Rejuran Eye (Rejuran i) for Under-Eye Skin

Rejuran Eye, sold as Rejuran i, is an injectable polynucleotide made from purified salmon DNA fragments and formulated for the thin skin under the eyes. It is placed in small, shallow injections, usually over a short course, to support skin quality and fine crepiness. It does not fill hollows, flatten eye bags or remove brown pigment.

Why does under-eye skin need its own treatment?

The skin of the lower eyelid is among the thinnest on the body, with very little fat beneath it and a muscle, the orbicularis oculi, that moves thousands of times a day. It loses collagen and elasticity earlier than thicker facial skin, and when it thins, the purple of the muscle and the blue of small veins show through more easily. Fine, crinkled lines appear on smiling and then at rest.

Dark circles have several causes, often at once: shadow from a hollow tear trough, brown pigment in the skin, visible vessels behind translucent skin, and puffiness or fat-pad bags that cast their own shadow. A review of dark circles in dermatology describes these as separate mechanisms needing separate approaches. Rejuran Eye is aimed at only one of them, the quality of the skin itself. Working out which causes you have is the first step; the guide to under-eye filler vs Rejuran Eye vs laser explains how they are told apart.

Everyday factors also play a part and are worth addressing alongside any treatment. Rubbing the eyes, often driven by allergic rhinitis or eczema around the lids, thickens and darkens the skin over time. Poor sleep, dehydration and salty food make puffiness and shadows more obvious in the morning. Sun exposure thins the skin further, so sunglasses and a sunscreen suitable for the eye area help protect any improvement. A gentle eye cream with moisturising and barrier-supporting ingredients will not change structure, but it keeps thin skin comfortable and less crinkled. None of this replaces treatment where it is needed; it makes the result easier to keep.

What is Rejuran i, and how does it differ from Rejuran Healer?

Rejuran is a family of injectables based on polynucleotides (PN), long chains of DNA fragments purified from salmon. Rejuran Healer is the standard formulation used across the face for skin quality. Rejuran S is a thicker form intended for depressed acne scars. Rejuran i, widely called Rejuran Eye, is the formulation the manufacturer designed for the delicate skin around the eyes. The Rejuran Healer, HB, S and Eye comparison sets out the differences in more detail.

Polynucleotides are related to, but not the same as, PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide), which consists of shorter fragments and is used in other products. PN forms a gel that holds water and stays in the tissue for a while. Laboratory work suggests polynucleotides support fibroblast activity, collagen production and a less inflamed repair environment, and an Italian expert group has published consensus guidance on their use in aesthetic medicine. Clinical studies are, however, mostly small and short, and recent reviews call for larger controlled trials. Expectations should be modest and gradual.

As with any injectable, ask what product is being used and check that it is registered for use in Singapore with the Health Sciences Authority. Polynucleotides are not hyaluronic acid filler and cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase, although they are broken down by the body over time.

Who is Rejuran Eye for, and who is it not for?

Rejuran Eye tends to suit people in their thirties to fifties whose main complaint is crinkly, thin under-eye skin with reasonable underlying shape. It is sometimes used before or alongside tear trough refinement so that the skin over a corrected hollow looks better, and alongside eyelid-skin tightening such as the Thermage FLX eye tip (see Thermage for the eyes). It is less suitable where the under-eye swells easily, because any injection there can aggravate fluid retention, and it does not help true eye bags; those are covered on eye bag removal.

What happens during a Rejuran Eye session?

The area is assessed at rest and on smiling, and photographs are taken in standard lighting. Make-up is removed and the skin cleaned. Numbing cream is applied for about 20 to 30 minutes. The product is then placed as a series of small, shallow injections in a grid across the lower eyelid and crow’s-feet skin, or threaded in with a fine blunt cannula, which can reduce the number of entry points. The injection part takes around 10 to 15 minutes.

Small raised bumps form where the gel has been placed; these are expected and flatten over hours to a day or two. A cool compress is applied, and the skin is left free of make-up for the rest of the day. A course of two to four sessions, two to four weeks apart, is common, with a review afterwards to decide on maintenance. How many sessions you need depends on the starting skin and how it responds.

Recovery, risks and realistic results

Expect small bumps for a day or so, mild redness and some tenderness. Bruising is the most common nuisance around the eyes, because the area has many small vessels; it can take a week or so to fade and can be covered with concealer after a day. Rarer problems include prolonged swelling, small lumps that take longer to settle, infection and allergic reaction. People allergic to fish or salmon products should not have polynucleotide injections. Avoid rubbing the area, intense exercise, alcohol and saunas for a day or two.

Change is gradual. Skin may look a little smoother and more hydrated after the bumps settle, with further improvement in texture and crepiness building over weeks after the course. Results vary considerably between people, and the effect wears off over months, so maintenance is usually discussed. Rejuran Eye will not change the shape of the under-eye or lift heavy lids. Practical aftercare is also covered in Rejuran downtime and aftercare.

How does Dr Sin Yong decide?

At IN Eternity Clinic, Dr Sin Yong looks at the under-eye from the front and in profile, at rest and on smiling, and under overhead and side light, to separate shadow, pigment, vessels and skin quality. He will tell you at assessment whether Rejuran Eye suits your concern, whether something else would do more, or whether a combination in sequence makes sense. If your concern is mainly a hollow, a bag or pigment, he will say so rather than offer a skin-quality injection that cannot change it.

Other under-eye options are gathered on the eye-area hub, and the wider Rejuran range is described on Rejuran Singapore.

Common myths, answered

• Myth: Rejuran Eye is an under-eye filler.
  Fact: It adds very little volume. It is aimed at skin quality, so it does not fill a hollow tear trough.
• Myth: It removes dark circles of every kind.
  Fact: It may soften darkness caused by thin, translucent skin. It does not clear brown pigment or the shadow of a hollow or bag.
• Myth: One session is enough.
  Fact: Most plans use a short course of sessions, and change builds gradually over weeks to months.
• Myth: Because it is natural, it carries no risk.
  Fact: Bruising, swelling, lumps, infection and allergy can occur. People allergic to fish products should avoid it.