u/NoImprovement7030

Hey guys, it’s me again ^^

A lot of you asked for a master list rating the skin boosters we actually use in Korea. Patients come into my clinic every day asking for glass skin, but the truth is that a booster that works amazingly for your friend might do almost nothing for you.

They all do different things anatomically.

So let’s talk about the major ones honestly. I’ll explain what they are usually good for, who I would recommend them to, and how I personally rate them from a doctor’s perspective.

1. Rejuran

I know I already wrote a whole post about this, but I want to summarize it here so it’s easier to compare with the others.

Rejuran is purified salmon DNA, or PN.

I usually think of Rejuran as a healing treatment. It is really nice when the skin barrier is weak, when the skin is red, stinging, breaking out, or just looks irritated and unhealthy. It helps calm the skin and repair it from the inside.

But I don’t see Rejuran as a pure hydration booster.

Only about 35% of my patients get that crazy water glow from regular Rejuran Healer. Some people get it, some people don’t. So if your goal is only that watery glass skin look, Rejuran might not always give you the exact result you imagine.

Also, the original Rejuran Healer is painful. The black box one is really not a comfortable treatment. If you want more glow and less pain, Rejuran HB is usually a better option because it has hyaluronic acid and lidocaine mixed in.

My rating is 4.5/5. I only take off half a point because the pain of the original black box is honestly disrespectful.

2. Exosomes

Exosomes are very popular in Seoul right now.

They are basically signaling molecules derived from stem cells. They help tell your skin cells to calm down and start regenerating.

I like exosomes a lot for acne-prone skin, strong redness, rosacea, or skin that is in a very angry breakout phase. When someone comes in with inflamed, irritated skin, I often think of exosomes, especially with treatments like Potenza or MTS.

They can also help pores a little because they help control sebum.

But one thing I want people to know is that in Korea, pure exosomes are legally approved as cosmetics, not drugs for direct intradermal injection. So we usually apply them through Potenza, which is microneedling RF, or MTS, which is microneedling roller.

So if someone says they are going to hand inject pure cosmetic grade exosomes all over your face with a syringe, I would be careful and ask more questions.

For acne and redness, I would rate exosomes 4/5.

But if you just want anti-aging or volume, maybe 2/5.

3. Juvelook

Juvelook is my personal favorite right now.

It is a hybrid skin booster made with PDLLA and hyaluronic acid.

The PDLLA particles slowly stimulate your own fibroblasts to produce collagen over time, while the HA gives some hydration. This is why I really like Juvelook for pores, texture, fine lines, stretched-out pores, and thin skin.

It gives a very soft and natural improvement.

But Juvelook takes time. You will not walk out of the clinic looking suddenly different. Usually, you need about 3 sessions spaced around a month apart. Then around week 6 to 8, many patients start noticing that their skin texture looks smoother, almost like there is a filter on the skin.

I also like it for the under eye area because the skin there is very thin.

My rating is 5/5.

I do this on myself too. It is very versatile.

4. Sculptra vs. Radiesse

I’m grouping these two together because they are not really traditional skin quality boosters.

They are more like liquid collagen stimulators.

Sculptra is PLLA, and Radiesse is CaHA, which is calcium hydroxylapatite.

These are more for deep structural hollowness, not surface glow. For example, remember my post about smile lines? If you fill air in your mouth and the area next to your nose still stays hollow, these are the kind of treatments we use to rebuild that deeper tissue foundation.

They are injected deeper, not superficially just to make the skin shiny.

Sculptra gives a soft, diffuse volume over the whole face, so it is nice for sunken cheeks or a deflated looking face.

Radiesse is firmer. When hyper-diluted, it is really nice for lifting the jawline or defining the chin.

But these are not treatments for someone who is 22 and just wants glowing skin.

Also, please be careful with who injects these. If Sculptra is injected too superficially or not diluted properly, you can get nodules or lumps. You really need someone who understands anatomy.

For volume and anti-aging, I would rate them 4/5.

But if your goal is just glowing skin, honestly 0/5.

5. Elravie RE20, Volite, Revive, Skinvive

These are more like pure hyaluronic acid micro fillers or hydration boosters.

Skinvive by Juvederm and Belotero Revive are popular globally, and in Korea we also use local options like Elravie RE20.

These are the treatments that pull water into the skin like a sponge.

