Skin Boosters in Korea (2026): Rejuran, Juvelook, Skinvive and Exosomes Compared, With Seoul Prices

Skin boosters in Korea are injections placed in or just under the skin to improve its texture, hydration or firmness, and Seoul clinics sell several quite different products under that one name. On the official price pages of six clinics in Seoul's Gangnam area that we checked between 28 October and 2 November 2026, with 10% VAT added, a 2cc session of Rejuran Healer cost about ₩185,900 to ₩297,000 (US$138 to US$221), 1cc of Skinvive ₩132,000 to ₩220,000 (US$98 to US$164) and Juvelook from about ₩54,000 a cc. Most boosters are sold as a series of sessions several weeks apart, and on a one-week trip that shapes the plan more than the price does.

What is a skin booster?

"Skin booster" is a menu term for injectables sold to improve the skin itself, and it covers products with very different ingredients. A 2024 review in Archives of Plastic Surgery describes skin boosters as injectables made of "various biological materials" that vary widely in composition, and sorts them by their main ingredient (Rho et al.).

The regulatory picture is just as mixed. The FDA files Skinvive under its dermal filler category, "implant, dermal, for aesthetic use" (FDA). Juvelook's maker, VAIM, calls it a Class III medical device (VAIM). Exosome products used in Korean clinics have been sold as cosmetics, which came up at the National Assembly's audit in 2022 (Medigate News). Two injections on the same menu page can sit in completely different categories, so ask what the product is, who makes it and what it's approved for.

These are the main types you'll see on Seoul menus.

Sources: PharmaResearch, VAIM, FDA, Medigate News, openFDA.

Rejuran, Juvelook, Skinvive and exosomes at a glance

Rejuran (polynucleotide)

Rejuran is made by PharmaResearch, a Korean company, and its main ingredient is polynucleotide (PN) taken from salmon germ cells (PharmaResearch). Rejuran Healer launched in Korea in 2014, and the MFDS approved Rejuran i for the eye area and Rejuran S for scars in 2016 (Daily Pharm). A search of the FDA's device approval database through openFDA on 2 November 2026 returned no Rejuran records, and neither did its clearance database (openFDA PMA; openFDA 510(k)).

Our Rejuran price guide covers the product range, pain, bumps, fish-allergy questions and how to check the box is genuine. The evidence is promising but thin. A systematic review of nine studies with 219 patients, all of low to moderate quality, found improvements in wrinkles, texture and elasticity with mostly mild, short-lived side effects (Lampridou et al.).

Juvelook and Juvelook Volume (PDLLA with hyaluronic acid)

Juvelook is made by VAIM, also a Korean company. VAIM describes it as PDLLA microspheres and non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid in a single formulation, meant to make the skin produce its own collagen over time (VAIM). The products differ mainly in how much is in the vial (VAIM):

• Juvelook: 42.5mg PDLLA and 7.5mg hyaluronic acid, used for texture, pores, acne scars and fine lines.
• Juvelook i: 25.5mg PDLLA and 4.5mg hyaluronic acid, for the eye area.
• Juvelook Volume: 170mg PDLLA and 30mg hyaluronic acid. VAIM lists it for sunken cheeks, hollow areas, skin laxity and deep wrinkles, and uses the name Lenisna for it outside Korea (VAIM).

VAIM says both Juvelook and Juvelook Volume are CE-marked Class III medical devices with medical device approval from Korea's MFDS (VAIM). That FAQ says nothing about the FDA.

If you see the FDA mentioned next to Juvelook, ask which product and which approval is meant. The FDA's approval (PMA) and clearance (510(k)) databases returned no records for Juvelook, for Lenisna or for VAIM as an applicant when we searched them through openFDA on 2 November 2026 (openFDA PMA; openFDA 510(k)). Don't confuse it with Sculptra, a poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) product that the FDA has approved for nasolabial folds and other facial wrinkles since 2009 and for cheek wrinkles since 2023 (openFDA). PLLA and PDLLA are different polymers, and the 2024 review notes they behave differently in the skin, so Sculptra's approval says nothing about Juvelook (Rho et al.).

Juvelook comes in a vial that the clinic mixes with saline or sterile water before injecting, and the amount of liquid varies. One 2026 study diluted each vial with 6mL of saline (Yi et al.), and the 2024 review describes a "super thin" protocol using 12 to 24mL (Rho et al.). So 1cc of Juvelook at one clinic may hold less product than 1cc at another, and per-cc prices are only a rough guide.

