Pubic Area Appears Bigger After Tummy Tuck

With a conventional tummy tuck, considerable skin and fat is removed. The upper and lower skin areas (flaps) are then pulled together. This causes tightening in the upper flap, a desired effect, but can also elevate the mons area. The more radical the tummy tuck, the greater this effect may be. Most patients consider some mons elevation a plus, since the mons tends to "sag" after pregnancies.
Shortly after surgery, there is swelling and firmness due to healing and swelling from the liposuction that is often performed at the same time as the tummy tuck. Of course patients should make sure with their doctors that this swelling does not represent a collection of fluid, but that is easy to determine at your doctor's office during a postoperative check.
Patients are often under the impression that making an extra low incision will leave the final incision lower, and therefore more concealed by a bikini-type garment.
This can be false.
The lower the incision, the more skin and fat must be removed, since the upper incision is above the belly button. In many patients, especially patients with high belly buttons or thinner patients who have less excess skin and fat to be removed, this can cause excessive tightness.
Excessive tightness leads to poor scarring and weird elevation and elongation of the pubic structures, an uncorrectable and disturbing problem. Excessive tension on the incision also predisposes to poor wound healing and greatly increases the chance of the skin pulling apart, necessitating weeks or months of dressing changes.
So every patient is different. A skilled plastic surgeon can draw where the anticipated incisions will be during surgery, and estimate where your final incision will be.
It is not realistic for every patient to have a "bikini incision" after a full tummy tuck.

Dear Ariela,
Thank you for your question regarding the pubic area appearing bigger after a tummy tuck.  Since you are only six weeks after your tummy tuck, I believe you are still swelling.  After a tummy tuck or any surgery, there will be swelling. After a tummy tuck, pubic swelling is normal. Most of the swelling after a tummy tuck is gone after six to eight weeks. However, if you had a big tummy tuck with liposuction, the swelling will last a little longer. Since this area is of concern to you, I would suggest you follow up with your plastic surgeon. For now, I would wear a tight compression garment to minimize any swelling or edema in the pubic region. I would give you at least another three to four months before re-evaluating this area. If the pubic area is still large six months after your tummy tuck you may want to consider pubic or mons area revision. Typically, a pubic reduction after a tummy tuck can be done with liposuction. Often, mons liposuction can be done in the office or outpatient surgery setting. If the pubic region or mons is more extensive, you may need a monsplasty. During the surgery, an incision is made through the tummy tuck scar and the mons is lifted and reduced. Rarely, a vertical monsplasty is performed where a vertical incision is made from the top of the labia towards the tummy tuck scar. I hope this answers your questions about swelling of the pubic area after a tummy tuck. If you have any more questions regarding pubic revision monsplasty, pubic healing or plastic surgery, call my office When seeking treatment for the pubic region, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who has performed thousands of these procedures. If you have any other questions regarding pubic area swelling or plastic surgery, call my office. Thank you for your question! Good luck!
Thanks,
Dr. Timothy Katzen

After a tummy tuck surgery, the swelling in the pubic area is the last part to come down and heal completely. But every patient's body and anatomy is different, therefore every surgery is different. No two tummy tuck surgeries are the same. So some patient require liposuction along with a tummy tuck. Some require liposuction of the Mons area after tummy tuck surgery. Most of the time I do liposuction alongside a tummy tuck to allow better results.