A salmon sperm facial in Korea is not a facial in the spa sense: it is a course of skin injections using polynucleotide (PN), a purified gel of DNA fragments taken from salmon or trout sperm. Most clinics use Rejuran, made by the Korean company PharmaResearch. After numbing cream, a doctor places the gel into the upper skin at a few hundred tiny points, or through a blunt cannula. Small bumps, redness and sometimes bruising generally fade over a few days, varying by person. Texture changes build across several sessions.
Guide
Why a skin injection ended up with a fish nickname
The nickname comes from the raw material, not from anything rubbed on the face. Manufacturers extract DNA from salmon or trout sperm, purify it to remove proteins, and suspend the long chains in a sterile solution; Rejuran Healer holds about 20 mg of PN per milliliter. Salmon facial Korea is simply a shorter spelling of the same query.
Two related ingredients are often mixed up. PN means longer polynucleotide chains and is what Rejuran contains; PDRN uses shorter fragments. Both are injected, and neither is a cream or mask. Rejuran HB adds hyaluronic acid and lidocaine; Rejuran i is meant for thin skin around the eyes.
Guide
How the injection session runs, step by step
Expect a medical appointment, not a relaxing hour. The usual order:
- Assessment: skin condition, medicines, fish or seafood allergy and recent procedures are reviewed.
- Cleansing and numbing: makeup comes off and a numbing cream is left on until the skin feels dull.
- Injection: the gel goes into the dermis through a very fine needle at many shallow points, or through a cannula in fewer passes.
- Soothing: a cooling mask or calming cream is applied, and you receive written aftercare.
Guide
Side effects to plan your days around
Downtime is short for most people but it is not zero. Each needle point can leave a small raised bump, so build spare days into any trip.
Injection pain is the complaint people mention most. In a 2025 randomized, patient-blinded split-face study in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Jeon and colleagues gave 15 people 1 mL of a standard PN filler on one side and an ionization-adjusted PN filler on the other. Jeon and colleagues recorded pain of 5.04 out of 10 on the standard side versus 3.39 on the adjusted side, embossing in 56.7% versus 13.3% of cases, and redness in 60% versus 40%.
- Common: stinging, redness, small bumps, mild swelling.
- Less common: bruising, tenderness, unevenness that lingers.
- Rare: infection at needle points, firm nodules, allergic reaction.
- Avoid during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with active acne or infection in the area, or with a known reaction to fish-derived products unless the doctor approves.
Guide
PN injection versus a spa-style facial
How it differs from services people confuse it with:
| Point | PN injection | Spa or hydrating facial |
|---|---|---|
| What enters the skin | Polynucleotide gel placed in the dermis | Nothing injected; products stay on the surface |
| Who performs it | A doctor at a medical clinic | A skin therapist or clinic staff |
| Numbing | Cream applied beforehand | Not needed |
| How you look afterward | Bumps and redness for a few days | Often a brief pink flush |
| How change builds | Gradually over a course of sessions | Short-lived glow after each visit |
Guide
What the research can and cannot tell you
The evidence base is smaller than the marketing. The Jeon trial was tiny and compared two PN formulas rather than PN against no treatment; both sides improved on wrinkle scales without a difference. In Skin Research and Technology, Kim and colleagues in 2023 described two patients whose fat loss after earlier injections was treated with polynucleotide, a case report and the weakest kind of evidence. Effects are generally described as lasting several months.
Guide
Fitting the injections into a Busan stay
Busan trips tend to involve sun, sea and saunas, and all three clash with fresh needle points. Skip swimming, bathhouses and heavy exercise until the punctures close, typically a day or two, and wear mineral sunscreen outdoors. Book the first session early in the stay.
Because sessions are usually spaced 7 to 10 days apart, a short visit covers one round. Anyone weighing the salmon sperm facial in Seoul faces the same timing, since the product is identical in both cities.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- Efficacy of Ionization-Adjusted PN Filler in Minimizing Injection Pain: A Randomized, Patient-Blinded, Split-Face StudyAesthetic Plastic Surgery · 2025 · doi:10.1007/s00266-025-05320-x
An ionization-adjusted PN filler caused less injection pain, redness and embossing than a conventional PN filler, with similar wrinkle improvement.
- Polynucleotide injection treatment for iatrogenic fat atrophy in two patients: Potential for safe volumization in aesthetic medicineSkin Research and Technology · 2023 · doi:10.1111/srt.13439
Case report of polynucleotide injections used to restore volume where fat had been lost after earlier treatment.
FAQ
Questions about Facials in Busan
Is a salmon sperm injection really made from fish?
Yes, the polynucleotide comes from salmon or trout sperm, but it is heavily purified first. Manufacturers isolate the DNA chains, strip away proteins and sterilize the result into an injectable gel. Nothing involves raw fish. If a menu calls it a facial, ask whether it is injected; a cream carrying the same name is a different product. Ask to see the sealed box before treatment.
Can I have PN injections if I am allergic to fish or seafood?
Tell the doctor first, because the decision depends on how severe your allergy is. The purification step is meant to remove the proteins that usually trigger fish allergy, yet reactions to injected products are still possible. Many doctors will decline or suggest another skin booster for people with a history of serious reactions. Bring the name of any medicine you carry for allergies to the consultation.
How many sessions are usually planned, and how far apart?
A course of several sessions is typical, with Rejuran Healer commonly spaced 7 to 10 days apart. The number depends on skin thickness, the area and the goal. One visit starts the process, but visible texture change usually takes repeat rounds. Effects generally last several months, so maintenance visits follow. A multi-week stay or a planned return trip makes a full course practical.
When can I swim in the sea after the treatment?
Wait until the needle points have closed, which usually takes a day or two. Seawater, pools and shared bathhouses all carry bacteria that can enter fresh punctures and cause infection. Keep the face clean, avoid touching it, and protect it from strong sun. If redness spreads, feels hot or becomes painful after a day, contact the clinic rather than waiting it out.
Will the bumps show in photos the next morning?
They may, especially on thin skin or after needle rather than cannula injection. Most small raised points flatten within a few days, though bruises can take longer. Light makeup is usually allowed once the doctor says the skin has closed. Book the session a few days before any event where you expect to be photographed. Ice packs on the first evening can help with swelling.
Is Rejuran the same thing as PDRN?
No, Rejuran contains PN, longer polynucleotide chains, while PDRN products use shorter fragments. Both come from a similar fish-derived source and both are injected. The two names are not interchangeable on clinic menus, so check the product name on the label before treatment. A clinic that uses a PDRN product instead should say so in the quote, along with how many sessions it plans and how far apart.