Skinvive (cross-linked hyaluronic acid)

Skinvive by Juvéderm is made by Allergan Aesthetics, part of AbbVie. It's a smooth hyaluronic acid gel with a small amount of lidocaine, injected as tiny droplets into the skin to smooth it and add hydration without adding volume (AbbVie, 2023).

Of Rejuran, Juvelook, Skinvive and the exosome products, only Skinvive has an FDA approval. The FDA approved it on 11 May 2023 to improve skin smoothness of the cheeks in adults over 21, and in a study of 209 people the effect lasted at least six months (FDA). On 11 June 2026 the FDA added a second indication, reducing neck lines (FDA), and Allergan said the neck treatment hasn't been studied in people with darker skin tones (AbbVie, 2026).

Allergan launched Skinvive in Korea in April 2024, its second market after North America and its first in Asia (Medigate News). Four of the six clinic price pages we checked listed it.

Exosome products

Exosomes are tiny vesicles released by cells, and clinics market them for skin repair, pores and acne. On the Seoul menus we checked, they were often sold together with microneedling or radiofrequency microneedling. On one menu, the product sold as an "exosome" vial was described as a blend of ten growth factors.

The FDA says there are currently no FDA-approved exosome products, and it issued its warning after reports of serious adverse events in Nebraska patients treated with unapproved exosome products (FDA). In Korea, a lawmaker said at the 2022 National Assembly audit that exosome products injected as skin boosters were registered as cosmetics, and the MFDS head replied that exosomes were sold as cosmetics. Daily Pharm reported her position as injection use not being allowed, and said the ministry would look into it (Daily Pharm, 2022). In April 2024 no exosome therapeutic had received approval for a clinical trial in Korea (Daily Pharm, 2024), and in October 2025 a Korean trade outlet reported that no exosome drug had been approved for people (DailyVet).

If a clinic offers exosomes, ask whether the product will be injected or applied to the skin after microneedling, and what it's registered as.

How much do skin boosters cost in Korea?

Korean clinics price skin boosters by the cc (1cc is 1 millilitre), by the vial or as a package with a device treatment. We checked the official price pages of six clinics in Seoul's Gangnam area, most of them near Gangnam and Sinnonhyeon stations, between 28 October and 2 November 2026. All six quoted prices before VAT, so we've added 10%. Dollar figures use the European Central Bank reference rate for 2 November 2026, ₩1,342.90 to US$1 (Frankfurter/ECB), rounded.

Skin booster prices at six Gangnam-area clinics (10% VAT added)

Most of these are promotional prices, shown against list prices with discounts of about 34% to 49%, and many of the November offers end on 30 November. First-visit and trial prices usually apply once per person. Some menus set a minimum, such as one Juvelook Volume price that applied only to 3cc or more.

UH CELL Clinic in Gangnam listed Rejuran i (eye area) 1cc on its promotion page at ₩99,000 before tax, down from ₩200,000, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only, when we checked on 2 November 2026. That's ₩108,900 (about US$81) with VAT.

Juvelook per-cc prices need extra care. Juvelook and Juvelook Volume are mixed at the clinic, and the liquid per vial varies, from 6mL in one study to 12 to 24mL in a protocol described in the 2024 review (see above). When you compare Juvelook quotes, ask how many vials you're getting and how much liquid each is mixed with. Clinics in our check sold Juvelook Volume both ways, by the cc and by the vial, and the two can't be compared without that number.

For comparison, our October check of Rejuran Healer listings, mostly on a booking app, found ₩187,000 to ₩290,000 for 2cc with VAT (Rejuran price guide). The official-site prices above sit in the same range.

Is VAT included, and can foreigners still get a tax refund?

Cosmetic procedures in Korea carry 10% VAT. All six clinic pages in our check listed prices before VAT, so the desk total is 10% higher than the menu.

Foreign tourists used to be able to claim that VAT back. The finance ministry's 2025 tax plan ended the refund on 31 December 2025 (Newsis, Korea JoongAng Daily), so treatments from 1 January 2026 don't qualify. Two bills would bring it back: one through 2027, sent to a National Assembly subcommittee in July 2026 (Hankyung), and one through 2029, introduced in August (Dailymedi). As of 3 November 2026 we'd found no report of either passing. If you're planning a year-end trip, budget for the full price.

