Skin boosters
Does Rejuran injection hurt? Cost, reviews, methods, and when I suggest waiting
Rejuran pain is real but brief, and the product type and injection method change how it feels. The clinic lists 4 ways to have Rejuran, including Rejuran HB, listed as a low-pain type.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Jang Dong-hoon · Founder & Medical Director
Published · 9 min read
Does Rejuran injection hurt, and can your thin, easily flushed skin handle it in the middle of a short trip to Seoul?
Read this before you lock in your treatment date.
By the end you'll know where the pain comes from, which injection methods exist, what decides the cost, which review claims hold up, and when to wait. That lets you choose a Rejuran type and a plan that fit your skin and your budget.
Hello, I'm Dr. Jang Dong-hoon, Founder & Medical Director of THE Beautiful Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul.
At our clinic I consult, plan and treat myself. The consultation begins with a 3D scan of your skin, not with a price list. You can message us in English or Bahasa Indonesia.
I wrote this because many people choose a Rejuran type based only on pain stories from social media, and forget to ask whether their skin is in the right state to be injected at all.
So, does Rejuran injection hurt? For most people, yes. It feels like small, repeated pricks through the session, strongest on thin skin such as under the eyes, and numbing cream, the product type and the injection method can all reduce it.
If you have nearly fainted during an injection before, or your skin flares easily, send one daylight photo of your face on WhatsApp, mark the area you want treated, and ask one thing: which Rejuran type makes sense for skin like this. Your question then starts from your own face, not from someone else's review.
Why does a Rejuran injection hurt?
Rejuran contains polynucleotides (PN), DNA chains usually purified from salmon. The gel is injected shallowly into the dermis at many small points, so your skin is pricked many times in one session.
Most people feel two sensations. First, the needle prick at the surface. Second, a pressure or sting as the gel goes in and briefly stretches the skin, because PN is thicker than many other booster liquids. Topical numbing cream usually dulls the first sensation well, while the second is usually still felt.
The places on the face where a Rejuran injection hurts most are usually thin skin or skin close to bone: under the eyes, the forehead, the sides of the nose and the upper lip. Thicker cheek skin is generally easier to tolerate. Poor sleep and the tension after an overnight flight can also make you more sensitive to pain.
Injection methods and the Rejuran types we carry
Our treatment list includes Rejuran, Rejuran i for the eye area, Rejuran HB, which is listed as a low-pain type, and Rejuran delivered with Dermashine. The differences are mostly about the area and how the product enters the skin.
| Option | Effect on pain | What you can ask |
|---|---|---|
| Rejuran, manual injection | Many small pricks, gel pressure felt at each point | Which area of my face has the thinnest skin? |
| Rejuran HB | Listed as a low-pain type; pain is reduced, not removed | Does HB suit the area I want treated? |
| Rejuran i | For the eye area, where facial skin is thinnest | Does my under-eye area need this type? |
| Rejuran with Dermashine | Product split across many fine needles by an injector device | Does this method suit my area and skin? |
The sensible choice depends on the area and on how thin your skin looks on the 3D scan. Each type is described on our Rejuran treatment page. If you are still unsure whether Rejuran is what you need, the questions to ask about building collagen versus improving skin quality are worth raising in your first message.
Who should postpone a Rejuran injection?
Pain is rarely my reason to postpone. Your skin and your health are more often the reason. In general, a PN injection is better postponed if:
- there is inflamed acne, infection or an open wound in the area to be injected;
- you recently had a laser or peel in the same area and the skin has not settled;
- you are taking or recently took isotretinoin, or medicine that affects healing;
- you are pregnant or breastfeeding;
- you are allergic to fish or salmon, or have reacted to a PN or PDRN product before;
- you take blood thinners or bruise easily;
- you recently had filler in the same area.
If you recently had filler, take isotretinoin, or take medicine that affects healing, mention it in your first message.
Say you are in your early 30s, with thin cheek skin that flushes quickly, you nearly fainted during a blood draw once, there are two inflamed spots on your left cheek, and your flight home is two days after your visit. In that situation I would not inject around the inflamed spots. I would consider another area where the skin is calm, or suggest waiting until the acne settles. The fainting history is worth mentioning at the start, because being injected lying down is a common way to prevent fainting. For sensitive skin like this, Rejuran HB is worth discussing.
If any point above applies to you, write on WhatsApp the medicines you take and any skin treatments from the past month, along with your Seoul dates. That way you can ask from the start whether this visit is better used for Rejuran or postponed.
What do reviews say about the pain, and which claims are true?
On forums and TikTok, the claim that Rejuran is very painful often appears next to other claims. Here is how I read them, in general:
- “Rejuran hurts more than other boosters.” Partly true. Thick PN gel and the number of points make it feel stronger than some liquid boosters, but your area and skin matter more.
- “Numbing cream removes all the pain.” Not accurate. The cream dulls the surface prick; the pressure as the gel goes in is usually still felt.
- “Rejuran HB doesn't hurt at all.” Not accurate. A low-pain type means the pain is reduced.
