Skin Booster Types Complete Guide 2026: Rejuran, Juvelook, Profhilo, Hydra-Glow, Exosome, and ECM Comparison | Cellinique

Skin Boosters, Explained Once and for All

"I've been researching skin boosters, and there are so many names — Rejuran, Juvelook, Profhilo, hydra-glow injections, exosomes — I can't tell what's what." This is something we hear often in consultations. These names may all sound similar, but in fact the key ingredients and mechanisms of action are quite different, making them difficult to group under a single term like "skin booster."

In this article, Dr. Kim Gun-woo, Medical Director of Cellinique on Dosan-daero in Gangnam, organises the skin booster types most frequently discussed in 2026 by ingredient category — following the same framework he uses in consultations. For detailed guidance on each treatment, you can continue reading in our Skin Booster Complete Guide, Rejuran Healer Complete Guide, Juvelook Complete Guide, and Profhilo Complete Guide.

3-Line Summary

1. Skin boosters are not a single treatment — they are a collection of procedures with distinct ingredient categories. They can broadly be divided into PN (Rejuran), PDLLA (Juvelook), HA (Profhilo, hydra-glow), exosome, and ECM categories.
2. Even when both address "hydration and firmness," HA works on moisture and texture, while PN and PDLLA work in a collagen-regeneration direction — so the right choice should be based on "which mechanism matches my skin concern," not which product is popular.
3. Suitability, duration, and number of sessions vary considerably depending on skin condition, age, and lifestyle, and identical results cannot be guaranteed. The specific choice is determined during a preliminary consultation.

1. What Is a Skin Booster? Multiple Treatments Under One Term

The term "skin booster" is generally used to describe injectable treatments that deliver active ingredients directly into the dermal layer to improve the intrinsic condition of the skin. Unlike conventional fillers that add volume, skin boosters are more often targeted at the foundational quality of the skin — hydration, texture, and elasticity.

This is where confusion arises. The name "skin booster" encompasses procedures with entirely different ingredient categories. A treatment using a salmon DNA-derived ingredient (PN), one using a polymer that stimulates collagen (PDLLA), and one using high-concentration hyaluronic acid (HA) are all called skin boosters. So rather than "I'd like to get a skin booster," a more precise starting point is "What kind of mechanism are you looking for?"

Below, we've organised the types by ingredient category. Even within the same category, differences exist between individual products, so please refer to the dedicated guidance article for each treatment.

2. Skin Booster Comparison at a Glance

Below, the most frequently discussed types are grouped by ingredient category. The table is a general reference to help understand the differences; individual suitability and treatment duration are determined during a preliminary consultation. (This does not imply that any one product is superior — it means their mechanisms work in different directions.)

Category (Representative Product)	Core Ingredient Category	Primary Direction of Action	How Change Is Perceived	Domestic Approval / Certification (Verified Scope)
Rejuran	PN (polynucleotide, salmon DNA-derived)	Skin regeneration and collagen synthesis support	Gradual change, regeneration-focused	Korea's MFDS medical-device approval No. 14-825 (2014, PharmaResearch Co., Ltd.)
Juvelook	PDLLA + non-crosslinked HA	Autologous collagen stimulation + hydration support	Immediate perception + gradual change over several weeks	Korea's MFDS tissue-repair material approval + European CE (※ No US FDA approval)
Profhilo	High-concentration HA (NAHYCO® hybrid, 64 mg / 2 ml)	Hydration + bio-remodelling direction	Generally gradual change	European CE certification (※ Domestic MFDS approval status not asserted in this article)
Hydra-glow injection	HA (hyaluronic acid)-centred	Hydration and surface-texture support	Relatively faster perception, hydration-focused	Varies by product used → confirmed during preliminary consultation
Exosome	Exosome (cell-derived vesicle)-based	Skin environment and regeneration support direction (evidence accumulating)	Significant individual variation (evidence still accumulating)	Classification and approval vary by product and intended use → confirmed during preliminary consultation
Lituov (ECM category)	Extracellular matrix (ECM)-direction ingredient	Skin support environment assistance direction (evidence accumulating)	Significant individual variation (evidence still accumulating)	Product classification verification required → confirmed during preliminary consultation

💡 Fact-check ✓

Source: Korea's MFDS medical device product information (nedrug) · Manufacturer official information (IFU) · PubMed

- Rejuran: Korea's MFDS medical-device approval No. 14-825 (2014, PharmaResearch Co., Ltd.), PN-based tissue-repair biomaterial. Per MFDS product information and PharmaResearch IFU, PN concentration is 20 mg/mL.
- Juvelook: Approved by Korea's MFDS as a tissue-repair material (classification B04230.02(4)); manufacturer Vaim Global Co., Ltd. Composition: PDLLA + non-crosslinked HA. No US FDA approval history has been identified; guidance is limited to Korean MFDS approval and European CE scope only.
- Profhilo: Swiss IBSA's NAHYCO® hybrid HA (64 mg in 2 ml). European CE certification is confirmed; domestic MFDS approval status has not been verified through primary sources and is therefore not asserted.
- Effects and duration vary by individual.

