Rejuran aftercare:
papules, cleansing, sunscreen and what to avoid

Why are there papules after Rejuran, and will they go?

Papules after Rejuran are expected. The product is a polynucleotide purified from salmon DNA, delivered by fine needle in a distributed pattern of micro-injections across the face, or by an injector device placing small volumes at a set depth. Each deposit sits in the dermis as a small raised point until the tissue takes the material up, and because the deposits are many and shallow, the face can look dotted for a short while. That is the appearance of a correct treatment. Bruising is possible, more so around the eyes where the skin is thin and vessels run close to the surface.

The papules settle on their own as the polynucleotide is absorbed. With polynucleotides they can last a little longer than the blebs after a hyaluronic acid booster, and that is normal. Do not press, rub or massage them unless you have been told to, and do not pick at any pinpoint crust that forms over an entry point. The Rejuran page explains what the polynucleotide is directed at and why the early papules are not the result; the change in texture and hydration develops gradually afterwards.

How should you cleanse and care for the skin after Rejuran?

On the first evening, cleanse with lukewarm water and a mild, non-foaming cleanser, using fingertips rather than a cloth or brush, and pat dry. Do not use scrubs, exfoliating acids, retinoids or vitamin C serums until the papules have gone and the skin feels ordinary again, because the entry points are many and each is a route for irritation. A plain moisturiser is fine once the skin is dry. Keep hands off the face in between, and change the pillowcase before you sleep.

Avoid make-up until the entry points have closed, so that pigment and bacteria are not carried into entry points that have not closed. After that, make-up can go on lightly over intact skin and be removed gently without rubbing; a light concealer over a bruise is better than foundation worked in with a brush. Normal skincare can usually restart once the points have closed, with active products returned one at a time once the skin is calm. No new active product should be started while the points are still settling.

Avoid heat, alcohol and vigorous exercise on the first day. Hot showers on the face, saunas, steam and hot yoga widen blood vessels and prolong swelling and bruising, and hard exercise raises blood pressure and does the same. A cool compress held lightly for a short spell eases swelling; do not press. Sleep face-up with the head slightly raised while the points are tender.

“The papules are not the result. They are the product sitting where it was placed; the result is what the skin does with it afterwards.”

Dr Sin YongOn recovery after Rejuran

What should you avoid after Rejuran, and how does sunscreen fit in?

Sunscreen goes on every morning once the entry points have closed, over intact skin, and is reapplied if you are outdoors. Skin that has just been treated is more reactive, and a bruise exposed to the sun can leave a brown mark in Fitzpatrick III to V skin, so bruised areas are covered or kept under sunscreen. Daily sun protection also supports the skin while it responds, which is the point of the treatment. No deliberate tanning while the points are settling.

For the following days, avoid anything that presses, heats or abrades the treated skin: facials, facial massage, gua sha, microneedling or at-home devices, and any energy-based treatment over the same area until it is spaced as set out in your plan. Waxing or threading on the treated skin waits until the papules have gone. Swimming in chlorinated pools can wait until the entry points have closed. If Rejuran was placed around the eyes, contact lenses can be worn once any swelling has settled, and eye make-up waits until the skin there is ordinary again.

Aftercare at a glance

What is normal after Rejuran, and what is not?

Normal after Rejuran is papules that settle, redness, mild swelling and tenderness at the injection points, and bruising, especially around the eyes. The general rules on the skin booster aftercare page apply to Rejuran as they do to Profhilo. These effects resolve on their own and are covered in the written aftercare.

Not normal is pain that increases instead of settling, redness that is spreading with warmth, pus at an entry point, or swelling that does not subside. Nodules can occur where material is deposited unevenly or too superficially and are examined rather than massaged. Infection is uncommon but possible with any needle through skin, which is why the entry points are kept clean and make-up is delayed. Allergic reaction is rare, and it is the reason fish allergy is asked about directly before treatment; itching, hives or swelling that spreads beyond the treated area needs review the same day, and swelling of the lips, tongue or throat with difficulty breathing is an emergency.

Skin turning white, dusky or net-like near a point, or pain that is severe and worsening, is time-critical and needs assessment the same day. These events are rare with intradermal placement, but low risk is not absence of risk.

When should you call the clinic after Rejuran, and what happens at review?

Message the clinic on WhatsApp during clinic hours if you notice any of the following:

• Pain that increases instead of settling, or that is severe.
• Redness that is spreading, with warmth, or pus at any point.
• Swelling that does not subside, or that is clearly increasing after the first day.
• Skin turning white, dusky, purple or net-like over or near a point.
• A lump that persists once the other points have settled, or that is growing.
• Itching, hives or swelling spreading beyond the treated area.

Go straight to a hospital emergency department for swelling of the lips, tongue or throat with difficulty breathing, or any change in vision, and do not wait for a message reply. The complication care page sets these signs out in full. Most messages after Rejuran turn out to be papules that are taking their time or a bruise near the eye, and you will be told plainly whether what you describe sounds expected, needs to be seen, and how soon.

The review is timed once the papules and bruising have gone and the skin has had time to respond, because changes in texture and hydration develop gradually rather than on the day. The plan, and any interval between visits, is set individually at that review from what the skin is doing. If you had Rejuran elsewhere and something feels wrong, the same warning signs apply; bring the preparation used, the areas and the date. The consultation process page describes how an assessment here works, and the flying after treatment page covers travel timing.