Looking one’s best is important to many of us. How we look can impact our professional careers, our personal relationships, and — perhaps most importantly — how we feel about ourselves. Embracing a healthy lifestyle requires a lot of discipline. But in some cases, sheer dedication and hard work aren’t able to produce the results we’re after. Even when we’re trying our hardest, our genetics might be working against us. Because spot reduction really isn’t possible through diet and exercise alone, we might become frustrated when we’re unable to achieve our goals or feel confident about our appearance.

But short of major surgery, what are your options? CoolSculpting is a popular and highly effective choice that is non-invasive, requires little downtime, and can help you look the way you’ve always wanted. Although this treatment has become more prevalent over the last few years, people tend to have a lot of questions and misunderstandings about it. We’ve clearing up some of those prominent misconceptions today.

MYTH: This treatment is a good substitute for a weight loss program

Reality: Between 2010 and 2016, around 53% of Americans said they would like to lose weight. At first, some people may assume that CoolSculpting is a welcome alternative to eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise. Although a shortcut to weight loss does sound exciting, the truth is that there are no shortcuts. This treatment is not designed for dramatic weight loss. Instead, it is a fat reduction treatment (known as fat freezing) that targets small areas of stubborn fat cells. Essentially, this treatment can contour fat tissue and freeze away pockets that will not naturally disappear on their own. So while your body will look more sculpted, it’s not meant to produce the same kind of results that a surgical procedure or a major weight loss would.

MYTH: CoolSculpting can tighten loose, saggy skin

Reality: As stated above, this type of non surgical weight loss is meant to remove stubborn areas of fat from the body. It is not intended to make skin tighter. In fact, the unique properties of this treatment are purposely meant to have no effect on your skin tissue; it’s meant only to target the fat cells underneath it. If you were hoping to target loose skin with this treatment, you will unfortunately be disappointed. That said, there are other skin-tightening treatments available that your medical dermatologist may be able to recommend.

MYTH: The results are instantaneous

Reality: Whether you’re undergoing a non-invasive procedure or you’re having weight loss surgery, you’re not going to see instant results. That’s simply not the way the human body works. Although you will see results in a relatively short time frame, you won’t see the effects in mere days or even a couple of weeks. Your body needs time to absorb and then flush the frozen fat cells out of your system. Some patients see results within a month’s time, while others start to notice changes by the second or third month post-treatment. You may not even really see the results until six months after the fact. Remember that this treatment is not a quick fix. You’ll also need to maintain your exercise and nutritional plan to ensure the effects are long-lasting. Be patient and don’t be discouraged.

MYTH: Anyone who has undergone surgery cannot have this treatment performed

Reality: Some viable candidates for this treatment believe that because they’ve undergone surgery in the past, they aren’t eligible for CoolSculpting. But even if you’ve had weight loss surgeries performed before, you may still be able to benefit from this treatment. As long as you are completely healed from your prior procedure and your medical dermatologist has confirmed that you have fat deposits that can be targeted, you can likely pursue this treatment. Even if you have scar tissue from a previous procedure, this is likely still an option for you. Of course, you’ll need to relay all pertinent medical information to your dermatologist so they can help you make an informed decision.