Can I reject the stem cells from the Liquenia Protocol?

This is one of the most common questions I receive before starting treatment. And it makes perfect sense to ask it: when we hear “stem cells,” we think of donors, transplants, and compatibility. But the Liquenia Protocol works in a radically different way from all of that.

In this article, I will explain exactly why rejection is not a real risk with this treatment, what discomforts may appear—which are not the same—and what the published scientific evidence says to date about the safety of autologous SVF.

What does it mean to reject a medical treatment?

Immunological rejection occurs when the immune system detects that something introduced into the body is genetically foreign. It does this by reading surface proteins called HLA antigens (Human Leukocyte Antigen): each person’s unique “identity code.” If these antigens do not match yours, your immune system reacts and attacks.

This is what happens, for example, in donor organ transplants: the body can reject a foreign kidney because its HLA antigens are different from those of the recipient. Hence the need for compatibility and lifelong immunosuppressive medication.

In the Liquenia Protocol, the situation is completely different. I will explain why.

Why the Liquenia Protocol does not cause immunological rejection

The Liquenia Protocol uses stem cells derived from your own adipose tissue: your body fat, usually from the abdominal area or flanks, obtained on the same day through low-volume liposuction. This type of treatment is called autologous: the biological material reintroduced into your body is yours from the beginning.

By sharing the exact same HLA antigens, the immune system perceives no threat. There is nothing to recognize as foreign, and therefore, no rejection response to activate. It is biologically impossible to reject what is already part of you.

The same applies to nanofat, the mechanically processed adipose tissue fraction that is also part of the protocol. If you want to know the technical basis of this technique in detail, you can find more information at lipotransferencia.net.

What discomforts may appear (and why they are not rejection)

The absence of immunological rejection risk does not mean the procedure is completely free of discomfort. It is important to be aware of them before deciding, because confusing them with “rejection” creates unnecessary alarm and, sometimes, prevents a patient from receiving a life-changing treatment.

What may appear are effects inherent to the surgical procedure:

• Bruising and edema in the liposuction area (where fat is extracted). These are common and resolve within 1 to 3 weeks.
• Transient sensitivity or discomfort in the vulvar application area. Lasts days, not weeks.
• Mild local inflammation in the first few days: the normal physiological response of any tissue to a micro-procedure.

None of these discomforts constitute rejection. They are the natural tissue response to a regenerative intervention and are part of the healing and tissue activation process.

What the scientific evidence says about the safety of autologous SVF

This is not just my clinical position. It is supported by scientific literature published in top-tier indexed journals.

In January 2026, Nonnarath and Serratrice published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy the most exhaustive systematic review available to date on the safety profile of autologous SVF in human clinical use, analyzing all specialties in which it has been applied. Their conclusions are unequivocal: documented adverse effects were predominantly mild and procedure-related—transient pain, local inflammation. The authors explicitly state that no serious complications have been reported, including the absence of rejection reactions, embolisms, severe infections, or tumor formation in the clinical context.

In our own clinical trial, published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal (Oxford, 2025), we analyzed the histological and clinical results of the Liquenia-SVF Protocol in patients with vulvar lichen sclerosus. No serious adverse events were recorded in any case. Post-treatment biopsies showed dermal collagen reorganization, marked reduction of inflammatory infiltrate, and restoration of epidermal thickness: findings consistent with active tissue regeneration, without any signs of adverse immune response.

“When a patient asks me if she can reject her own fat, I tell her the same thing I tell her here: your immune system knows how to distinguish what is yours from what is foreign. And this is yours.”

Dr. Patricia Gutiérrez Ontalvilla — Surgeon specializing in vulvar lichen sclerosus, researcher, and creator of the Liquenia Protocol

What if my immune system is altered, as occurs with lichen sclerosus?

This is a pertinent question, because vulvar lichen sclerosus has a recognized autoimmune component: the immune system itself attacks the vulvar tissue. This may lead one to wonder if this “dysregulated” system could also react against the treatment cells.

The answer is no, and here is the clinical reasoning:

Autoimmunity in lichen sclerosus targets specific antigens of the vulvar skin—possibly extracellular proteins of the dermis—and not adipose-derived stem cells. These are biologically distinct targets. Furthermore, one of the best-documented effects of SVF and nanofat is precisely their immunomodulatory action: they modulate—not stimulate—the local inflammatory response. In a sense, they act in the opposite direction to causing an adverse reaction.

The above does not eliminate the need for an individualized clinical assessment before indicating treatment. Not all patients with lichen sclerosus are candidates for the Liquenia Protocol, and this rigorous selection is a fundamental part of its safety. You can learn about Patricia’s clinical profile and evaluation method at dragutierrez.com. The research supporting the protocol is coordinated by the Nixarian Foundation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rejection in the Liquenia Protocol