Despite the many stories in the news about individuals who have had horrific experiences after seeking discounted injectable fillers performed by dubious, unlicensed practitioners, it seems that back-alley cosmetic medicine is still a problem. The Daily Mail recently carried out a study and found that in the U.K., more plastic surgeons are seeing patients seeking treatment for botched Botox results.

According to the research, around 70 percent of plastic surgeons in Britain have seen patients who have experienced problems resulting from temporary skin fillers. More than half said patients have come to them with serious complications resulting from permanent fillers. Of the second group, around 84 percent required corrective surgery or were untreatable due to the extent of the damage, according to the news source. These statistics have increased significantly from 2009, when only one in four plastic surgeons reported treating botched procedures.

This has resulted in renewed calls for measures to stop those performing back alley procedures. James Frame, a professor at Anglia Ruskin University, is one such advocated. "The popularity of fillers has gone through the roof," he said, according to the news source. "If it goes wrong, you can get atrociously bad reactions. The site can become infected, or it can affect the deeper tissue. There was one case where it eroded a woman's upper lip."

The U.K. is not the only place where botched filler injections are a problem.  In the U.S., it's not uncommon for board-certified plastic surgeons to be called upon to help correct damage from unscrupulous cosmetic procedures.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery urges those interested in cosmetic injectables to get in touch with a board-certified doctor to discuss their areas of concern. A medically-trained practitioner can help ensure that patients get the results they are looking for and avoid complications.