Health officials have stepped forward recently to warn consumers about illegal Botox treatments, which may be enticing to those who are hoping to save money on cosmetic medicine procedures. However, such underground treatments can be very dangerous, and have left thousands of individuals with blemishes and deadly skin infections, among other ailments, according to The Mirror.

Some refer to the criminals who give out these treatments as “Botox pirates.” These individuals often operate out of unhygienic, unaccredited facilities, and typically have little-to-no medical training. Most often, they are in it for the money, and are more concerned about the cash payout than their customer’s safety.

“It is very dangerous,” Sally Taber of the Independent Healthcare Advisory Service told the news source. “You are putting your lives in the hands of someone who does not know what they are doing or what could happen. We have seen a rise in unqualified practitioners masquerading as professionals with titles such as Advanced Aesthetic Practitioners, which is extremely worrying.”

She is also troubled by facilities that offer classes that last only a few hours and hand out official-looking certificates to potential injectors. This amount of training is not sufficient, according to the news organization.

Those who are interested in dermal fillers and other injectable medicines such as Botox should be sure to talk over their options with a board-certified plastic surgeon, according to The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.