Weight gain and loss, pregnancy, and aging all contribute to flab in the abdominal area…and often the pubis as well. Even after a tummy tuck or abdominal panniculectomy, the pubic area can be left full and somewhat sunken. The abdomen may be quite flat above the tummy tuck scar, but the pubis or mons pubis region may bulge outward. Many patients are unaware that the pubic area can be flattened and/or lifted.

Pubic lift or mons pubis rejuvenation is cosmetic surgery of a sagging pubic area. The mount of Venus is the area of ​​the pubis where the hair is found. The fullness and flaccidity of this area affects both men and women. At the very least, it can produce an unattractive bulge for women that is visible in clothing. In the worst case, its projection can obscure the female urethra and part of the male penis.

At my plastic surgery practice in Indianapolis, whenever I perform a tummy tuck, I evaluate the appearance of the pubis to determine whether or not a lift is necessary in the pubic area. In some cases, the pubic area can be defatted at the time of the tummy tuck closure. Or you can liposuction after closure. If there is significant sagging, I will extend the level of the tummy tuck incision further down the pubis than further to obtain a simultaneous pubic lift at the same time.

Many times, however, the bothersome appearance of a bulge or sagging pubis may not become apparent until after a tummy tuck or body lift. This can be treated with Smartlipo (laser liposuction) if the problem is bulging or with an isolated public lift. For the pubic lift, this is a simple procedure that removes a strip of skin and fat and then lifts the pubic area so that it is closed within the tummy tuck scar. In rare cases, someone may have a sagging pubic despite not having much protruding abdominal skin or not having had a tummy tuck. When performing a pure pubic lift, a cesarean-type scar just above the pubic hair is used as a method of lifting the pubis. This scar heals well as a horizontal scar just above the pubis.

Pubic rejuvenation, whether through lifts or liposuction, results in a less obvious and more streamlined pubic area. It can improve appearance in clothing and also help with urogenital health and function.