What to Know Before Getting Re2O in Korea

What exactly is injected?

Re2O (Elravie Re2O, 리투오, リトゥオ, hADM skin booster, phADM, ECM skin booster) is made from donated human dermis that has had all cells removed, leaving the extracellular matrix (ECM, the mesh of collagen and elastin that holds skin together). The matrix is milled into particles of roughly 75 µm and injected into the dermis. Unlike Rejuran or Juvelook, which stimulate the skin to make collagen, Re2O supplies the building material itself and lets your own cells move in and organize it. It is manufactured by L&C Bio and distributed by Humedix; the name stands for "Return to your 20s".

It spread quickly in Korea from late 2025, and many overseas patients now hear about it first abroad and come to Korea to get it. Below are the facts worth knowing before the hype.

1. It is hard to get outside Korea

Re2O is licensed in Korea as a human tissue product, and as of October 2026 its formal export markets are Singapore and Japan. It is not FDA-approved. Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong and Russia are markets the manufacturer is preparing for, pending local approval. In practice, Korea is the surest place to receive the genuine, officially distributed product.

That also means maintenance sessions with the same product may be hard to arrange at home. Ask for an English treatment record (product name, dose in mg, injection areas, date) so your local physician can plan what comes next.

2. The evidence is one 20-person study

The randomized, double-blinded split-face trial by Lee et al. (2026, International Journal of Molecular Sciences) is Re2O's only published clinical study. The Yonsei University team injected Re2O plus hyaluronic acid on one side of the face and a hyaluronic-acid skin booster alone on the other in 20 adults aged 30–65, following them for 20 weeks. The Re2O side improved more in skin density, volume, elasticity, wrinkle depth, pore area, hydration and barrier measures, with no serious adverse events. Source: DOI 10.3390/ijms27052193

Three caveats belong with that result. Twenty participants cannot reveal rare side effects. Follow-up ended at 20 weeks, so how long results last is unknown. Some authors were involved in product development. The signal that it works is clear; "how long, and for whom" is still unanswered.

3. Know that it is human tissue before you choose it

The raw material is donor skin. Donors are screened to American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) standards, cells and DNA are removed (residual DNA under 50 ng per mg), and the matrix is milled into particles. Acellular dermis from the same source has long been used in breast reconstruction and burn care.

Even so, there is an ongoing debate in Korea about using donated tissue for cosmetic purposes, and in 2026 some called for injectable tissue products to be reclassified as drugs. No safety problem has been raised, but if you avoid human-derived products for religious or ethical reasons, a booster made from other materials, such as Rejuran (salmon DNA) or Juvelook (PDLLA), is the better fit. Just tell us at the consultation.

4. Ask "how many mg", not "how many cc"

Re2O is a powder, and it has to be mixed with saline, anesthetic or hyaluronic acid before injection. Clinics therefore advertise "5 cc", "6 cc" or "1 vial" interchangeably, but cc only describes the total volume after mixing and says nothing about how much ECM went in. One genuine vial contains 150 mg of ECM; in the trial, about 56 mg was used per half-face.

Demand surged from late 2025 and supply ran short for a time; the manufacturer was producing around 80,000 vials a month by mid-2026 and is expanding. The more popular a product, the more dilution ratios vary from clinic to clinic, so the simplest safeguard is to see the vial label opened in front of you and confirm how many mg go where.

5. Check first if any of these apply to you

Combining the trial's exclusion criteria with the nature of a tissue product, tell your physician before treatment if you:

• have keloids or hypertrophic scars (scars that grow thick and raised)
• have an autoimmune disease or take immunosuppressants
• take aspirin, warfarin or other blood thinners (bruising may last longer and timing may need adjusting)
• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• have active acne, herpes or dermatitis at the treatment site (we wait until it settles)
• have a history of severe allergy or anaphylaxis

Unlike hyaluronic-acid filler, Re2O has no dissolving enzyme. Rarely, a small lump (nodule) can form at an injection point; most resolve over time, but misplaced depth or volume can make one last. That is why experience with nodule management matters when choosing who injects you.

6. How to plan your schedule

Within Korea, "three sessions a month apart" is often recommended, but that frame does not fit a single visit. In the trial the Re2O side already measured better than control from week 1 after the first injection, and many patients see change from one session. If you can return, top up on the next visit.

• Book early in your trip. Needle marks, redness and light bruising settle in 2–3 days; leave that buffer before departure.
• On treatment day, skip saunas, hard exercise and alcohol; washing your face is fine. Make-up from the next day.
• For a week, avoid scrubs, exfoliation and strong retinoids, and use moisturizer and sunscreen generously.
• Flying is fine from the next day; cabin air is dry, so carry moisturizer.

At DIORE

At DIORE we often combine Re2O with device treatments such as Ultherapy, Thermage or Potenza on the same day. They act on different layers, so the skin is not overloaded, and the combination suits overseas patients who need results from one visit. The order is Ultherapy or Thermage first, Potenza next, Re2O last. We show you the vial before opening it and provide an English treatment record afterward.

FAQ

Q1. How soon after Re2O can I fly?

You can fly the next day. Needle marks and redness last 2–3 days, so if photos matter, have the treatment 2–3 days before departure. Bring moisturizer for the dry cabin air.

Q2. Does one session of Re2O work?

In the trial, the Re2O side measured better than control from week 1 after the first injection, and many patients notice change after one session. Results vary; if you can return, top up on the next visit.

Q3. Is "5 cc" of Re2O the same as one vial?

It may or may not be. cc is the volume after reconstitution; one vial is 150 mg of ECM. Ask how many mg are diluted into how many cc and where they go.

Q4. Can I get Re2O in the US or Europe?

As of October 2026 there is no FDA approval or CE mark, and formal distribution is limited to Korea, Singapore and Japan. Maintenance at home may be difficult, so keep your Korean treatment record.

Q5. Can Re2O cause lumps?

Rarely, a small lump can form at an injection point. Most resolve over time, but there is no dissolving enzyme, so precise depth and volume matter. If a lump lasts more than two weeks, contact the clinic that treated you.

Closing

Re2O is, quite literally, a new skin booster you can only get in Korea, and one whose evidence is less than a year old. Come knowing that it is human tissue, that it cannot be dissolved, and that the dose should be confirmed in mg, and a single visit can deliver a good result.

ℹ️ This content is for general medical information and does not replace individual consultation. Results vary with each person's skin, and an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan should be made with an aesthetic medicine specialist.

References

• Lee YI, Chau NH, Nguyen NH, Ham S, Baek Y, Kim J, Lee JH. Injectable Particulated Human Acellular Dermal Matrix Booster for Skin Restoration: An Integrated Randomized, Split-Face, Double-Blinded Clinical Trial and Preclinical Study. Int J Mol Sci. 2026;27(5):2193.
• ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07155278. Efficacy and Safety of a Particulated Human Acellular Dermal Matrix Skin Booster. Yonsei University.
• Cha S, Shin H. Human skin is the latest ingredient in South Korea's beauty craze. Bloomberg. July 2026.
• L&C Bio. Re2O emerges as a leading K-medical tour procedure within one year of launch. PR Newswire. 2 Dec 2025.