Does Rejuran Healer have to be done by manual (hand) injection? Differences by injection method and how to reduce pain

How does Rejuran Healer change the skin?

Rejuran Healer is an injection that restores the environment inside the skin so it can regain texture and firmness on its own. Its main ingredient, PN, is made by breaking down and purifying DNA from salmonid fish. In the dermis, it creates conditions that help fibroblasts work and supports the recovery of damaged tissue.

Rejuran Healer does not fill empty space or change shape the way filler does. Changes appear over several weeks rather than right after the injection: the skin looks less dull and the texture becomes finer. With repeated sessions, skin thickness and firmness improve little by little.

Hyaluronic acid-only hydration shots mainly give temporary moisture. Rejuran Healer focuses more on strengthening the skin's foundation. That is also why products combining the two exist.

Who is it right for, and when is another treatment better?

Rejuran Healer suits people with thin skin that dries out easily, more fine lines around the eyes and cheeks, enlarged pores together with rough texture, or skin that has become sensitive after repeated lasers or irritation. It is also used between laser sessions to support skin recovery.

On the other hand, volume loss such as nasolabial folds or hollows under the eyes, or dark circles that come from several causes at once, such as thin skin, visible blood vessels and pigmentation, are hard to resolve with Rejuran Healer or Rejuran Eye alone. Areas that have lost volume suit filler or collagen injections, and if sagging along the jawline is the main issue, lifting comes first. Think of Rejuran Healer as a way to raise skin quality alongside these treatments.

If you are allergic to fish or salmon, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have inflammation, active acne, or herpes at the injection site, we postpone the treatment or discuss alternatives. If you take blood thinners, please tell us in advance, since bruising is more likely.

Why do bumps form, and how long do they last?

The bumps (often called embossing) are small raised marks that form when Rejuran Healer is placed into the shallow dermis with a needle. The skin rises by the volume the product takes up. They can be seen as a sign that the product stayed in the shallow layer instead of going too deep, but larger, more distinct bumps do not mean a better effect.

Rejuran Healer acts mainly around the spot where it is placed, so what shapes the result is not the size of the bumps but whether depth and spacing stay even. Dermal thickness on the face varies more than twofold, from just over 0.5mm under the eyes to around 1.2mm at the temples and outer cheeks, so the depth has to be set differently for each area [5].

The bumps are usually absorbed and flatten within a few hours to a day. In thin or sensitive skin they may stay for about two days, and any red dots or small bruises at needle sites fade within a few days to a week. If you have an important event, we suggest leaving at least a week.

Manual injection, X-Injector, or cannula: which is better?

It is hard to say one injection method is always better; the right choice depends on the treatment goal. You often hear that manual injection is far superior no matter what, but Serene Clinic offers both manual injection and X-Injector treatment, and in practice many patients choose the X-Injector.

The strength of manual injection lies less in the product itself than in the physical stimulus the needle creates. When the needle tip makes tiny tears in the dermis, fibroblasts sense the mechanical stimulus and turn it into wound-healing signals. This is called mechanotransduction [1]. Research on microneedling has repeatedly confirmed that new collagen and elastic fibers form after such tiny injuries [2]. So in places like depressed acne scars, where dermal regeneration needs to be drawn out as much as possible, placing PN by manual injection makes sense. A small randomized study comparing PN with placebo also found improvement in atrophic acne scars after PN injection [3].

On the other hand, when the goal is to lift overall skin condition, such as inner dryness, recovery of a sensitized skin barrier, or general texture and firmness, the difference between injection methods is not very large. In a study that delivered the same skin booster by manual injection, by a blunt-tipped cannula, and by a multi-needle injector, improvements in elasticity, firmness, and hydration were similar for all three, and the cannula caused less pain and bruising [4]. That said, this was a small study using a hyaluronic acid skin booster, not Rejuran, in 15 people, and it was sponsored by the manufacturer, which should be kept in mind.

The X-Injector is an injection-assist device that delivers the product at a set depth and amount and eases pain during injection with a cooling function. It is also designed so that less product leaks out of the skin. There is also an ultrasound study showing that injection depth stayed even when PN was delivered with an automatic injector [5]. If you are worried about pain or want to improve the condition of the whole face, we recommend the X-Injector; if the goal is regeneration of scarred areas, we recommend manual injection. We sometimes combine the two methods by area.