How many sessions do you need, and how long do results last?

The products differ most in how many visits they need.

• For Rejuran, the 2024 review describes the usual Korean protocol as 2mL every three to four weeks for three to four sessions (Rho et al.). Results build gradually, and long-term data are limited.
• For Juvelook, VAIM suggests a series of three sessions, about six weeks apart for Juvelook and about eight weeks apart for Juvelook Volume, with maintenance depending on your goals (VAIM). Two of the clinic pages we checked suggested shorter gaps, three to four weeks or one month. VAIM doesn't give a duration. Clinic pages often quote a year or more after three sessions. Published follow-up is shorter so far: the 2026 nasolabial fold study we found followed patients for three months after their last session (Yi et al.).
• For Skinvive, Allergan says optimal treatment may include an optional touch-up one month after the first, with results lasting through six months (AbbVie, 2023). Of these products, its schedule fits a single visit best.
• For exosomes, one menu we checked suggested repeating every three to four weeks. We found no manufacturer or regulator guidance on how many sessions are needed.

On a one-week trip, that means one session of Rejuran or Juvelook, with the rest of the series at home or on a later visit. If you live in the US, keep in mind that neither product has an FDA device record, so you may not be able to continue with the same product at home. A long stay, or two trips about six weeks apart, fits a Juvelook series better.

How much downtime should you plan for?

Most of the short-term effects are visible but brief. The 2024 review describes mild redness and swelling lasting a few hours after skin booster injections, with occasional bruising, pain and needle marks (Rho et al.).

• Rejuran leaves small raised bumps where the product sits. Most clinics in our Rejuran check said they flatten within one to three days (Rejuran price guide).
• For Juvelook, VAIM says downtime is generally minimal, with temporary redness, swelling, tenderness or bruising, and that a provider may tell you to avoid hard exercise, saunas, hot baths and alcohol for a short time (VAIM). The 2024 review warns that synthetic polymers such as PLA can cause more noticeable and longer-lasting lumps than hyaluronic acid or PN, and that lumps you can feel but not see may take up to two years to go away (Rho et al.).
• With Skinvive, most people in Allergan's trial had redness, lumps or bumps, swelling, bruising, tenderness, pain, firmness, discoloration or itching at the injection sites. These were mostly mild or moderate and usually went away within 30 days (AbbVie, 2023).

Two of the clinic pages we checked asked patients to avoid alcohol, saunas and jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouses) for three to seven days after treatment, and one added hot baths and hard exercise. Plan the rest of the trip around that.

What are the risks?

Lumps and granulomas

PDLLA products can cause nodules, and occasionally a granuloma, an inflammatory lump that can need treatment. Published cases include a woman whose cheek and jaw nodules after PDLLA cleared with four rounds of steroid injections (Perez Willis and Ramirez Galvez), and a woman who developed granulomas in both lower eyelids after her third PDLLA session around the eyes and needed two operations (Garlaschi et al.). These are single case reports, and they don't show how often it happens.

Injection into a blood vessel

For dermal fillers, the FDA lists rare but serious complications when product goes into a blood vessel, including tissue death, vision problems including blindness, and stroke (FDA). The 2024 review says PLA can also, rarely, cause serious vascular problems including vision loss (Rho et al.), and a 2026 panel of eye surgeons and aesthetic doctors published a consensus on safe technique and emergency management specifically for visual impairment caused by PDLLA-HA 200, the formulation sold as Juvelook Volume and Lenisna (Lau et al.). Ask the clinic how it would handle this, and get medical help at once if your vision changes during or after an injection.

Infection from contaminated injections

A systematic review of 30 reports covering 423 patients with mycobacterial infections after mesotherapy, a technique that uses many small injections into the skin, concluded that the infections came from injections contaminated by the environment. Many patients needed several courses of antibiotics, infections often took weeks to clear, and scarring was common (Singsing et al.). In Korea, reports of inflammation and scarring after cosmetic-grade skin boosters were injected reached the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency and the Korea Consumer Agency, and the Korean Dermatological Association warned its members about the risks (Medigate News).

Products not made for injection

The 2024 review warns that injecting products approved only for topical use can introduce particles that trigger allergic reactions or foreign-body granulomas, and says practitioners should restrict skin boosters to products specifically approved for injection in people (Rho et al.). The FDA tells patients not to buy dermal fillers online because they could be counterfeit (FDA).

