Monsplasty, also called a pubic lift, is a surgical procedure that reduces and tightens the skin and tissue of the mons pubis, the area of fatty tissue between the genitals and the pubic bone.
The mons pubis, or pubic mons, can become enlarged or sag, due to hormonal changes or aging. Weight gain or loss, which often happens during or after pregnancy, can also stretch the skin and create sagging.Â
Women who’ve had C-sections or a tummy tuck sometimes find that the pubic area is more prominent than before their surgery, since the scar compresses the fatty tissue, making the tissue around it look puffier.Â
An enlarged or sagging pubic region can interfere with urination and sexual activity, as well as how your clothes fit; it can make women feel self-conscious when wearing bathing suits or tight-fitting pants. Diet and exercise can help to reduce the excess fat, but it can’t fix the issue of skin laxity.
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“If you have a fat deposit with no excess skin, you can just have pubic liposuction,” says Beverly Hills, California, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gary Alter, an expert in female genital aesthetic surgery. “But if you have excess skin, you need a pubic lift with fat removal and stabilization of the pubic skin to the abdominal muscles. The incision is usually like a Cesarean incision.”
This procedure can be combined with other body contouring plastic surgeries (like an abdominoplasty, panniculectomy, or mommy makeover) or a vaginal rejuvenation procedure, such as a labiaplasty.
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The price you pay will depend on your surgeon's level of experience, where your surgery is performed (private surgery centers usually have lower facility fees than a hospital), and the complexity of your procedure.Â
A pubic lift is considered an elective cosmetic procedure, so it's not covered by health insurance.Â
If cost is a concern, ask your prospective surgeon whether they offer payment plans or accept financing.Â
Related: Plastic Surgery Financing: How to Pay for Your Cosmetic Procedure
The monsplasty photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.
A monsplasty procedure is performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with IV or oral sedation, depending on how much excess tissue is being removed and whether the procedure is being combined with a tummy tuck.Â
First, your plastic surgeon makes a horizontal incision on the lower abdomen, along the upper edge of the pubic area.Â
Then they raise and tighten the underlying muscles and pull the hair-bearing pubic skin into its new position (about six to eight inches above the labia majora, for female patients), removing any excess skin before closing the incision with tiny sutures and adhesive.Â
The whole procedure will take one to three hours, depending on its complexity and whether you're having any additional cosmetic procedures at the same time.Â
You should expect to see your surgeon for follow-ups in the weeks after your surgery, to ensure that you're healing well.
You'll need up to a week of downtime while you heal (and two to four weeks if you combine a pubic lift with a tummy tuck). You'll feel the most soreness for the first three to five days, though it shouldn't be too intense to treat with over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen.Â
You’ll also have bruising for two to three weeks, along with swelling for up to six weeks.Â
Hold off from vigorous physical activity and avoid sex for three to four weeks, to let your incisions heal and your body recover.
The excess fat and skin removed during a mons pubis reduction won’t come back, so results are permanent, provided you maintain a stable weight. If you gain weight, the remaining fat cells will expand.Â
Updated July 20, 2023