3. PN Category — Rejuran (Regeneration Direction)

Rejuran is a skin booster in the PN (polynucleotide) ingredient category. PN is a high-molecular-weight polymer extracted and purified from salmon DNA, and is reported to have high biocompatibility due to its similarity in nucleotide composition to the human body. It is a category more often discussed in a skin regeneration and recovery direction rather than simply replenishing moisture.

Rejuran comes in a range of formulations — Healer, Eye, S, HB, and HB Plus — depending on the target area and formulation. Even within the same PN category, each formulation has a different character, so which one suits you depends on your individual skin condition. For detailed information, please refer to the Rejuran Healer Complete Guide.

💡 Fact-check ✓

Source: Korea's MFDS (medical-device approval No. 14-825, 2014, PharmaResearch Co., Ltd.) · PharmaResearch product information (IFU) · Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025 (PMC12429772)

- Rejuran is PharmaResearch Co., Ltd.'s PN-based tissue-repair biomaterial, approved under No. 14-825 (2014); the approved indication reads "temporary improvement of facial wrinkles in adults."
- Academic literature reports that PN promotes collagen synthesis and extracellular matrix (ECM) recovery.
- The degree and duration of effect vary by individual.

4. PDLLA Category — Juvelook (Collagen Stimulation + Hydration)

Juvelook is a skin booster that combines PDLLA (poly-D,L-lactic acid) with non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid. The HA supports immediate post-treatment hydration and volume, while the PDLLA is known to work in a direction of stimulating autologous collagen production over time — a dual-action approach. It is less a "hydration-only procedure" and more one that simultaneously stimulates collagen.

Because collagen production occurs gradually over time, this is not a treatment where results are complete after a single session. For detailed information, please continue in the Juvelook Complete Guide.

💡 Fact-check ✓

Source: Korea's MFDS medical device product information (tissue-repair material) · Vaim Global Co., Ltd. official information · PMC11434839 literature review

- Juvelook is approved by Korea's MFDS as a tissue-repair material (classification B04230.02(4)); the approved indication reads "temporary improvement of facial wrinkles in adults."
- Literature describes a dual-action direction in which HA provides immediate hydration and volume, while PDLLA supports delayed collagen stimulation.
- No US FDA approval history has been identified; guidance is limited to Korean MFDS approval and European CE scope only. Effects and duration vary by individual.

5. HA Category — Profhilo and Hydra-Glow Injections (Hydration and Texture)

This category centres on hyaluronic acid (HA). Even within HA, the character differs between products.

Profhilo is a product by Swiss pharmaceutical company IBSA, using NAHYCO® patented hybrid technology to combine high-molecular-weight HA and low-molecular-weight HA without chemical crosslinkers (such as BDDE). Each vial (2 ml) contains 64 mg of HA (32 mg high-molecular-weight + 32 mg low-molecular-weight), and it is presented not merely as hydration delivery but in a bio-remodelling direction. For detailed information, please refer to the Profhilo Complete Guide.

Hydra-glow injection commonly refers to a procedure in which HA is injected densely into the superficial dermal layer to support skin hydration and surface texture. Because the products, concentrations, and techniques used vary widely, it is difficult to define "hydra-glow injection" as a single fixed treatment. Which product is used is confirmed during the preliminary consultation.

💡 Fact-check ✓

Source: IBSA Group / IBSA Derma official · PMC7327616 (Cassuto et al.)

- Profhilo is manufactured by IBSA; each 2 ml vial contains 64 mg of HA (H-HA 32 mg high-molecular-weight + L-HA 32 mg low-molecular-weight).
- NAHYCO® hybrid technology is described as a method of bonding the two HAs through heat treatment without chemical crosslinkers. European CE certification is confirmed; domestic MFDS approval status has not been verified through primary sources and is therefore not asserted.
- Hydra-glow injections involve a variety of products and techniques and are not defined as a single treatment; the specific product, effects, and duration vary by individual.

6. Exosome and ECM Category — A Relatively Newer Direction (Evidence Accumulating)

Names that have been coming up much more frequently in consultations recently are exosomes and ECM-direction treatments such as Lituov. Because these are relatively new developments, information is limited and exaggerated claims are not uncommon — which is why we take an especially conservative approach when discussing this area.

