VANITY and laziness are a terrible combination, just ask any personal trainer - there are no shortcuts to the perfect body.
If only former Russian soldier turned bodybuilder, Kirill Tereshin, had heeded the advice in his bid to bulk up.
The 23-year-old has been forced to have surgery on his arms, which may need to be amputated, after his plot to boost his biceps backfired.
Tereshin's shortcut to bulging biceps involved injecting petroleum jelly into his upper arms.
The idea appeared to have paid off, as his arms looked like Popeye's after a tin of spinach.
However, the plan was plagued as the petroleum jelly spread in the muscles killing them, surgeon Dmitry Melnikov, who has completed one of four operations on Tereshin's arms, told media outlets.
"Petroleum jelly is not designed for injection, only external application," he said.
"Kirill injected about three litres into each arm.
"It saturated the muscle tissues, blocked blood flow and as a result the tissue dies and gets replaced with a scar which is as tough as a tree.
"I think Kirill did not fully realise the consequences of what he had been doing."
Melnikov said petroleum jelly was frequently injected as part of "cosmetic treatments" in Russia.
Hopefully Tereshin's story will make others think twice.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 25 Nov 19
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