In theory, liposuction sounds great: You go to the doctor’s office and walk out soon after with less body fat. And looking at the before and after pictures of liposuction leads us to the idea that it is a quick fix for all the blues in your body. In fact, liposuction is not quick or easy; it is a serious procedure with a substantial recovery time and potentially serious side effects. While it may be a good option for some people, there are many reasons not to have liposuction.

1. It is not a solution to lose weight. One of the biggest myths about liposuction is that it is a good tool for weight loss. The truth is that it is not really recommended for people who are overweight or obese. Best used by people who are at their ideal weight but have a trouble spot or two that just won’t go away with diet and exercise. The reason? Liposuction results are best seen on firm skin, and overweight people who undergo the procedure are often left with loose, sagging skin. It is to mold rather than reduce the shape.

2. Side effects and complications can be serious. Liposuction is an invasive surgical procedure in which a long, thin tube is inserted under the skin to remove fat deposits. Due to the nature of the surgery, bruising, swelling, scarring, and pain are common side effects. But there is a real possibility of more serious complications, resulting in long-term pain, infection, nerve damage, dangerous blood clots, and more. And when general anesthesia is used, the death rate from liposuction is about one in 5,000 patients. However, some variations of traditional liposuction reduce side effects and complications. SmartLipo and ultrasound-assisted liposuction, for example, use laser technology and ultrasonic energy, respectively, to liquefy fat under local anesthesia. Water-assisted liposuction reduces bruising, pain, and downtime by using a stream of saline solution to break down and remove fat. Zeltiq CoolSculpting, in which fat cells are treated using a controlled cooling procedure, offers the fewest side effects because it is completely non-invasive.

3. Results may not last. The many varieties and methods of liposuction all have one thing in common: fat cells are removed. That sounds permanent, and for those particular fat cells, it is. But the body has many other fat cells that can grow and fill the areas where liposuction was done. People who gain weight after the procedure can undo any benefits. Also, the area may actually look worse than originally due to the uneven distribution of fat cells.

Thousands of people in the United States undergo liposuction every year, but it is a serious medical procedure that should not be confused with a quick, risk-free fix.