Four weeks after our Rejuran treatments in Seoul, André and I had one main takeaway: we would not do it again. The results were mild at best, and the process itself was brutal. Despite a thick layer of numbing lidocaine cream worn for 30 minutes beforehand, every one of the roughly 700 injections stung sharply, especially through the cheeks and forehead. It is a strange balance between numbness and pain. You cannot feel your face until the needle hits, and then you feel everything.

The procedure took about ten minutes, though it felt twice as long. We avoided the beard areas to prevent folliculitis, but otherwise covered most of the face including the forehead, eyes, and cheeks. Dr. Ethan Hwang and his team were excellent and meticulous, but nothing could make those minutes pleasant. I have had a hair transplant, PRP, and regular Botox, and this was still the most painful aesthetic experience of my life. André agreed. You can see in the footage that we both tried to stay composed, but we were miserable.

Immediately after (and as expected) our faces were swollen and dotted with tiny bumps like insect stings. I was 90 percent healed within a day, but André bruised and yellowed for nearly ten. His under-eyes and temples stayed discolored well into the second week. Both of us noticed faint improvements around week three, including slightly plumper texture and better hydration, but the changes were subtle enough to question whether they justified the ordeal.

That is the tricky thing about this treatment. If you already have a strong skincare routine, it is hard to see a meaningful difference. We both take good care of our skin, so whatever Rejuran did was incremental rather than transformational. It is marketed as a regenerative booster, but any glow we gained could just as easily have come from consistent exfoliation and well-formulated serums.

Then there is the maintenance. You are supposed to repeat Rejuran every few months to preserve results. At roughly $400 US dollars per session in Seoul, and with no legal access to the procedure in the United States, that is a steep and inconvenient commitment for something that fades within weeks. It is also not a “lunchtime procedure.” Between the swelling, bumps, and bruising, you are looking at a few days of downtime at minimum.

So, as far as the treatment itself goes, I would categorize it as a one-time curiosity rather than a repeat investment.

In the end, both of us walked away unimpressed. Rejuran did slightly refine our skin, but not enough to outweigh the pain, price, or hassle. For most people, especially those already consistent with active ingredients and hydration, it is simply unnecessary. There are easier, cheaper, and far more comfortable ways to keep your skin healthy and radiant.