by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
January 7, 2026
The donated fat can help patients who lack their own to undergo these cosmetic procedures.
For those dying for an hourglass figure, this unexpected hero can help with certain plastic surgeries.
The use of donated cadavers, a dead human body used for medical study or other purposes, has become the newest trend in many cosmetic procedures. The popular “Brazilian Butt Lifts,” also known as BBLs, now seem possible for many who once could not qualify.
According to the New York Post, the cadavers play a role by turning the bodies’ donated fat into injectable fillers for various procedures, including breast implants as well. This filler, under the brand name AlloeClae, remains in limited use across the country. Its website even describes the product as “sterilized donor-derived adipose tissue.”
However, the company’s owners did note that each donor consented to their fat’s usage for cosmetic procedures. The fat also undergoes a multi-step process to ensure it is clean and safe for insertion into another body.
“We ensure all our tissue is consented to for aesthetic use… The donor material is meticulously screened in accordance with regulated and high-quality tissue practices,” explained Caro Van Hove, president of Tiger Aesthetics, the company behind AlloClae, in an interview with The Cut.
Doctors who use the fillers consider it a game-changer for clients. Many of these patients would otherwise have lacked the fat needed to undergo the surgeries. Furthermore, the real-life fat also helps trigger the body’s production of collagen.
The filler even makes the option of body and breast augmentation possible for a wider range of potential clients. AlloClae injections even help with correction, especially for those with botched surgeries.
“We are also getting a lot of patients coming to us that have had, unfortunately, poorly done liposuction with tons of contour irregularities that need fat grafting back in because of grooves, contour irregularities, over-resection,” explained Dr. Sachin M. Shridharani, a doctor based in Manhattan.
However, the work goes beyond overcorrection or limited body composition. The use of these human products can also help breast cancer survivors. The injections offer a biocompatible solution for women wanting breast tissue reconstruction.
Tissue engineering has gained traction for women wanting to reshape their breasts post-mastectomy, according to a study by the Yale School of Medicine. Now, the inclusion of these biocompatible fillers could be a game-changer in reconstructive surgery.
Keeping clients informed about the history of these fillers, and donors aware of their fat’s future, still remains the priority.
“I think transparency is key,” added Dr. Shridharani. “It’s tissue that’s been gifted in kind, and it’s no different from situations where a patient needs additional cartilage but doesn’t want to undergo a rib graft and the scarring that comes with harvesting their own tissue — in those cases, we use cadaver cartilage grafts.”
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