Re2O versus Rejuran: what is the difference?
Both are the “gentle” class with no foreign-body reaction, so they land in the same slot. Side by side, though, something bigger than the ingredient separates them: which gate each passed to reach the market.
The short answer
Re2O is an hADM booster that supplies collagen and elastin; Rejuran is a PN booster that builds a recovery environment with a water-holding mesh. Neither drives a foreign-body reaction, so both suit thin, sensitive skin. The biggest difference is the regulatory route. Rejuran is a medical device that needed a human trial for approval and passed a 70-person phase 3. Re2O is human tissue with no pre-market trial requirement; its 20-person study came after launch. Traceability, though, is tighter for human tissue. Efficacy verification is tighter for Rejuran, traceability for Re2O. Different things are guaranteed.
In one table
| Re2O (hADM) | Rejuran (PN) | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Supplies material | Builds recovery environment |
| Source | Extracellular matrix of donated human skin | PN purified from salmonid DNA |
| Legal status | Human tissue — tissue-bank licence | Medical device — human trial required |
| Pre-market trial required | No | Yes |
| Human data | 20 people, 20 weeks (post-launch, HA-alone control) | Phase 3, 70 analysed (pre-approval, randomised double-blind) |
| What it proved | A 20-person observation | “Not inferior to an HA product” |
| Traceability | Donor to distribution | Product lot |
| Sessions | No fixed protocol | Trial: three, two weeks apart |
| Reversible | Absorbed gradually | Degrades |
Which is the candidate
Re2O: skin so thin the material itself feels lacking; pores and density as the main concern; comfortable with the human-derived source.
Rejuran: you prefer a verified count and data; fine lines around eyes and mouth with dryness; happy with gradual change over a course.
Neither: hollow cheeks (filler), sagging contour (RF).
“Which has the higher molecular weight” is not a valid question
PN is a single polymer defined in kDa; hADM is a tissue fragment of many substances, so molecular weight is not defined for it. The meaningful number for hADM is how finely it is ground. If a comparison chart puts the two numbers side by side, that is not a comparison.
Which treatment fits which concern
| Concern | Treatments to consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Very thin skin needing material | Re2O | Supplies it |
| Eye and mouth fine lines, dryness | Rejuran | Environment plus hydration |
| Prefer verified count and data | Rejuran | Passed phase 3 |
| Density and pores without foreign-body reaction | Re2O | Supplies material |
| Hollow cheeks / sagging | Filler class / RF | Neither |
Which treatment is “best” is decided by the state of your skin right now, not by the product. In consultation we look first at what has been lost and what is still there, before we talk about any product name.
Frequently asked questions
Was Re2O never clinically tested?
There is a post-launch 20-person, 20-week study. It was not a trial passed for approval; human tissue had no such requirement.
Which is safer?
“Safe” means different things here. Efficacy verification is tighter for Rejuran; source traceability for Re2O. Neither drives a foreign-body reaction.
Can I have both?
Split by area or timing, yes. Both degrade or absorb, so they constrain later plans little.
Read next
If you want to go deeper
Product page
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Lee Chi-Hak, MD, medical director of Miso Clinic in Daegu, South Korea. Studies are cited with their size and limitations, and where we could not find data we say so. Individual decisions need an in-person examination; this page does not replace one.
| Medical director | Lee Chi-Hak, MD |
|---|---|
| Address | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea · Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station |
| Phone | +82-53-428-2700 |
| KakaoTalk | Miso Clinic channel |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 (lunch 13:00–14:00) / Saturday 10:00–16:00 / Closed Sundays and public holidays |
| Treatment guides | All guides |
| Comparisons | All comparisons |
| Columns | All clinical columns |
| Reference library | All booster and device references |
References
- Re2O manufacturer material (L&C Bio) — extracellular matrix from acellular human dermis (hADM), distributed as human tissue.
- Severance Hospital group, Int J Mol Sci 2026;27(5):2193, NCT07155278 — 20 people, 20 weeks, control was hyaluronic acid alone. Conducted after launch (November 2024).
- Korean Act on Safety and Management of Human Tissue — human tissue is distributed under tissue-bank licence with no pre-market clinical trial requirement.
- Rejuran approval phase 3 trial — J Korean Med Sci 2014;29(Suppl 3):S201–S209 (Seoul National University Bundang Hospital). 72 enrolled, 70 analysed, randomised, double-blind, split-face, control was a hyaluronic acid product. Three sessions two weeks apart, 12-week follow-up.
Everything on this page is general information and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Effects and side effects vary with individual skin condition, age and underlying illness, and the same result is not guaranteed for everyone. Any decision to proceed should be made in an in-person consultation with a physician.
← Comparisons · Clinical columns · Reference library · Miso Clinic home
한국어 · English