So if your goal is that literal watery glass-skin finish, where the light reflects nicely off the forehead and cheeks, this is usually the type of booster you are thinking about.

But they don’t fix acne.

They don’t really stimulate a lot of collagen.

They mainly hydrate.

And that’s not a bad thing. If your skin is dry, dull, or makeup sits badly because of dehydration, this type of booster can be really satisfying.

The nice thing about modern options like Skinvive or Revive is that they are cross-linked enough to last around 6 to 9 months from one treatment, unlike old-school water shine injections, or Mulkwang, that disappeared in around 3 weeks.

For pure dryness and glow, my rating is 4/5.

It gives nice instant gratification.

6. Skin Botox

Skin Botox, or dermotoxin, is not regular Botox that freezes your expressions.

We take Botox, dilute it heavily, and inject it very superficially into the outer layer of the skin all over the face.

It gives an instant tightening effect.

Because it works on the tiny muscles attached to your pores and also affects sweat and oil glands, it can shrink the look of pores, reduce oil production, and give the skin that tight, smooth, glass-like look.

It can also help a bit with minor facial flushing.

The result is very pretty, but it is temporary. Usually it lasts around 2 to 3 months max.

Also, because we have to do so many tiny micro-injections all over the face into the tight dermis layer, yes, it hurts. A lot.

My rating is 3.5/5.

It is perfect before a big event or wedding, but kind of annoying to maintain.

If you guys are confused about which ones can be mixed together, leave a comment or DM my Insta. We love cocktailing skin boosters in Korea, but the right combination really depends on your skin.

Stay safe and don’t let clinics overcharge you!!

A lot of patients come in regularly for simple non invasive treatments like LDM, Aqua Peel, Lhala Peel or modeling packs just for general skin maintenance.

Especially office workers, celebrities before filming, brides before weddings, patients with sensitive skin, or honestly just people who want their skin to look maintained without downtime.
And these treatments seem simple but Korean patients are very consistent with them.

One of the most common ones is LDM. I feel like international patients almost never know what LDM is before coming to Korea

LDM uses ultrasound waves and honestly the treatment itself feels very relaxing. Most patients almost fall asleep during it.

I personally like LDM a lot for:

• sensitive skin
• redness
• damaged skin barrier
• post laser irritation
• inflamed acne
• very dehydrated skin

The effect is not dramatic lifting or anything like that. Usually patients just say their skin feels calmer, less hot, less irritated and more hydrated after.

In here a lot of clinics combine LDM after stronger procedures because it helps calm the skin down.

Then there is Hydrafacial / Aqua Peel / Lhala Peel type treatments.

Patients always think these are all exactly the same but actually the goals can feel a little different.

Hydrafacial and Aqua Peel are more focused on cleaning the pores, removing sebum and giving that fresh smoother skin feeling immediately after.

A lot of patients love doing it before events because makeup sits better afterward.

But I also think clinics sometimes overdo extraction too aggressively, especially for sensitive skin patients.

Lhala Peel became VERY popular recently in Korea because it gives that smoother brighter skin effect without being as aggressive as some traditional peeling treatments.

Patients who are scared of stronger peels usually tolerate Lhala Peel pretty well.

I notice patients usually like it for dull skin, rough texture, small bumps, mild acne and oily skin

Then there is modeling packs.

International patients sometimes laugh at this treatment because it looks so simple, but Korean clinics use modeling packs ALL the time.

Usually after lasers, extractions, lifting treatments or skin boosters.

And honestly depending on the ingredients they help more than people think.

Especially cooling/calming modeling packs after aggressive lasers. Patients usually leave looking much less red compared to skipping it.

I also noticed Korean patients LOVE the feeling of these treatments because they are relaxing. Sometimes patients just want to feel like their skin is being maintained regularly instead of constantly doing aggressive procedures.

I think this is actually one of the biggest differences in Korean skincare culture.

A lot of patients here do smaller maintenance treatments very consistently instead of waiting until their skin becomes severely damaged first.

Of course these treatments alone will not replace lifting lasers, fillers or surgery but they are good supportive treatments and honestly not every patient needs something aggressive all the time ☺️

I feel like a lot of people think all aesthetic treatments need like 5-10 sessions before you see anything

And honestly for some concerns that is true. Especially pigmentation, acne scars, redness, skin texture etc. Those things usually take time. But there are also treatments where patients usually notice a difference pretty fast after just 1 session.

