Posted by Dr. Miguel Fernández Calderón: 17/09/2026
The mons pubis may present a bulge as a result of genetic factors and hormonal changes. Today, aesthetic surgery offers a range of surgical and non-surgical procedures to address this concern.
If this is your case and you want to learn more about the mons pubis, how to reduce it, and what options are available, this guide has been prepared for you.
What is the mons pubis?
The mons pubis is a prominence formed by adipose tissue located at the front of the pelvis, over the pubic symphysis. In women, it is situated at the upper part of the vulva. At the onset of puberty, and due to hormonal changes, this area may thicken and become more prominent.
Function and anatomy of the area
Its main functions include protecting the pubic bone from impacts and friction during intimate relations. Due to the large number of nerve endings it contains, it plays a fundamental role in female arousal and sexual response. It also serves as a shield in the area, creating a protective barrier that traps particles, sweat, and microorganisms, preventing them from reaching the vagina and urethra, thereby avoiding the development of infections.
Its shape varies from one woman to another, and may be rounded or inverted-triangle, extending from the upper part of the vulva to the labia majora. Its size depends on body fat, genetics, age, and hormonal changes. This area is composed of adipose tissue, pubic hair, sebaceous and sweat glands, and a large number of nerve endings.
Why does it become prominent?
The mons pubis area may become prominent due to the accumulation of fat and skin. This occurs as a result of several factors acting individually or in combination, including:
- Genetics: a prominent mons pubis may be due to genetic predisposition, in which there is an accumulation of adipose tissue in the area regardless of the person’s weight. It also includes bone structure; if the pelvis has a protruding symphysis, the result will be a bulging mons pubis.
- Pregnancy and hormonal changes: during pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes significant changes due to increased estrogen and progesterone. These hormones stimulate the accumulation of body fat in the trunk and pelvic area. In addition, after childbirth, the tissues of the pubic and abdominal area remain distended, which may add volume to the mons pubis.
- Weight gain: the pelvic area is covered by a natural layer of fat; therefore, gaining weight stimulates the accumulation of adipose tissue, increasing the volume of the area.
- Aging and loss of skin firmness: over time, the skin loses elasticity and firmness due to decreased production of collagen and elastin. This results in sagging of the pubic skin, making it more protuberant.
- After an abdominoplasty: during abdominoplasty, the skin is tightened downward. If excess skin and fat are removed from the abdomen but simultaneous liposuction or lifting is not performed on the pubis, the area is likely to appear more bulging, contrasting with the flat abdomen.
Why doesn’t it reduce with diet or exercise?
The mons pubis is one of the most resistant fat reserves in the human body. It does not reduce with exercise or diet primarily because weight loss does not allow selective burning or elimination of adipose tissue from a specific area. Another reason is that fat in this area is determined by genetic factors, hormonal changes, and the structure of cellular receptors.
Treatment options
To correct bulging of the pelvic area, aesthetic surgery offers different alternatives to achieve a flatter area. The technique or procedure used, or combination thereof, will be determined by the surgeon and will depend on the amount of fat and skin laxity.
Pubic liposuction
This procedure is indicated for patients who have excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in the mons pubis area but retain good skin elasticity. Pubic liposuction involves aspirating excess fat from the area and contouring the shape. In many cases, this procedure can be combined with labiaplasty for a complete remodeling of the female genital organ.
Lipectomy with skin resection
When the patient has excess skin, extreme laxity, or sagging, the indicated surgery is lipectomy with skin resection. In this surgical procedure, the surgeon removes excess skin and repositions the internal tissues to restore firmness to the area.
Non-surgical treatments and when they are effective
Non-surgical treatments may be implemented in patients who have mild or moderate localized fat in the pubic area or who wish to avoid surgery. They also work for patients who want to refine details after liposuction to improve skin texture. The main options are:
- Cryolipolysis: refers to the gradual freezing of localized fat, which is subsequently eliminated by the body’s lymphatic system.
- Chemical lipolysis: substances are injected directly into the fat to dissolve it.
- Body radiofrequency: stimulates collagen production in the skin to tighten it; only effective in very mild cases of laxity.
How to determine if your case involves fat or excess skin?
To determine whether your case of pubic area bulging is due to fat or excess skin, the surgeon will perform a series of physical evaluations and review your medical history.
Physical tests to be performed include the pinch test, in which the surgeon pinches part of the skin; if it is fat, it returns to its natural shape when released; if it is excess skin, it becomes wrinkled. Another test is manual traction, where the skin is stretched upward; if the bulge disappears, there is excess skin; if not, it is fat. And the posture test, where if the volume decreases when lying on your back, it is fat; if not, it is excess skin.
What are the procedures like?
Procedures for mons pubis reduction are generally quick and minimally invasive, unless combined with other types of surgeries such as abdominoplasty or vaginoplasty.
Anesthesia and duration
The application of anesthesia will depend on the type of procedure to be performed. If only the reduction of bulging in that area will be performed, local anesthesia will be applied to numb the entire pubic area and the patient will be administered deep sedation. The duration of this type of procedure is between 30 and 90 minutes.
Technique (mini-incisions, fine cannulas)
The plastic surgeon makes two minimal incisions of approximately 2 to 3 mm in the groin crease or at the pubic hairline; introduces very fine cannulas for fat aspiration, sculpts the area, and creates uniformity.
Recovery and results
Recovery of the pubic area after a surgical procedure requires care and patience, because due to its anatomy and location, it is very prone to swelling from the body’s natural movements, such as walking.
First days
In the first days after surgery, the area will be swollen and bruised. The patient may temporarily feel the area numb or hypersensitive. The use of a compression garment is mandatory for 2 to 4 weeks to reduce swelling and prevent fluid accumulation.
When are results visible?
After the first 6 weeks following the operation, severe swelling has already subsided; this is when the patient begins to see the actual results. After 9 months, the final results can be appreciated; throughout this time, the tissues have reduced swelling and the skin texture can be appreciated.
What can compromise the result?
Some factors that may compromise or alter the results obtained from mons pubis reduction surgery are pregnancy and weight gain, as both are associated with an increase in adipose tissue in that area and increased laxity and sagging of the skin.
Estimated price
The estimated price for mons pubis reduction depends on the amount of fat to be extracted, the technique used, and the complexity of the case. This may vary when more than one procedure is combined.
The estimated price for mons pubis reduction by liposuction averages between €1,200 and €2,500. The average price for lipectomy is between €3,000 and €4,000.
If pubic area reduction is combined with abdominal liposuction, the average price will be between €3,000 and €6,000. On the other hand, if combined with abdominoplasty, the average price is between €7,000 and €9,500.
Frequently asked questions
Does it affect sexual sensitivity?
There is usually an improvement in comfort and satisfaction due to less friction and reduced bulging in the area.
Does it leave a visible scar?
This depends on the type of surgery or procedure performed; in liposuction the scars are imperceptible, and in lipectomy there is a visible scar in the lower abdominal area similar to that of a cesarean section.
At what age can surgery be performed?
Surgery can be performed from age 18, when the patient has reached physical maturity.
References
- https://healthcare.com.es/el-monte-de-venus
- https://www.medexdtc.com/es/fupa-fatty-upper-pubic-area/
