three had concerns, and one with both manufacturer funding and lack of blinding was rated as having high risk of bias.
07 In summary
Conclusion: Rejuran can be considered when you expect minor fine line and skin texture improvement, but current skin care research alone makes it difficult to confirm the component's own effect and the magnitude of change. You should also examine the product's official name and approval number, the actual injection method used, and whether the presented research compared the component's presence or absence, and differences from other regenerative injections can be further verified in Juvelook.
08 Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rejuran (PDRN)?
It is a DNA fragment-based component refined from salmon. It is described as sending regenerative signals to skin cells and contributing to new blood vessel and collagen formation, and in studies it showed more pronounced effects in wound healing than in skin care.
Is Rejuran effective for wrinkle improvement?
There were results showing improved fine lines and skin texture, but the evidence is not strong enough to confirm the magnitude of change. Among 4 skin care studies, only 1 directly compared groups with and without added PDRN, while the rest compared injection methods or formulations.
Is Rejuran an approved product domestically?
Rejuran HB plus is confirmed as approved with Approval 21-629 in the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety UDI search. If the product and formulation change, the same approval cannot be assumed, so you should verify the actual product name used.
Are all Rejuran studies trustworthy?
Not all studies are at the same level. One of 7 studies had no blinding and received manufacturer funding, so it was rated as having high risk of bias, and most were 10~42 participants in scale, making it difficult to apply results broadly.
Does Rejuran have side effects?
Redness at the injection site was reported at 40~60% depending on the formulation and was mostly mild and temporary. In 7, 183 participants, no serious treatment-related adverse events were reported, but the small research scale means rare side effects cannot be ruled out. Contraindications regarding pregnancy, breastfeeding, anticoagulant use, and fish protein allergy could not be confirmed from the original text in this material.
09 Pre-consultation checklist
- □ I confirmed the product name for the procedure and whether it has domestic approval
- □ I checked whether the evidence presented compares ingredient effects or compares methods and formulations
- □ I considered the study size and level of risk bias
- □ I confirmed reported adverse reactions (such as erythema) and their frequency of occurrence
- □ I directly confirmed with medical staff whether I have any contraindications such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, anticoagulant use, or allergies
- □ I confirmed the identity and qualifications of the medical professional actually performing the procedure
- □ I regarded definitive explanations such as "regenerative ingredient, so it's powerful" as warning signs
10 Terminology
- PDRN: Pure DNA fragments extracted from salmon milt and similar sources. It is the main component of Rejuran.
- Adenosine A2A receptor: A switch-like structure on the cell surface. PDRN stimulates this switch to trigger regenerative responses.
- Fibroblasts: Cells in the skin that produce collagen.
- Randomized controlled trial (RCT): A research method with relatively high reliability that compares outcomes by randomly dividing participants.
- P-value: A number indicating the probability that the difference between two groups occurred purely by chance. When typically less than 0.05, it is considered "unlikely to be due to chance (statistically significant)".
- Risk of bias: The degree to which flaws in research design make it difficult to trust results as reported.
- UDI: A unique identification number assigned by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to each medical device. It is used to verify whether formal approval has been obtained.
11 Sources and Verification Date
- PMC13453133, verified 2026-09-19. Systematic review of PN and PDRN randomized trials, 7 articles, 183 studies (skin beauty 4, scars 1, wound healing 2). Explicitly states no conflicts of interest or research funding support.
- Ministry of Food and Drug Safety medical device UDI query, Rejuran HB plus
Permit No. 21-629, 2026-09-19 verified, direct query of official database (query page) - The above research is reference material for understanding ingredient mechanisms and evidence status, and does not guarantee specific hospitals, practitioners, or results.
12 Editorial Responsibility and Conflicts of Interest
- 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-related hospitals in this article
- First published: 2026-09-21, final material verification: 2026-09-21