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A 23-year-old bodybuilder in Russia, who has been nicknamed “Popeye” due to his abnormally large biceps, has recently undergone the first of at least three surgeries to remove roughly 3 pounds of “dead” muscle tissue after he injected a dangerous enhancement substance — Synthol — into his biceps and triceps.

Kirill Tereshin used “petroleum jelly” injections, or Synthol oil, to enhance the size of his arms, which, before surgery, were said to be 24-inch around, the New York Post reported.

Synthol oil is purely cosmetic, causing the muscles to “balloon” and appear bigger than they really are.

The substance is injected deeply into the muscle and typically consists of oil, benzyl alcohol, and lidocaine, according to a 2009 review on the usage of Synthol in bodybuilding.

Most obviously, the substance can cause muscles to become abnormally shaped, but “The side effects of Synthol are manifold and they can also cause damage of nerves, oil embolic of the pulmonary, occlusion of the pulmonary artery, myocardial infarction, cerebral stroke, and infectious complications,” according to the review.