I Tried Kim Kardashian’s Viral ‘Salmon Sperm’ Facial and I Have Thoughts - Ashleigh Cometti

OPINION

Beauty editor Ashleigh Cometti test drives the celebrity-approved injectable treatment.

Let me preface this by saying I’m not scared of needles.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I get Botox three times per year, I’ve tried lip filler once, had my eyebrows micro-bladed and lips tattooed.

While I was familiar with and fascinated by the many different types of injectable skin boosters on offer (comes with the territory as beauty editor) the opportunity hadn’t yet presented itself to give any a whirl.

That was, until a PR emailed me to say an inner-city skin clinic was bringing a South Korean skin treatment to our shores – one beloved by celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston, touted to achieve “glass skin”.

Except this one featured an unusual additive – salmon sperm. It elicited many questions from curious friends: “How do they extract the sperm from the salmon?” was a common query. I, too, wanted answers.

“Well, if it’s good enough for Jennifer, it’s good enough for me,” I thought, and confirmed my appointment.

The promise

It’s touted as Hollywood A-listers’ go-to treatment to boost the skin’s own collagen production, improving skin cell regeneration and enhancing skin elasticity.

More than this, it’s said to improve skin hydration, address the visible signs of ageing (like fine lines and wrinkles), while smoothing skin texture and evening out skin tone. All without the need for surgery.

Rejuran has been popular in its native South Korea and across Asia for more than a decade, but has since picked up traction on TikTok globally for its ability to achieve smoother, firmer and more youthful-looking skin.

The treatment uses DNA extracted from salmon sperm (which admittedly does sound slightly gross) but Arita, my therapist at Kaiz Skin Body & Injectable Clinic, framed it in a much more tolerable way.

“It’s not actually salmon sperm, it’s the polynucleotides that have been extracted from the salmon’s DNA. We take this and place it into very precise areas of the skin,” she explains.

“Some people will spot treat, which means putting it into scars or specific areas of the face that need it. Whereas we tend to use it all over for its powerful anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory effects.”

To answer everyone’s burning question: no, they do not milk the salmon. Arita tells me about a dedicated farm in South Korea where wild salmon return during mating season.

As the sperm is released into the water, it’s harvested and returned to a laboratory where the DNA is processed and purified into fragments known as long-chain polymeric nucleotides (AKA polynucleotides). They extract the DNA to create a clear, purified form of polynucleotide which is adapted to use in-clinic.

Rejuran is administered by injecting it 3-4mm into skin, and Arita adds that while the best results will be achieved after a course of three treatments, most people will see that “glow” approximately two weeks post-treatment.

The practice

As my appointment drew nearer, the nerves started to set in.

This was unlike any treatment I’d tried previously, and while I was well-versed in the benefits (and downtime involved) my palms felt slightly clammy as I arrived at Kaiz Skin, Body & Injectable Clinic in Parnell’s fringe.

Arita did an excellent job of greeting me and settling my nerves as she took me through the thorough consultation process, explaining that a half-face Rejuran treatment would help address the enlarged pores on my mid cheeks, along with my sunken nasojugal groove (or lid-cheek junction which sits between the lower eyelid and cheek).

She added that Rejuran comes highly recommended to address demarcation, or volume loss that happens as we age, which can result in changes in skin texture and integrity. “Procedures like this build up skin matrix and support fibroblasts to create more collagen,” she explained.

A few skin pricks and I’d have smaller pores and look less tired, what’s not to love about that?

There are two different modalities to administer Rejuran, either by hand using a needle or with a mesotherapy gun. At Kaiz, Arita says needles are the preferred option, allowing for a more targeted treatment and better results.

Arita continued to put my mind at ease by explaining she now has a client who comes in for Rejuran monthly, delighted with its ability to achieve a more natural, rejuvenated look – a stark contrast to the overfilled, puffy faces of years gone by.

Considering its primary function is to heal and restore skin from the inside out, Arita explained that Rejuran is suitable for all skin types, including those with thinning, ultra-sensitive or hyperreactive skin, or anyone suffering from rosacea and eczema thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects. For some people, Rejuran can act as an alternative to ongoing steroid use (which can thin skin even more).

With the consultation completed, Arita thoroughly cleansed my skin and got to work applying lidocaine – a medicinal-grade numbing cream that she generously layered onto my mid-face and covered with a layer of cling film.

It was left on for half an hour to help minimise the discomfort of the treatment as much as possible.

I was handed a hot pink stress ball (very on brand for me) and told that Arita would use a vibrating handheld device near the injection site to act as a distraction as she inserted the needle and dispensed the polynucleotides into my skin.

