About Pubic Lift Procedure
Pubic lift or monsplasty is a procedure designed to reduce bulging of the mons by lifting and tightening the skin. The mons pubis can become enlarged from aging, pregnancy, or weight fluctuations. It is often combined with Tummy Tuck or with liposuction of the mons.
Some women struggle with a bulge of excess skin and fat in the mons, the upper part of the hair-bearing part of their vulva. The bulge can be noticeable in clothing or cause discomfort from rubbing and friction. A pubic lift removes, tightens, and lifts excess skin in the mons pubis area.
It is often performed with abdominoplasty that tightens and removes excess skin of the abdomen resulting in a tight and uniform appearance of the entire front of the body. If there is excess fat in the mons pubis area, liposuction can be performed to remove the fat and thin the tissues in this area prior to tightening it.
Whenever we do a consultation for any body procedure –abdominoplasty or liposuction, it is important to assess and discuss this area.
Too often we have seen a patient who had an abdominoplasty elsewhere and their stomach was tight and flat, but they forgot to address the mons which is hanging off their tight abdomen.
As this area is connected to the lower abdomen, it is important to contour the mons when doing the abdomen if there is excess fat there too so there is a natural flow and contour to all areas of the body.
- Before Procedure
- During Procedure
- Results & Recovery
Good To Know Before Pubic Lift at AJ Plastic Surgery Centre
The pubic lift involves making an incision at the lower abdomen, lifting the tissues under the hair-bearing part of the mons, and removing any excess skin. Since monsplasty procedure is usually performed at the same time as an abdominoplasty, the abdominoplasty incision is used. It does not add any additional pain or recovery to that surgery. If we are doing a pubic lift on a patient who previously had a tummy tuck, we will often use their old incision or perform a scar revision and use the new incision.
Patients on a weight-loss plan should be close to their goal weight before having surgery. For best long-term results it is advisable that weight is stable after surgery (without a lot of yo-yo-ing up and down). As we’ve mentioned before, plastic surgery is not an exact science. Every person has a unique anatomy and their own idea of what their body goals should be. This is why consultations are vital so we can work together to create the best possible plan, customized for your personal needs and goals.
At AJ Plastic Surgery Centre, we will do a detailed consultation, take a complete medical history and conduct a careful examination and develop a customized plan based on your anatomy as well as your aesthetic goals. We consider age, overall health, emotional well-being, as well as expectations for surgery when evaluating a candidate for this procedure. Patients who are obese (BMI 30 or greater) or who smoke have a significantly higher risk of wound healing problems.
We require patients to have stopped smoking for anywhere from 2 months to a year depending on their smoking history before having surgery. To minimize the possibility of excess bleeding, you will need to avoid taking drugs containing aspirin, anti-inflammatories, alcohol, or herbal medications two weeks before surgery. You will receive a complete list of medications to avoid and detailed instructions before surgery. We consider the preparation before surgery and your understanding of how to take care of yourself critical to having the best possible results so we will walk you through each part of the process every step of the way.
What Happens During Procedure
If only a pubic lift is being performed, on rare occasions local anesthesia may be used. However, for your comfort and safety, the pubic lift is usually performed under general anesthesia especially when combined with a tummy tuck. We believe that every part of the surgical team is essential to having a perfect and smooth surgery, so every part of AJ Plastic Surgery Centre extended team is focused during surgery and pays attention to every detail.
We will all ensure that as you enter the operating room and are gently placed under anesthesia you will feel relaxed, calm, and excited. During the operation, we will all be focused on keeping you warm, comfortable, and cared for. During the surgery, we are gentle and respectful and ensure a positive and calm environment around you. We will also place a numbing solution in your mons pubis area so you will not feel pain even though you are under anesthesia.
The surgery usually takes about 1 hour depending on complexity and how much skin you need to be removed or if any additional procedures are done at the same time. If the pubic lift is combined with liposuction we will do the liposuction of the mons first. Then we will make a low curved incision that is where an abdominoplasty incision is made. If you are doing a pubic lift as part of a scar revision we will mark the new scar together in the pre-op area.
We encourage our patients to bring underwear or a bikini bottom they like to wear so we can try to hide the incision under it. The skin and fat are then lifted off the abdominal wall and then the mons tissues are pulled up and the deep tissues secured with sutures. We also have several other technical details that we perform to create a natural-looking contour and a thin, nearly invisible low scar. We believe it is important to create the best possible result and incision without any bunching, irregularities or step-offs. We take extreme pride in our attention to detail with every single step of this surgery.
Results & Recovery: What to Expect
We have developed a gentle technique that has minimal pain and a quick recovery. After your Pubic Lift at the AJ Plastic Surgery Centre, your mons will feel tight but should not be painful. If you do have discomfort, Tylenol is usually all that’s needed. We will give you a prescription for a few pain pills to have in case you need them but they are usually not necessary. We encourage patients to stick to Tylenol instead of the prescription pain medication since those pills often create constipation and bloating.
Because of gravity and the mons being the most gravity-dependent area, there is usually some swelling of the tissues for a few weeks after surgery. It will take a few months to see the final result. You will wear a compression garment to support your mons for 6-8 weeks after surgery. This is something we will measure and provide for you. Most of AJ Plastic Surgery Centre patients feel almost back to normal at around 1 week after their pubic lift surgery.
Recovery takes about a week, with physical activity restrictions for four to six weeks, depending on the extensiveness of the procedure. If skin is removed, a drain may be placed, with removal typically scheduled within the first few days.
This procedure results in a flatter and tighter mons pubis that projects less in clothing. For patients that felt a bulge in this area with clothing, this surgery makes a significant improvement in their quality of life.