Officials in California are warning consumers to be aware of the dangers posed by plastic surgery centers that are not certified by the state. There are only about 45 state-licensed centers, the Los Angeles Times reports, and those that aren't certified pose serious health risks to patients who go there seeking treatment.

One individual who suffered the consequence of unknowingly visiting such a location was 39-year-old Maria Garcia. The mother of five went in for what should have been a routine outpatient procedure, but ended up dying after she suffered a puncture wound during the course of her surgery.

As it turns out, the facility had only been open for 90 days, and the news source reports that it did not meet the state's requirements for use of general anesthesia nor was it state licensed, Medicare certified or privately accredited.

"There are a lot of facilities that completely ignore the law and are not accredited or licensed or anything," chief of surgery at St. John's Health Center told the news provider.

In order to avoid entanglements with less-than-reputable health care centers, prospective patients should make sure to select board-certified surgeons such as members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.