Monsplasty is a type of cosmetic surgery where excess skin and fatty tissue are removed from the fatty pad over the pubic bone.
This fatty pad is called the mons pubis, which is how the procedure got its name. Another name for this procedure is a pubic lift.
The mons pubis may become enlarged from fat accumulation or because the overlying skin is loose. Monsplasty can help create a firmer, flatter appearance in this area.
Here’s a look at what monsplasty involves, what the recovery is like, and what it typically costs.
Monsplasty is the surgical procedure that’s used to remove excess skin and fatty tissue when a noticeable bulge forms in the upper pubic area due to weight gain or sagging skin.
A monsplasty is usually done at the same time as a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) because a bulging mons pubis is often more noticeable after you’ve removed fatty tissue and tightened the skin on your abdomen.
Monsplasty and liposuction can be done together, but they’re different procedures. With monsplasty, excess fat and skin is cut away with a scalpel.
Liposuction uses suction to remove excess fat but it can’t change the appearance of or remove saggy skin. Laser liposuction can help tighten the skin in the area if it’s not too excessive.
What causes an enlarged mons pubis?
Your mons pubis is the triangular area that runs from the top of your pubic hair down to the place where your genitals begin. It’s more obvious in women, but men have one too.
When you gain weight, excess fat often accumulates in your mons pubis. This can cause it to enlarge and bulge out. Your skin has to stretch out to cover the extra fatty tissue as it accumulates. The more weight you gain, the more your skin stretches.
If you then lose a large amount of weight, you’re left with the same amount of skin but less fatty tissue that needs to be covered. Because the extra skin is loose, it can sag.
When you’re young and carry excess weight for only a short time, your skin has enough elasticity to bounce back to its original flat shape. However, the longer you have the extra fatty tissue and the older you are, the less elastic your skin becomes.
Without enough elasticity, the excess skin stays stretched and you’re left with loose skin.
Other reasons for a bulging mons pubis may be due to:
- C-section. After a C-section, the skin around the scar may remain tight against your tissues, but the skin below it doesn’t. As a result, it can form a bulge.
- Hormones. Estrogen can cause increased fat deposition in your mons pubis
- Genetics: You can inherit the tendency for increased fat deposition in your mons pubis from your parents.
Besides removing excess fat and skin for aesthetic purposes, or to reduce body image concerns, there are several other reasons why someone may decide that a monsplasty is right for them. For instance, an enlarged mons pubis may:
- droop over the vulva or penis, making it difficult to have sexual intercourse or urinate
- make sexual intercourse painful
- make it hard to maintain good hygiene
Before having monsplasty or other cosmetic surgery, you’ll talk with your surgeon to determine the best procedures for achieving the results you want.
It’s important have realistic expectations. Remember that the goal is improvement, not perfection, and the look you want may not be achievable.
Monsplasty works best if you’re at a healthy weight and in good overall health. You may want to consider delaying the procedure if you have weight to lose or have an active health condition.
There are several steps you’ll need to take in preparation for your surgery.
Before surgery
- Arrange for someone to drive you to and from your surgery, and for someone to be with you for at least 24 hours after your surgery.
- Avoid drinking alcohol, starting 2 days before surgery.
- Stop taking medication that increases your risk of bleeding such as aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs and all herbal remedies 10 days before surgery, or according to your doctor’s instructions.
- Avoid smoking 2 weeks before and after surgery.
Usually, monsplasty is performed at an outpatient same-day surgery center using sedation and local anesthesia.
An overnight hospital stay might be required when monsplasty is done in combination with other more extensive procedures, like a tummy tuck.
During the surgery
- For this procedure, you’re first sedated with intravenous medication.
- Next a local anesthetic is injected into your skin, and the tissues in your lower abdomen and mons pubis, to make it numb.
- In an area of your lower abdomen that can be covered by a bikini, a horizontal incision is then made in your skin.
- Excess fatty tissue and skin are removed using a scalpel.
- The underlying tissue and muscle may be pulled up and tightened using sutures, and your mons pubis is “sculpted”.
- The incision is then closed with sutures and adhesive strips.
Once the sedation has worn off, you’ll be monitored for a short while to make sure you don’t have any complications, and then you’ll be released. You’ll need to have someone drive you home after the procedure.
After surgery, you’ll usually have some discomfort in your lower abdomen and mons pubis. You’ll notice mild bruising and swelling soon after surgery that’ll typically last 2 to 3 weeks.
Recovery usually happens fairly quickly, and the recovery timeline will likely look something like this:
Recovery timeline
- A day or two after surgery, you’ll be encouraged to take slow-paced walks.
- One week after surgery, you can usually return to work. If your job involves heavy lifting or exertion, you’ll need more time to heal before going back to work.
- After about 3 weeks, your incision may be healed enough for you to soak in a bathtub.
- You can typically begin participating in exercise and other physical activities after 4 to 6 weeks.
You’ll notice the results of your monsplasty immediately after surgery. By 6 weeks you’ll see the final results. The changes are permanent but excess fat deposition can reoccur if you gain weight.
The benefits of monsplasty include:
- a firmer, smoother, and flatter mons pubis
- improved self-esteem
- easier, less-painful sexual intercourse, if these were problems before surgery
Monsplasty is a safe procedure with a low risk of complications. However, in some situations, the following complications are possible:
- infection of the incision
- excessive bleeding
- a scar that may be larger or more noticeable than expected
Monsplasty is the only surgical option for removing excess fat or saggy skin in your pubic area, but healthy eating, regular exercise, and other weight loss tips may also help reduce the amount of fat in your mons pubis.
Your mons pubis area is usually one of the last parts of your body to lose excess fat. Even so, eating a healthy, reduced-calorie diet that causes fat loss throughout your body can help reduce fat in this area.
It’s hard to specifically target your mons pubis with exercise, but some that do target the general area are:
Other nonsurgical therapies that may help get rid of excess fat or tighten your mons pubis include:
Like most cosmetic surgeries, monsplasty is almost always done for cosmetic and aesthetic reasons, rather than out of medical necessity.
Medicare and other insurances will only cover procedures that are medically necessary, so monsplasty is rarely covered by medical insurance.
The cost of the procedure ranges from $3,000 to $8,000, with the average cost being about $5,500. The reason there’s such a wide range of prices is because you’re paying for multiple services. Typically, the following fees are included in the price:
- surgical center
- surgeon
- anesthesiologist
- anesthesia
- cost of materials such as bandages and sutures
Monsplasty may not be cheap but most cosmetic surgeons offer financing that may make it more affordable.
Monsplasty is a surgical procedure that removes excessive fatty tissue and sagging skin from your mons pubis. It’s usually done along with a tummy tuck.
It’s a low-risk outpatient procedure that offers noticeable results immediately. Mild discomfort, bruising and swelling are common after this procedure, but these side effects usually go away after 2 to 3 weeks.
Because monsplasty is usually considered a cosmetic procedure, and not one that’s medically necessary, it’s generally not covered by insurance. Be sure to check the cost and available financing options with your surgeon before you agree to the procedure.