When to tell the doctor first

Expect questions, a delay or a no if any of these apply:

• Severe allergies with a history of anaphylaxis, an allergy to lidocaine, or an allergy to the gram-positive bacterial proteins used to make the hyaluronic acid. All three are reasons not to use Skinvive (FDA).
• A fish or salmon allergy, pregnancy, an infection or inflammation in the treatment area, a bleeding disorder or blood thinners, if you're considering Rejuran. Our Rejuran price guide lists these and where they come from.
• Any lump, infection or allergic reaction after a filler or booster in the past. Bring the product name if you have it.

How good is the evidence?

The 2024 review says the small number of controlled studies makes results hard to predict, especially with the mixed "cocktails" some clinics sell, and calls for larger controlled trials with objective measurements (Rho et al.).

• Skinvive has the strongest data here. The main trial behind its approval was randomized, evaluator-blinded and controlled. At least one point of improvement on a cheek smoothness scale was seen in 58% (73 of 125) of treated patients at one month and 56% (69 of 124) at six months (AbbVie, 2023).
• For Rejuran and other PN products, the systematic review mentioned above found nine studies with 219 patients, all of low to moderate quality (Lampridou et al.).
• Published Juvelook studies are mostly small. In a 2026 study, 20 adults had Juvelook injected along the nasolabial folds three times, a month apart. Three months after the last session, 85% were rated improved or much improved, and only temporary swelling and bruising were reported. There was no control group (Yi et al.).
• There's no approved exosome product in the US, and we found no exosome drug approved for people in Korea (see above).

With evidence this limited, read before-and-after photos with some caution and ask the doctor what result to expect for your own skin.

How do you plan skin boosters on a trip to Seoul?

If you're coming in November or December, dry, rough-feeling skin may be the reason you're looking at boosters at all. Hyaluronic acid products such as Skinvive are aimed at smoothness and hydration, while Rejuran and Juvelook are sold for texture and firmness that build over weeks. Ask the doctor which problem you're actually treating before choosing a product.

• Book injections early in the trip. The first two or three days give bumps and bruises time to settle and let the clinic check you if something looks wrong.
• Keep the flight-home day free of injections. We found no product-specific guidance on flying after these treatments, so treat this as our editorial advice. If a problem starts on the plane, the clinic can't see you.
• Expect one session per trip. With three to eight weeks between sessions, a full series only fits a long stay or repeat visits.
• If you're also having Botox, a laser or a lifting device, ask the doctor about the order and the gap between treatments. Our Botox price guide and our comparison of Korean lifting treatments cover those.
• Check the dates on offers. Many of the November promotions we found end on 30 November, so a December trip may see different prices. Get your quote in writing before you fly.
• Take the paperwork home. Ask for the product name, amount, date and aftercare sheet, and keep the clinic's contact details.

What should you ask before you book?

Before you pay a deposit, get these in writing:

• The product name and maker. A general label such as "skin booster", "collagen booster" or "PN" doesn't tell you what's in the syringe.
• The amount in cc, or for Juvelook, the number of vials and how much liquid each is mixed with.
• Whether the price includes 10% VAT and numbing, and whether it's a first-visit or monthly offer.
• What the product is approved for in Korea, and whether it will be injected or applied after microneedling.
• How many sessions the doctor recommends, how far apart, and what happens if you can only come once.
• Who injects, and whether you'll see the doctor before the injection.
• Whether they'll open the box in front of you. Two of the clinic pages we checked advertise opening the product in front of the patient. Wherever you go, ask to see the box and product name before the injection.

If you're planning Juvelook Volume in Gangnam, UH CELL Clinic, a lifting and anti-aging clinic near Gangnam Station, has an English page on Juvelook in Korea. It describes the product as PDLLA with hyaluronic acid that stimulates fibroblasts, the cells that make collagen, to build volume gradually. It lists injection anaesthesia and a treatment time of 30 to 40 minutes, anaesthesia included. The page says the clinic uses it on wider areas such as the temples, cheekbones, nasolabial folds, mouth corners and side cheeks, and avoids the forehead and the thin skin directly under the eyes. It lists one to three days of bumps or bruising and gives a maintenance period of 18 months after three sessions, which is the clinic's own figure. Ask for a written quote that states the number of vials. Our guide to choosing a skin clinic in Gangnam covers the other checks, and the Juvelook ranking shows how we compare clinics.