- “Bumps after the injection mean it was done wrong.” Not true. Small bumps at each point are the product sitting in the skin and usually settle within a day to a few days.
- “The more it hurts, the better the result.” There is no medical basis for this.
A systematic review of polynucleotides in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology notes that reported side effects were generally mild and temporary. Many people also confuse Rejuran cream with the injection; the two are different products, and only the injection reaches the dermis.
Rejuran injection cost: what decides it?
The cost of Rejuran is not set by how much it hurts, but by a few things you can ask about one by one:
- The number of cc. Rejuran is counted per cc, and two areas usually need more product than one small area.
- The product type: Rejuran, Rejuran i for the eye area, or Rejuran HB.
- The injection method. For Rejuran with Dermashine, the cost is quoted at consultation.
- The number of sessions in a course, which can only be discussed after your skin is scanned.
- Any other treatment you want to combine in the same visit.
A per-cc breakdown is in our post on Rejuran price in Korea. For your own case, ask on WhatsApp what it would cost, with one photo of the area you want treated. You can also ask for the range first.
One consultation day in Seoul
Our clinic is on the 2nd floor of the Jinryeong Building on Gangnam-daero, a two-minute walk from Exit 5 of Nonhyeon Station (Sinbundang Line). We are open Monday to Thursday 10:30 to 19:30, Friday until 20:30 and Saturday until 16:30, and closed on Sundays and public holidays. Lunch break is 13:00 to 14:00, except on Saturdays.
Boosters such as Rejuran can often be done right after the consultation. Weekends and Friday evenings fill fastest, so let us know as soon as your dates are fixed. Come with a clean, makeup-free face if you can. The address and directions are also on THE Beautiful Clinic home page.
As for flying home, small Rejuran bumps generally do not stop you from flying. Many doctors suggest skipping makeup on the injection points for about a day, and avoiding sauna, hard exercise and alcohol for a day or two. Ask at your consultation when you can fly, given the area treated.
Risks, side effects, and if something comes up after you get home
Common, temporary reactions are tenderness, redness, swelling, small bumps at the injection points, and sometimes bruising. Most settle within a few days, while bruising can last about a week. How long each reaction usually lasts is in Rejuran side effects and how long they last.
Less common are bumps that last longer, infection at an injection point, or an allergic reaction, especially in people with a fish allergy. Each person's skin responds differently, and whether it suits you can only be judged at an in-person exam.
If, after you land in Jakarta or Surabaya, you notice spreading redness, heat, increasing pain, pus, fever, or swelling around the eyes, see a local doctor promptly. Bring a note of the product name and the treatment date; the CDC advises medical travelers to carry copies of their medical records and plan follow-up care before they leave. You can also send a photo to the clinic's WhatsApp, but since the clinic answers within 24 business hours, do not wait for a reply if things are getting worse quickly.
The first step is small: send one daylight photo of your face and your Seoul dates on WhatsApp, and ask whether Rejuran HB or another type makes more sense for your area. You can ask before booking anything, and when you are ready, you can schedule through the booking page. When you come, the consultation begins with a 3D skin scan, then I examine your skin and recommend a plan that fits, including a smaller plan if that is enough.
The short version
- Rejuran pain comes from the needle prick and the pressure of thick PN gel at many small points.
- Thin skin under the eyes and on the forehead usually hurts more than the cheeks.
- Rejuran HB is listed as a low-pain type: the pain is reduced, not removed.
- Inflamed acne, isotretinoin, pregnancy and fish allergy are common reasons to wait.
- Cost depends on cc amount, product type, injection method and number of sessions.
Questions patients ask
Does a Rejuran injection hurt under the eyes?
It usually feels stronger than on the cheeks because the skin under the eyes is thin. Rejuran i is made for the eye area; ask at your consultation whether that type or Rejuran HB suits you better.
How long does the pain last?
The pricks are felt only during the injection. Afterwards, what remains is usually mild tenderness and small bumps that generally settle within a day to a few days.
Can I ask for numbing cream?
Topical numbing cream is commonly used before PN injections to dull the surface prick. Ask at your consultation, and keep in mind that the pressure as the gel goes in is usually still felt.
Can I fly home the day after a Rejuran injection?
Small bumps generally do not stop you from flying. Mention your flight date at the consultation so the area and injection plan can be considered alongside it.
I'm allergic to fish. Can I still have Rejuran?
The PN in Rejuran usually comes from salmon DNA, so a fish allergy is a reason for caution or postponing. Mention the allergy in your first message.
Which languages can I use to contact the clinic?
You can message in English or Bahasa Indonesia. The clinic answers messages within 24 business hours.
Results and recovery vary between individuals, and every treatment can have side effects. Prices are from the clinic's price list and are confirmed at consultation. This article is general information, not a diagnosis.
Sources
About the author
Dr. Jang Dong-hoon
Founder & Medical Director
Founder and medical director of THE Beautiful Clinic in Nonhyeon, Gangnam. He sees every patient's skin analysis before a plan is drawn, and reviews every article on this blog against what the clinic actually does.
Credentials in full