1. Botox

Botox is still one of the highest satisfaction treatments in clinics. Not because it makes dramatic transformations but because it is very predictable.

Forehead lines, frown lines, jaw botox, shoulder botox, calf botox. These are all treatments where patients usually notice the effect quite clearly after one session.

But I think the most underrated botox in Korea is actually skin botox. Especially for oily skin and pores. The problem is people think more units = better result. But overly frozen botox honestly looks very strange in real life especially under strong lighting.

2. Ultherapy / Thermage

I am putting these together because patients always compare them

Honestly patients usually see SOME lifting after one session especially if they have mild sagging. But if you have a lot of facial fat or heavier skin, one session will not suddenly make you look snatched like tiktok edits.

Ultherapy gives more of that tighter/deeper lifting feeling because it targets the SMAS layer. Thermage gives more skin tightening and smoother skin texture in my opinion.

And the biggest difference is often the doctor technique and number of shots rather than the machine itself. I have seen advertise "300 shots full face" and honestly for some patients that does almost nothing.

3. Fillers

Filler is probably the treatment with the MOST immediate visible change.

Especially:

- chin filler

- lip filler

- under eye filler

- nasolabial folds

Patients love filler because they leave the clinic already seeing the result. But filler is also the treatment I dissolve the most

Too much filler, wrong placement, filler migration, overfilled cheeks. I see this so often now especially patients who clinic hop too much.

4. Radiesse

Radiesse is becoming much more popular again in Korea recently. Especially for patients who want structure and tightening without looking too filled.

It's interesting because patients usually see a little improvement immediately due to the volume itself, but the collagen stimulation effect continues later. I personally like Radiesse more for lower face support, jawline, and sometimes smile lines depending on the cause.

But PLEASE Radiesse should not be injected like normal soft filler everywhere!! I feel like social media makes biostimulators look way simpler than they actually are.

The best results are usually not from the most hyped treatments online. Sometimes patients get more satisfaction from simple botox than spending thousands on lasers that were not even necessary for their face

This is honestly one of the most confusing things for patients coming to Korea

Technically they’re all PN (salmon dna), so same family… but the way they behave in the skin is quite different like texture, how deep we inject, how much it spreads, even how long the bumps last after

Rejuran Healer (the original one)

This is the most pure version, just PN, no HA, no lidocaine

Texture wise it’s thicker and a bit sticky, so when inject it, it doesn’t spread quickly. It stays in the upper dermis for a bit before absorbing

I use this for patients who want real skin repair like barrier damage, chronic redness, skin that became thin after lasers or overuse of actives

You’re not going to get instant glow from this. The effect is more delayed, around 2-4 weeks when the skin becomes less reactive and more stable

One important thing patients always notice is the papules (bumps) after injection
because it’s more viscous, they usually stay around 24-48 hours. If they disappear too quickly, most of the time the injection depth was too deep

PAIN is still the highest with this one!!

Rejuran HB / HB Plus

This one is PN + HA + lidocaine. You can feel the difference immediately when injecting much smoother, spreads faster, less resistance

I use this a lot for patients who want both repair and hydration or for first timers who are worried about pain because of the HA, you’ll see some early hydration and glow compared to healer so the result feels more immediate

But clinically, because it’s diluted compared to the original healer, the repair effect is slightly softer so for more damaged skin, you may need more sessions

Pain is significantly lower, usually tolerable for most patients around 4/10

Rejuran S (scar type)

This one is much more viscous than the others

It’s designed to stay exactly where it’s injected, not spread out
so I only use this for localized areas, not full face

Main indications are:

• depressed acne scars
• deeper uneven texture

Usually I combine it with subcision, break the scar underneath first then place this in
otherwise honestly just injecting it alone doesn’t do as much

And if you try to do this everywhere your face will feel bumpy in a bad way

Rejuran I (eye ver)

Under eye skin is very thin, so we need something much lighter

This one is more fluid, less dense, it spreads softly without sitting in one spot

I use it for fine lines, crepey texture, or when the under eye looks a bit thin and tired

Important thing… it improves skin quality only and it won’t fix eyebags or hollowing. Those are structural issues, different approach

Pain is low, and downtime is usually easier compared to the others

In practice we almost never treat the whole face with just one type anw. It’s usually adjusted by area…

Potenza is the one I reach for when I want to go deeper and actually change the structure of the skin

