Purplish-Colored Mons Pubis After my Tummy Tuck. Is This Normal?

This is bruising, pure and simple! It is aggravated by the fact that this area was liposuctioned, making lots of tunnels for fluid and blood to collect in, and this location is lowest for gravity to pool the blood and fluid into.

Your only (minimal) worry is that this area is susceptible to infection if the drain site is not kept clean (and perhaps protected by a dab of Bacitracin). Follow your doctor's advice and return for recheck sooner if you note increased pain, redness, swelling, or purulent (pus) drainage! If you are a smoker, circulation and skin healing problems can occur, but this is usually above the incision, not below!

Male patients who have bleeding after vasectomy (or their own tummy tuck and liposuction) have a similar problem with penile and scrotal swelling with major purple discoloration! They are uniformly terrified until they muster up the courage to ask if they might lose their genitalia!

Bruising, swelling and tenderness are normal findings after liposuction of the mons pubis. Because it is a dependent area the swelling may last longer. But discoloration can also be a sign of other complications such as infection or necrosis which requires follow up with the surgeon.

It is not unusual for patients that have undergone abdominal contouring, via liposuction or a tummy tuck, to develop swelling and bruising in the mons region.  Aftre surgery, alot of the swelling and edema will settle into that region. making it appear swollen and often bruised.  This will go away with time, generally in a few weeks.  It is alwys good to check with your surgeon, but this is not an unusual occureence afterwards.  I hope this helps.

There is swelling and bruising after an Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) as you would expect.  Bruising tends to settle with gravity so it's not unusual to see swelling/bruising of the mons or even the upper thigh area. Using Arnica after the surgery can help this to resolve faster.

It is very common to have bruising, swelling and tenderness in the area you describe after tummy tuck and liposuction. If you are uncertain whether what you are seeing is normal, you need to revisit your surgeon for an examination to be sure.

The combination of liposuction and tension closure in the area of the Mons pubis are the usual culprits.

It will subside and disappear usually after 3 weeks.

Please relax. This is very common after a TT and drain location ++ lipo in that area. You have pooling of blood in the mons pubis. Time will heal this. If still concerned see your surgeon to discuss. 

You need to be examined by your surgeon.  Could be nothing more than normal bruising and swelling or as bad as hematoma, seroma, infection or dying tissue.  Can't be diagnosed or treated on line.

This is VERY Normal to have the mons become swollen, bruised and enlarged following abdominal surgery.  Everything drains downward and the catch all is the mons. This area will often become enlarged and discolored and stay that way for quite some time.  You also can have a vessel in that area bleed a fair amount with the placement of the drains.  This is very common and will fully resolve.  If you had liposuction of this area, it is more likely to have manifest swelling.  Hardness would reflect either clotted blood or scar tissue inseting following the liposuction.  In all cases, it will resolve.

Pain control following any procedure is critical. I recommend the patient's take Ibuprophen 800 mg every 6 hours and add to this 1-2 Vicoden or equivalent narcotic as needed. The Ibuprophen will reduce the need for the narcotic by up to 50%.  It is important to be up and moving and control the pain well. The pain will resolve on it's own. 

You can start massage to the area of hardness in 2.5- 3 weeks following surgery/ or drain removal (which ever is last) if your doctor agrees with that.

Good luck!

Dr. Kimberley O'Sullivan