ACRS Treatment in Tokyo

ACRS stands for autologous cytokine-rich serum. A small sample of your blood is incubated in a dedicated tube, which stimulates your own cells to produce anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors at 5 to 15 times their usual concentration. Red and white blood cells and platelets are then removed, so only the serum is injected. No preservatives, additives, or synthetic drugs are used.

The treatment works in two steps: first the anti-inflammatory cytokines act as a brake on chronic inflammation in the skin, and then the growth factors act as an accelerator for regeneration. This is why ACRS is used for concerns where inflammation is part of the problem, such as redness, sensitive skin, acne, and acne scars, as well as for general loss of firmness and glow.

Both are prepared from your own blood and both are regulated as regenerative medicine in Japan. PRP is built around platelets and growth factors, and suits deeper lines and volume loss. ACRS contains a higher concentration of cytokines and suits chronic redness, sensitive skin, acne, and skin-quality improvement. Rejuva offers both, and the doctor will recommend one, the other, or a combination at the consultation. See also PRP therapy (Cellular Matrix PRP+HA).

• Face: firmness, glow, fine lines, pores, dark circles, redness, and acne scars. Delivered as a mesotherapy-style injection across the face or by manual injection by the doctor.
• Scalp: for thinning hair, as part of the clinic's hair growth mesotherapy.
• Intimate area: for dryness and discomfort, including atrophic vaginitis, after childbirth or with age.

Three doctors, including clinic director Dr. Rena Hirata, offer consultations in English. No interpreter is needed, and English-speaking patients pay the same prices as Japanese-speaking patients. The treatment takes about 60 to 90 minutes including the blood draw and incubation. Redness and needle marks largely settle by the next day, so most visitors can continue sightseeing or travel the following day.

Prices in Japanese yen, tax included. Monitor prices apply to patients who agree to the clinic's monitor conditions. The initial consultation fee is ¥3,300, including tax. See the full price list.

Temporary redness, mild swelling, and needle marks at the injection sites usually settle within a few days to one week. Bruising, when it occurs, is absorbed within one to two weeks. Because the serum is entirely derived from your own blood, allergic reactions are very unlikely, but infection remains a rare possibility. Please tell the doctor about any medical conditions, medications, or allergies at the consultation.

ACRS at Rejuva is provided under a Class III regenerative medicine plan filed with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (plan number PC3200161), as required by Japan's Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine.

The ACRS preparation kit has not been approved under Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act. The clinic imports it through an authorized Japanese distributor at the physician's discretion. No product with equivalent indications has been approved in Japan, and safety certification in other countries has not been confirmed. No serious adverse events have been reported to date, but risks that are not yet known may exist. Serious adverse events arising from this treatment are not covered by Japan's Relief System for Sufferers from Adverse Drug Reactions. Information on personally imported medical products: yakubutsu.mhlw.go.jp.