A new injectable cosmetic treatment made from fat taken from donated cadavers has become increasingly popular in the United States, with more than 2,000 patients using it since May 2025, according to its manufacturer.The product, called alloClae (pronounced “allo-clay”), is a “lunchtime breast augmentation” that takes less than an hour to inject, requires no general anesthesia, and requires little downtime. A single 12.5 cc syringe can cost up to $2,250, with patients paying between $13,000 and $50,000 for treatment.
‘Zombie stuffing “On the rise
The product uses “off-the-shelf” fat and processed cadaver tissue to remove DNA, and is marketed as an alternative to traditional fat grafting, where the patient’s own fat is removed via liposuction and transferred elsewhere.The emergence of GLP-1 weight loss drugs such as Ozempic has increased demand, as patients who lose significant weight look to add volume back to areas such as the breasts, buttocks, and face.“What these patients find is that they lose significant amounts of weight, which results in them becoming disfigured in certain areas where they lose their true target volume,” Caroline Van Hoof, president of Tiger Aesthetics, the manufacturer of alloClae, told CNN.
“In the areas that, in their opinion, define their femininity.”
Ethical concerns And complications
Critics have raised ethical questions about profiteering from donated bodies. “Making money is really a betrayal of altruism. I think that’s an ethical problem,” Arthur Caplan, a professor of bioethics at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, told CNN.Some patients experienced complications. One patient, who spent $13,000 on the treatment, developed fat necrosis — dead tissue — and noticed yellow fluid leaking from the injection site.
“It looked oily, chunky and yellow,” she added.Tiger Aesthetics said it has no confirmed cases of graft rejection or infection, adding that injection technique is “extremely important.” New York State has banned distribution of the product, with Tiger Aesthetics suing the state Department of Health.