How painful is Rejuran Healer, and how can the pain be reduced?

Rejuran Healer involves hundreds of needle passes across the face, so there is a stinging pain. You may also feel pressure as the product lifts the skin, and sensitive areas such as the forehead, under the eyes, and around the mouth tend to hurt more.

The most basic step is to apply plenty of numbing cream and give it enough time to absorb. Starting right after applying it only numbs the surface, so it works less well.

The injection method also changes pain a great deal. The X-Injector cools the skin while injecting, which reduces the stinging. A cannula makes fewer entry holes in the skin, so there is less pain and bruising [4]. For areas that need manual injection, such as scar treatment, the burden can be reduced by narrowing the area and placing only that part by hand.

Product choice also matters. Rejuran HB Plus combines PN with hyaluronic acid and lidocaine, a local anesthetic, and is designed to hurt less during injection than standard Rejuran Healer. It also helps to avoid times when you are more sensitive to pain, such as just before your period. If it hurts, please tell us rather than enduring it. We can pause or change the order.

How do Rejuran Healer, HB Plus, and Rejuran Eye differ?

All three are PN-based products from the same line, but they differ in ingredients and in where they are used. We choose based on skin condition, pain sensitivity, and the area of concern.

• Rejuran Healer: a PN-only product, the standard choice for texture, fine lines, and firmness across the whole face.
• Rejuran HB Plus: adds hyaluronic acid and lidocaine to PN for extra hydration and less pain during injection. It suits people with marked dryness or concerns about pain.
• Rejuran Eye: made for thin, sensitive skin like the eye area, used for fine lines under the eyes and thinning skin around the eyes.

How many sessions, how often, and when will I see a change?

Rejuran Healer is often done as a course of 3–4 sessions, 2–4 weeks apart. Even one session can make texture feel smoother, but changes to the skin's foundation are clearer after several sessions build up.

Many people first notice, 1–2 weeks after the bumps settle, that their skin feels less tight and makeup sits better. Changes in firmness and fine lines appear slowly over 1–3 months, and how much and when you notice them varies widely.

After the initial course, maintenance sessions are done every few months depending on skin condition. Age, sun exposure, and habits such as sleep and smoking affect how long results last.

What should I watch for afterward, and what are the side effects?

Common reactions are bumps, needle marks, redness, and mild swelling and bruising. Most settle on their own, but rarely a small lump may be felt at the injection site for a long time, or infection or an allergic reaction may occur. If redness and warmth keep getting worse or you see pus, please contact us right away.

• Avoid washing your face and wearing makeup on the day of treatment, and wash gently with mild products from the next day.
• Avoid alcohol, saunas, and heavy sweating exercise for 2–3 days.
• Do not rub or massage the treated area hard, and skip scrubs and exfoliants for about a week.
• Apply sunscreen and moisturizer more carefully than usual.

Prices (as of the October 2026 menu)

The amount and product you need depend on facial area and skin condition, so we will advise you after a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

References

1. Kuehlmann B, Bonham CA, Zucal I, et al. Mechanotransduction in Wound Healing and Fibrosis. J Clin Med. 2020;9(5):1423.
2. Tehrani L, Tashjian M, Mayrovitz HN. Physiological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications of Microneedling: A Narrative Review. Cureus. 2025;17(3):e80510.
3. Araco A, Araco F. Preliminary Prospective and Randomized Study of Highly Purified Polynucleotide vs Placebo in Treatment of Moderate to Severe Acne Scars. Aesthet Surg J. 2021;41(7):NP866-NP874.
4. Booysen K, Lin F. Facial Skin Revitalization With CPM-HA20G (Hyaluronic Acid + Glycerol): A Comparative Case Series Using Three Delivery Techniques With Ultrasound Confirmation. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2026;25(1):e70660.
5. Kim JS, Atchima S. Analysis of Dermal Thickness Across 10 Areas and Injection Depth After Polynucleotide Injection Using Rejumate Automatic 0.8-mm 9-pin Injector on the Face Using 33-MHz Sonography. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2025;13(9):e7121.