It can do monopolar and bipolar RF, which basically means the heat can go wider and deeper into the dermis compared to most devices so for acne scars (especially rolling / boxcar), rough texture, bigger pores… it just gives more impact

There’s also that tiger tip thing where it hits 2 depths in one pass, so you’re remodeling more of the skin without having to keep going over the same area

https://preview.redd.it/ooo30x8e6jzg1.png?width=652&format=png&auto=webp&s=1c6a2ec69487c3b1758950e1461fa1211909be6b

But yeah… because of that, it’s not gentle 😖 most patients are red for like 2–3 days and the skin feels a bit rough after (like sandpaper-ish for a few days)

Sylfirm x feels very different

It has 2 modes (CW + PW), but the pulsed wave is the one I actually care about

Instead of continuous heat, it sends short bursts of energy so it can target abnormal blood vessels and the basement membrane without overheating everything around it. That’s why it works really well for redness (PIE), rosacea, even melasma cases where you have to be careful with heat

Also it uses non insulated needles, so the energy spreads more evenly through the skin instead of just one point which mean less aggressive, more controlled

Downtime is much easier too, usually just pink for like a day

So when people ask me which one is better, I usually don’t answer straight away bc it really depends on what I’m actually seeing on your skin and tbh.. most people have a mix! like acne patients rarely come in with just scars or just redness, it’s usually both together

So in clinic we don’t always stick to one device. Sometimes I’ll start with potenza to break down the scar tissue, then switch to sylfirm later to calm the redness and smooth everything out and if someone is more prone to PIH or has thinner / reactive skin, I’ll usually lean toward sylfirm first and go more gentle

Also quick reality check because I repeat this all day 🥲 these are not 1 session treatments
Both rely on collagen remodeling, so it takes time.. usually 3–5 sessions before you notice that ok it’s actually working

Idk if this makes it less confusing or more lol but yeah they’re really not interchangeable

If you’re not sure which one fits your skin just comment, easier to explain case by case

Many patients become concerned when they first notice early jowling, a softer jawline, or heaviness in the lower face. This is a very common concern, especially in the 30s and 40s. Fortunately, mild sagging does not usually mean surgery is necessary right away. In many cases, early changes can be managed effectively with non-surgical treatments when the correct cause is identified.

The first step is understanding that not all “sagging” is the same. Some patients are experiencing true skin laxity, where collagen and elastin have gradually declined. Others have volume loss, often after weight reduction or natural aging, which can make the cheeks look flatter and the lower face appear heavier. Some patients have enlargement of the masseter muscles, lower-face fullness, or poor skin quality that creates the impression of sagging even when tissue descent is minimal.

If the primary issue is mild skin laxity, Korean doctors often recommend collagen-stimulating tightening treatments such as Ultherapy, Thermage, Onda, or HIFU/RF-based devices. These treatments do not replace surgery, but they can improve firmness, support, and contour when changes are still early. Results are typically gradual and depend on skin thickness, age, and treatment planning.

If the face appears tired, hollow, or deflated rather than loose, lifting alone may not be the best solution. In these cases, restoring structural support often gives a better result. Treatments such as Rejuran, Juvelook, biostimulators, or carefully placed filler may improve the midface and indirectly soften early jowling. This is especially common after weight loss, where volume depletion is mistaken for sagging.

If the jawline looks broad or heavy, the cause may be muscular rather than laxity. Patients with prominent masseter muscles often benefit from masseter Botox, sometimes combined with tightening treatments. Reducing lower-face width can improve facial proportions and make the jawline appear sharper.

Another important point is that lifestyle factors should not be overlooked. Repeated weight fluctuation, poor sleep, smoking, chronic stress, and sun exposure can accelerate collagen loss and worsen early laxity. Treatment outcomes are generally better when these factors are addressed alongside in-clinic procedures.

The most common mistake I see is patients requesting the strongest lifting treatment without a proper assessment. More energy does not always mean a better result. In thinner faces, aggressive treatment may lead to an over tightened or volume deficient appearance. In other patients, the issue is not laxity at all, but imbalance.

For early sagging, the best outcomes usually come from individualized treatment plans rather than one aggressive procedure. Sometimes this means light tightening. Sometimes it means collagen support. Sometimes it means contour correction. And sometimes, the most appropriate recommendation is simply observation and maintenance.