Exosomes are very small vesicles secreted by cells, known to be involved in intercellular signalling. Research is ongoing in the direction of supporting skin environment and regeneration, but the classification and approval criteria differ by product and intended use, and the evidence base is still accumulating. This makes it difficult to state definitively "the effect is precisely this," and what product is used and for what purpose matters enormously. (The specific classification and domestic approval status of exosome products are not asserted in this article; these are confirmed on a product-specific basis during the preliminary consultation.)

Lituov and other treatments in the extracellular matrix (ECM) direction are presented as supporting the skin's structural environment, but similarly, product-specific classification, approval status, and clinical evidence must be individually verified. With newer treatments, the right question is not "it's new, so it must be better," but rather "how far has the evidence and approval scope been confirmed?"

💡 Fact-check ✓

Source: This section covers a newly emerging area where individual claims cannot be confirmed against primary sources (MFDS, FDA, peer-reviewed clinical studies) — presented conservatively

- Exosome and ECM (Lituov, etc.) categories have differing classification and approval status depending on product and intended use, and the evidence base for efficacy is still accumulating. This article does not assert domestic approval status or specific efficacy figures for individual products.
- The specific products used, their classification, approval scope, and the changes that may reasonably be expected are confirmed on a product-specific basis during the preliminary consultation.
- Effects and safety vary by individual; with newer treatments, verifying the evidence base is especially important.

7. So How Do You Choose?

The criterion for choosing is not "what's trending right now" but rather "does the mechanism match my skin concern?" In consultations, we typically frame it this way.

• If hydration, texture, or inner dryness is your primary concern → we first consider the HA category (Profhilo, hydra-glow injections).
• If regeneration and recovery is the concern → we look at the PN category (Rejuran) together.
• If you also want to address elasticity and collagen stimulation → we include the PDLLA category (Juvelook) among the options.
• If you're curious about newer directions (exosomes, ECM) → we verify the evidence and approval scope first and take a conservative approach.

The important point is that there's no need to commit to just one treatment. A plan that combines treatments with different mechanisms, timed and sequenced appropriately, can also be discussed during consultation. However, multiple treatments are not performed all at once; the schedule is spaced to allow for recovery and to ensure safety.

Cases where we proceed with extra caution

• If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant
• If there is an active infection or inflammation at the treatment site
• If you are taking anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents, or immunosuppressants
• If you have a history of autoimmune disease
• If you have a history of allergy to anaesthetics (such as lidocaine) or to any of the ingredients

If any of the above applies to you, please let us know before your consultation. Side effects applicable to all procedures, emergency protocols, and contraindication criteria common to all treatments can be found in the Cellinique Treatment Safety Guide.

8. How Cellinique Approaches Skin Booster Guidance

Cellinique is an anti-ageing dermatology clinic on Dosan-daero, Gangnam. For treatments like skin boosters — where the mechanism of action differs substantially by ingredient category — we believe that the consultation aimed at identifying the right mechanism for your specific skin concern matters more than simply which product is used, and that this shapes overall satisfaction with outcomes.

Dr. Kim Gun-woo, Medical Director, personally reviews your skin condition, degree of elasticity, past treatment history, and current medications during the preliminary consultation, then explains the strengths and considerations of each category and proposes appropriate options. The clinic is structured so that the same physician handles not only the treatment but also all follow-up checks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Are skin boosters and fillers the same thing?

They are different. Conventional fillers focus on adding volume using an external substance, while skin boosters more often target the foundational skin quality — hydration, texture, and elasticity — by injecting active ingredients into the dermis. That said, skin boosters themselves come in multiple ingredient categories, so they cannot be treated as one thing; suitability is determined during a preliminary consultation.

Q2. Which is best — Rejuran, Juvelook, or Profhilo?

It is difficult to name a single "best" product, because their mechanisms work in different directions. Rejuran works in a regeneration direction with PN; Juvelook works with PDLLA in a collagen-stimulation plus hydration direction; Profhilo works with high-concentration HA in a hydration and bio-remodelling direction. The right choice is one that matches the mechanism to your skin concern — and that's determined together in consultation.

Q3. Is a hydra-glow injection also a skin booster?

Yes, broadly speaking it falls under the HA-category skin boosters. However, "hydra-glow injection" covers a wide variety of products, concentrations, and techniques, making it difficult to define as a single treatment. The character of the procedure changes depending on which product is used, so the specifics are confirmed during a preliminary consultation.

Q4. Are exosomes or newer skin boosters more effective?

It is difficult to state categorically that something is better simply because it is newer. Exosome and ECM (Lituov, etc.) categories are a relatively new development: classification and approval status differ by product and intended use, and the evidence base is still accumulating. For this reason, Cellinique verifies the evidence and approval scope first and provides guidance conservatively. Effects and safety vary by individual.

