Use a Friend or Family Member's Fat for Fat Transfer?

Question

If someone is thinking about getting lipo instead of having to gain all their weight to have the doctor transfer it (because i am not very meaty) what would be the protocol of using someone elses? I know there's a risk of the body rejecting the fat but are there ways to prevent that or should it just not be done at all?

Mahlon Kerr, MD, FACS · Answer

Sorry you would reject the cells just like a kidney or organ can be rejected.  Since fat transfer is not needed to safe your life it's not worth a lifetime of immunosuppression to see if it might work.  If you are interested in fat transfer your first step is a consultation to learn more about the process and you can see what is possible and what is not.  Good luck!  Dr K

Vishnu Rumalla, MD · Answer

Sorry, you cannot transfer fat from one person to another because of a phenomena called rejection.  Only tissue from an identical twin can be transfered.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

Fat transfer from another person doesn't work with the possible exception of an identical twin and still may not work with them.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

At this time you can't use other people's fat for a fat transfer.  The fat will not survive.  You have to use your own from a good donor site such as the abdomen.

Thomas Fiala, MD, FACS, FRCSC · Answer

Unless the donor was your identical twin, your body would recognize the injected fat cells as being different than your own cells ("foreign") and would begin to attack the injected fat via your immune system.  The fat would be eliminated rapidly, within a few weeks, and soon, no fat would be left.

	
	Maybe some day in the future....

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Injecting someone else's fat cells into you would cause rejection by your immune system. Furthermore there could be a risk of non-detected disease transmission. Fat injections must transfer your host cells from a donor area to your recipient area in which you desire the aesthetic result of facial volumization with fillers.

Thomas A. Lamperti, MD · Answer

Unfortunately, you can only use your own fat for facial fat grafting. Your immune system would reject anyone else's fat. The protocols to prevent graft rejection that you mention are used for organ transplants, but due to the serious side effects this isn't done for fat grafting. 

	Fat grafting doesn't necessarily involve harvesting a lot of fat. You could consult with an experiences surgeon to see what options you have.

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS · Answer

Since all of the cells in our bodies have specific differences in surface proteins, any foreign tissue (unless it's from an identical twin) will be rejected by your body. Fat grafting is delicate enough with your own fat cells; it is of no value whatsoever with anyone else's fat!

	Immunosuppressive drugs are used only for tissue transplants such as solid organs (kidney, heart, etc.) and would not be appropriate for cosmetic reasons due to their significant side effects, not to mention lifelong costs.

Robert W. Kessler, MD, FACS · Answer

You can not transfer another persons fat into your body. Wouldn't that be wonderful if you could. I can assure you there would be many people willing to donate to the cause.

	You can't do this for the same reason you can't randomly transplant organs. Your immune system would reject the transplanted cells and it is not worth taking lifetime immunosuppressive drugs for the fat transfer.
	 

	I personally am not in favor of gaining weight to harvest fat for transfer. I would encourage you to seek out a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss surgical and non invasive ways of achieving you r desired goals.

	Good luck

William P. Coleman III, MD · Answer

Fat cannot be transferred successfully between two people, unlees they are twins. Even very slender people often have enough fat somewhere on their bodies to use for fat transplantation. See link below:

Use a Friend or Family Member's Fat for Fat Transfer?

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