A few things I've learned about Re2O (cannula vs needle, the 5cc/6cc thing, and what i pair it with)
I've been coming to Seoul a few times a year for the last couple years, mostly to see family, but i pretty much always end up booking skin stuff while im here. Boosters i've kind of gone deep on, Re2O especially, ive had it done at a bunch of different clinics around Gangnam by now. I get asked about it alot in comments so i figured id put what ive learned in one place.
Quick context, im a dentist back in the states. Aesthetic derm isnt my field so im a patient here not an expert, but injections and anatomy are very much my world at work, so i pay attention to the technique side more than i probably would otherwise.
First, cannula vs needle, since ive done Re2O both ways. With needle, right after the session the spots where the product went in look a little raised and bumpy, but for me that always flattened out within a day. With cannula you dont really get that at all. You get the one entry point (a small wound) plus some bruising, and the treated area feels swollen and a bit firm for a while, but honestly thats it. The bruising can occasionally hang around a week or two, but usually its quick.
Thats why i personally lean cannula. Fewer puncture points so its less painful for me, and theres way less of that bumpy aftermath. Theres also a mechanism reason, the cannula moving through the tissue under the skin disrupts things a little, sort of deliberately stressing the collagen fibers, and that micro-damage pushes a stronger regeneration response while you heal. So you get a bit of an extra effect on top of the product itself. The catch is cannula is the trickier technique imo, so how smooth it feels can depend a lot on who's doing it.
Heres something that confused me early on. Regular Re2O gets labeled differently depending on the clinic, some say 5cc, some say 6cc. Fine is usually 2cc, ive seen 3cc once or twice. (Regular vs Fine itself is basically molecule size, Fine is the smaller-molecule one so it suits thinner skin like the under eye area better.)
Anyway the cc thing. Re2O actually comes as a powder, and the clinic reconstitutes it with normal saline before injecting. How much saline they mix in is what makes it 5cc vs 6cc. So assuming a full package is actually used, the amount of the real active part (the ECM) is identical no matter what cc number you get, the rest is just saline, which your body absorbs and is totally harmless. More saline isnt a problem in itself. But from what i understand the manufacturers recommended volume after reconstitution is 5cc. So a clinic advertising 6cc is either making it sound like more than it is, or diluting it differently than recommended. I personally try to stick to places that label it 5cc since thats the maker recommended amount.
On results. Re2O i think is genuinely great for skin health, the barrier especially, the skin just ends up feeling sturdier. Where it falls short for me is hydration and glow, thats not really what its for. So pairing it with an HA skin booster fills that gap really nicely, the two together have a real synergy. A lot of clinics will suggest combining at consult for exactly that reason, some even build it into packages.
The pairing that worked best for me by a mile is Re2O with Rejuran HB+ (the HB+ version specifically, since thats the one with the hyaluronic part). It costs more, no getting around that, but the payoff is the one thing in all of this im genuinely sure about. I havent found a clinic selling that exact combo as a set though, so i just go in and ask for it the way i want it.
I get Re2O redone every 2-3 months and try to stay consistent with it. Im not gonna post photos, too shy for that haha, but people genuinely do a double take when my age comes up, so. its been worth it for me.
anyway thats the brain dump, happy to answer questions if anyone has them 😄