Q5. Can I have multiple skin boosters at the same time?

A plan that combines treatments with different mechanisms, timed and sequenced appropriately, is something we can discuss. However, multiple treatments are not performed all at once; the schedule is spaced to allow for recovery and safety. Please let us know your current treatments and medications accurately during the preliminary consultation so we can coordinate accordingly.

Q6. How long do the effects last?

This varies by ingredient category, product, treatment area, and individual condition. Even with the same treatment, results can differ considerably depending on skin condition, age, and lifestyle, so identical results or duration cannot be guaranteed. Please consult us during the preliminary consultation for guidance on what changes may be realistic and at what interval for you personally.

Q7. What about side effects and precautions?

As with any injectable procedure, temporary swelling, redness, or bruising at the treatment site may occur; tenderness or nodule sensation may occur less commonly; and infection or allergic reactions have been reported in rare cases. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have an active infection, are taking anticoagulants or immunosuppressants, have a history of autoimmune disease, or have a known allergy to any of the ingredients, please inform us during the preliminary consultation. The likelihood and severity vary by individual.

Q8. Can I come in just for a consultation?

Of course. Because skin boosters span many categories and can be confusing at first, we encourage you to gain a thorough understanding through a consultation before making any decisions. Whether or not you proceed with a treatment, if you would like a consultation only, please feel free to contact us at 02-6203-3434 or via KakaoTalk. (Consultation and treatment fees vary depending on individual condition and treatment plan; these are explained during the consultation.)

Closing

Skin boosters are not a single treatment — they are a collection of procedures with distinct ingredient categories. From PN (Rejuran) and PDLLA (Juvelook) to HA (Profhilo, hydra-glow), exosomes, and ECM, looking at the direction of action rather than the name makes the choice considerably clearer. What matters is not which product is popular, but whether its mechanism genuinely matches your skin concern and goals.

At Cellinique (Dosan-daero, Gangnam), Dr. Kim Gun-woo, Medical Director, handles everything personally — from the first consultation through to treatment and follow-up checks. For detailed guidance on each treatment, please continue in the Skin Booster Complete Guide, Rejuran Healer Complete Guide, Juvelook Complete Guide, and Profhilo Complete Guide. Common safety criteria can be found in the Cellinique Treatment Safety Guide.

✅ Fact-check Report

The key medical information in this article has been verified against the following sources.

- Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) medical-device product approval — Rejuran No. 14-825 (2014, PharmaResearch Co., Ltd., tissue-repair biomaterial) · Juvelook tissue-repair material (classification B04230.02(4), manufacturer Vaim Global Co., Ltd.), approved indication "temporary improvement of facial wrinkles in adults" · nedrug.mfds.go.kr
- MFDS medical device product information · PharmaResearch product information (IFU) — PN derived from purified salmon DNA; PN concentration 20 mg/mL
- Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025 (PMC12429772) — Mechanism by which PN promotes collagen synthesis and extracellular matrix (ECM) recovery
- PMC11434839 literature review — Juvelook PDLLA/HA dual action (immediate hydration/volume + delayed collagen stimulation)
- IBSA Group / IBSA Derma official · PMC7327616 (Cassuto et al.) — Profhilo NAHYCO® hybrid; 64 mg HA per 2 ml vial (H-HA 32 mg + L-HA 32 mg); European CE certification
- Approval scope — Juvelook holds Korean MFDS approval and European CE certification; no US FDA approval record has been identified and no FDA approval is claimed. Profhilo's European CE certification is confirmed, but domestic MFDS approval status has not been verified through primary sources and is therefore not asserted.
- Exosome and ECM (Lituov, etc.) — A newly emerging area where classification, approval status, and clinical evidence are accumulating on a product-by-product basis; no domestic approval status or specific efficacy figures for individual products are asserted; guidance is conservative (specific products confirmed during preliminary consultation).
- Verified items: ingredient categories, mechanisms, MFDS/CE approval scope, side effects, individual variation disclosed. Definitive statements regarding specific efficacy figures, duration, exact ingredient breakdowns, and approval status of unverified products have been avoided on grounds of individual variation and unconfirmed data.

Medical Disclaimer
This content is provided for general health information purposes only. Diagnosis, treatment suitability, and expected outcomes for each individual must be determined through a prior consultation with a qualified medical professional. All medical procedures carry the possibility of individual variation and side effects.

Cellinique Consultations and Appointments
Yeonseung Building 2F, B1, 228 Dosan-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Tel 02-6203-3434
Hours: Monday–Friday 10:00–19:00 / Last Saturday of each month 10:00–16:30