Monsplasty – How to Get Rid of excess Fat on your Upper Pubic Area
A lot of factors come into play to determine the fat distribution in every woman’s body, and many end up storing excess fat in the upper pubic area. This is something many women have after either weight loss and pregnancy. Often it doesn’t go away with diet and exercise. So, how can you get rid of the excess fat?
There are several ways to get rid of excess fat in the pubic region, and surgery (called Mons Pubis Reduction or Monsplasty) is one of the ways.
Our certified plastic surgeons in Australia have experience in removing all the excess skin and fat after pregnancy or weight loss.
What is it and what does it look like?
It is the stubborn fat that collects in your pelvic and groin areas right below your bikini line. The medical term for this area is the mons pubis (also mons veneris or pubic mound).
For many women it can cause medical problems as well. The excess fat and tissue shelf in the lower abdomen can cause the skin underneath to become irritated, inflamed, and can even lead to ulcers. Moreover, the pubic area in women who have it usually becomes sweaty and hard to clean. It’s not uncommon for women with excess fat on this area to complain about odors arising from their private area. Many women (and men) also complain that the abnormal protruding tissue shelf is causing them back pain due to its weight and effect on their posture.
What causes it?
Several factors can lead to it and they include:
Genetics
Your genes are probably the most important determinant when it comes to developing excess fat in this area. Genetics determines how your body stores excess fat. Some people might store fat around their belly, some around the hips, thighs, back, and in many women and men it’s stored in the upper pubic region. Your genes do not only determine where your body stores excess fat, they also determine where your body starts to burn off fat once you start exercising and dieting, and your abdomen and mons pubis might be the last (and least) areas to respond to this.
Losing or gaining weight too fast
When you gain weight too fast, excess fat will build up unevenly in different parts of your body. One of the most common regions that stores fat is the suprapubic are. On the other hand, losing weight too fast can also leave excess tissue and skin in your lower belly region.
Pregnancy
When you become pregnant, your body changes in many ways to accommodate the baby growing inside of you. Fat will be stored all around your trunk to cushion your uterus and provide enough energy to complete the pregnancy. Many women are not able to shed off excess fat and excess skin after giving birth.
How to get rid of excess fat in the pubic region?
There are several ways to try to flatten this area, such as dieting and targeted exercises. Nevertheless, excess fat stored in the lower belly and pubic region is usually stubborn and does not go away easily. Moreover, the excess skin that forms after pregnancy or rapid weight loss might be nearly impossible to get rid of without surgery.
A way with surgery is through one or a combination of cosmetic procedures performed by a specialist plastic surgeon. Surgery to remove excess skin in the pubic region (Mons Pubis Reduction) is usually done in combination with a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) procedure with or without mons pubis liposuction to get the results.
Mons Pubis Reduction
Also called pubic lift, Monsplasty, and Panniculectomy. It’s a surgical procedure commonly done in combination with a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty). Your plastic surgeon will start by performing a straight incision along your bikini line extending from one hip to the other. After that, they will remove the excess skin and fat from your lower belly (tummy tuck) and upper pubic region (mons reduction). Then the skin on both ends is pulled tighter together. After removing the tissue and pulling everything together, your plastic surgeon will close the wound with very thin and resorbable sutures to ensure that minimal scarring occurs.
Monsplasty is usually combined with a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and not done alone. Tummy tuck and pubic mound reduction can also be done as part of a full post pregnancy surgery that can include; breast lift, breast augmentation, bra-line back lift, and several other cosmetic procedures.
Mons Liposuction
Liposuction is when your plastic surgeon uses a rigid catheter (a narrow rod) to suck the excess fat from under your skin. You can combine Mons pubis liposuction with pubic lift (Monsplasty) and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) to get the results wanted. Your surgeon will insert the catheter through tiny skin incisions to remove the fat from your pubic area. Mons liposuction can be done during a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) procedure.
However, it can be done alone if you’re planning to get pregnant again. It should be noted that Liposuction alone will not remove excess skin. In order to remove excess skin from your lower pelvic region, you will need to have pubic mound surgery.
Who’s a potential candidate for mons pubis reduction?
Monsplasty is an option for women who:
- Have had a stable weight for the past 6 months
- Are not planning to get pregnant in the future
- Do not smoke (or would consider quitting for a few weeks)
- Are in a generally good physical and mental health
- Keep a realistic expectation for the surgery outcomes
- It is causing them cosmetic concerns, back pain, skin irritation, or bad odours
If these apply to you, then you could come in for a consultation with one of our specialist plastic surgeons to get a full assessment. This allows you to talk openly with a professional about your concerns and see what surgical approaches they suggest. If surgery is the path and a date for surgery is set, your surgeon will tell you if you should stop any of your chronic medications before the operation.
What to expect during recovery from mons pubic reduction?
After surgery, you will most likely spend the night in hospital for monitoring and observation. You should expect to have some;
- Swelling
- Bruising
- And, pain in both your lower abdomen and pelvic regions.
These will subside as the days pass, and your surgeon will prescribe painkillers to help you through the first week. As time passes and the swelling subsides, you will notice a considerable change in the shape of your belly and suprapubic area.
Check the tummy tuck (and monsplasty) before and after pictures on our website to see the results for yourself.
Can I have a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) alone without Monsplasty?
A Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) can be a stand-alone procedure. In other words, you can have it done without mons pubis reduction. However, the results can be unsatisfying if you do have excess fat in the pubic area.
Does Mons Pubis Reduction leave a scar?
When performing a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and monsplasty, your surgeon will make a surgical incision along your bikini line. Our surgeons use techniques and absorbable suture lines to ensure that the scar is minimal. There’s no way to avoid scarring completely, however, your scar will be hidden along your bikini line.
Can men have excess fat in the pubic region?
Yes! In fact it is also common in men. However, they are less likely than women to seek treatment for it. Genetics and weight change can cause excess stubborn fat and skin to build up in the pubic area right above the penis. A monsplasty (mons pubis reduction) is also for men.
How much does mons pubis surgery cost?
There are a lot of factors that come into play when determining the cost of monsplasty. There is;
- Hospital’s fees
- Anaesthetist fees
- Surgeon fees
- and others.
There are also several financing options that can help people.
Does Medicare cover this surgery?
This largely depends on each particular case. In some cases, if the surgery is purely cosmetic, you will probably not be able to get Medicare coverage. However, in other cases, when the surgery is a medical necessity, you might be eligible for a rebate. A Monsplasty may be medically necessity if it’s causing skin irritation, ulceration, back pain, or another debilitating problem.
Further Reading – Medical Sources:
- https://www.plasticsurgery.org/reconstructive-procedures/panniculectomy/procedure
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/cosmetic-plastic-surgery/procedures/tummy-tuck#expect-tab
- https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/surgery/plastic/cosmetic/body/panniculectomy
- https://www.uhhospitals.org/services/plastic-surgery-services/Conditions-and-Treatments/body-contouring-and-reconstruction/circumferential-body-lift
- https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/29/5/432/200164
- https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/37/1/63/2354564
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3977591/
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