Welcome to the era of cadaver cosmetics

Fat from corpses is the latest cosmetic surgery trend

Launched by US-based Tiger Aesthetics in 2025, AlloClae is a new FDA-approved injectable filler made from sterilised donor-derived adipose tissue. 

The fat, which is taken from cadavers, is transformed into a thick injectable that is then used in cosmetic procedures. It is said to add volume, smooth contours, and help to create a more youthful appearance.

According to the Tiger Aesthetics website, this new injectable marks the arrival of “the next evolution of body contouring".

Using fat from corpses to help cosmetic surgeons meticulously create a more youthful appearance for their patients is an irony not lost on me, but how exactly did we get here?

In 2025, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) detained over 750,000 units of illegal medicines. A significant number of these were presented as GLP‑1 products for personal use.

Known to many as Ozempic or Wegovy, GLP‑1s are prescription-only medicines used to treat diabetes and, in certain cases, help with weight management. 

I am sure most, if not everyone, reading this is aware of the abuse of these injections by many. GLP‑1s have rapidly become infamous for being used to suppress one's appetite in order to facilitate rapid weight loss. 

The most recent Hollywood Awards circuit saw many accusations waged against stars whom people suspected were using these injections. Of course, as with most online discourse, these conventions were neither productive nor inspiring. That being said, these discussions have given rise to an interesting new phenomenon: Ozempic face. 

This is the claim that those who inject GLP‑1s begin to look gaunt in their face due to rapid weight loss. While the slimness of the body obtained through using these drugs is deemed desirable, the gauntness of the face is not. 

This paradox perfectly captures the completely unattainable and unrealistic body image standards of today. 

‘Ozempic Face' demonstrates perfectly how quickly a fabricated insecurity to capitalise on people's insecurities can be born. 

In the past, these fat transfers would have been done using a patient's own fat, which was removed via liposuction when re-injected elsewhere to increase volume. The rise of GLP-1s means that patients who are looking to increase volume no longer have any fat left on their bodies to use. Enter AlloClae. 

We have entered a point where people will go so far as to use the fat from a corpse in order to ensure they are subscribing to the current beauty trends. 

Regardless of how ethically sourced this cadaver fat is, it is hard not to be somewhat disturbed by the concept as a whole. While I have no issue with anyone who decides to undergo cosmetic procedures, the notion of injecting oneself with fat from a corpse for a “vanity” procedure is a dystopian concept to me. 

For once, it is not only women falling victim to these cosmetic fads. A recent piece in The Guardian notes how many men with a low body fat percentage are using AlloClae in order to give the appearance of increased volume, especially in their pecs, biceps, and calves. 

A lot of the increase in men desiring these procedures is driven by the growth in the “looksmaxxing” community due to popular male influencers such as Clavicular. 

Braden Eric Peters, known online as Clavicular, is a 20-year-old American who promotes extreme measures in order to maximise your physical appearance. Some of these include bone smashing to reshape your facial structure and methamphetamine use in order to maintain a low body fat percentage. 

The emergence of AlloClae is a signal of the cyclical nature of body trends. While GLP-1s were indicative of thinness and the removal of fat, AlloClae tells us the penglum may once again be swinging. 

While AlloClae is not yet legally circulating on European or Irish markets, it is perhaps only a matter of time before illegal imports of the substance begin to hit Irish shores.