I’m very goal-oriented, so wanted to know how many injections she anticipated I’d need all up. At that point, she said it was hard to give an exact number (but read on and you’ll realise how important that final tally would be).

Starting on my right-hand side, she began with my under eyes, closest to my nose.

“This isn’t so bad,” I told her, as she systematically inserted, dispensed and released little blobs of product along my undereye towards my temple.

However, the next line down was excruciating. I gripped that hot pink stress ball so tightly it was practically flat, and employed my hypnobirthing techniques (yes, really) to breathe deeply and hum as she injected, dispensed and moved on.

Arita was excellent at checking in, while she knew I wasn’t comfortable, she was quick to reassure me how well I was doing, and would apply ice over the injection site – allowing micro breaks in between to help me cope.

Full disclosure: after she’d finished my right side, I sat up and cried. I felt like an absolute wuss given I’m no stranger to needles, but it was as if this treatment had unlocked some pent-up emotions and they were spilling out over my blood speckled cheeks.

She asked if I wanted to continue, but if there’s one thing about me it’s that I’m a perfectionist, so I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving the clinic with half a face worth of injections. Sixteen injections, she told me. I’d just need 16 injections and we’d be done.

I cannot stand when injectors describe treatments as feeling like “a rubber band snap” – let’s call a spade a spade here people. It feels like a needle going into your skin because that’s exactly what it is. And yes, it hurts.

Unlike other injectors, Arita didn’t sugarcoat it, she validated my feelings – told me that yes, some people do find it really sore and that we could take it at my own pace to ensure I got through it.

Line one: four injections for my undereye and while it stung, I managed.

The next three lines really did hurt. It wasn’t just the needle going in, but the solution itself stung as it was dispensed under my skin. We counted down each injection together, and Arita iced each spot as she went.

It was sore, yes, but I got through. The cooling mask applied at the end of the treatment offered instant relief for my tender skin.

Arita applied some post-treatment creme which contained antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients, along with an SPF50 to protect my skin. Next came a light layer of post-treatment cover up, a medical-grade cream that contains mineral makeup particles.

Redness, swelling and bruising are common side effects (akin to being bitten by mosquitos), but Arita said most symptoms should resolve in a few days.

I was advised to stay out of direct sunlight as Arita told me the little pinpricks in my skin would be more vulnerable to sun damage while they healed. SPF in the days following was also a must.

Arita gave me two sterile cloths to gently clean my face with at the end of the day (touch, rubbing or massaging the treatment area is a no-no).

Exercising, hot showers, alcohol and heavy makeup were also off the cards for the next 48 hours.

The place

Kaiz Skin, Body & Injectable Clinic, 2A Cowie St, Parnell, Auckland. Kaiz.nz

The price

A single session of Rejuran Skin Booster is priced at $650 for 1ml (administered to the eye area), $850 for 2ml (half-face) or $1550 for 4ml (full face). Members’ only discounts and three-session concessions are also available.

The verdict

A few hours later, I posted a photo of my face on my group chat. My girlfriends’ replies were a mixed bag, but all agreed it looked pretty red and angry.

I experienced the full laundry list of post-treatment woes (redness, swelling, bruising, itching and tenderness) but as Arita had explained this well to me, it wasn’t all that surprising.

The following day, the redness had subsided but the welts had not – 16 blobs spaced out at intervals over each cheek, along with a big bruise on my right cheek. I dutifully applied my SPF over my tender skin, and later in the day my face felt itchy and hot. I went sans makeup as instructed.

I probably should’ve planned this better, as the day after I was flying to Sydney to attend a red-carpet runway show with a prominent makeup brand. Concealer was my BFF to hide the bruising, but the welts were my plus one that night.

It took a good five days for the welts to come down completely, and my bruise has faded to a slight yellow now.

Rejuran requires a minimum of three treatments for best results, spaced four weeks apart. Like many skin rejuvenation treatments, results are only temporary due to the natural ageing process and environmental factors. It’s for this reason that devotees might like to book in for six-monthly maintenance treatments to sustain its benefits.

However, Arita said I may notice some changes in my skin after just one treatment, and she was right.

As I write this, I’m two weeks post-treatment and my skin looks the healthiest it’s looked in a long time. I haven’t been prioritising sleep and hydration as much as I should, but you wouldn’t know it as my under eyes are significantly brighter and less hollow than they usually appear, and my cheeks look plump and squishy.

Would I try it again? Probably not for a half-face, no. My pain threshold could never.

But I would certainly be open to having it injected in my undereye area only (the discomfort was minimal). It would make for an excellent alternative to tear trough filler to improve skin cell health in that area rather than just volumise and plump artificially.

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