Scott Sundick, MD, is a board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon. He currently practices in Westfield, New Jersey.

Fat in the upper pubic area (FUPA) is normal. It's also called the mons pubis or panniculus. Men and women can have a mons pubis. A FUPA looks like an extra layer of skin and fat just above the pubis.

Some people have a mons pubis because of genetics. FUPA can also happen after weight loss.

This article will go over what causes FUPA. You will also learn how to reduce mons pubis fat with exercise or with FUPA surgery.

The mons pubis, or FUPA, is fatty tissue above the pubic bone. Medical providers may use the term panniculus to talk about the fat in this part of the body.

Having more fat in this part of the body can make some people self-conscious and uncomfortable—especially if they're wearing tight-fitting clothes like leggings, skinny jeans, swimsuits, underwear, and dresses.

Sometimes the term FUPA is used as a slang term to describe how a person (often a woman) looks.

FUPA can just be something you're born with. People who are at a normal weight and even those who are underweight can have fat in the mons pubis simply because they are genetically more likely to have fat deposit in there.

Having a larger mons pubis can also come from weight gain. Most people with obesity will have extra fat in this area. The skin of the mons pubis can also become lax and begin to sag.

If you've had abdomen-flattening surgery—such as an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) or liposuction— you may notice pubic fat even though there has been no physical change to the area. Flattening the abdomen can make the pubic area look like it's sticking out more.

The pubic area can also temporarily look larger after liposuction because gravity pulls swelling down from the abdomen toward the mons pubis.

Cosmetic surgery on the abdomen often reveals fatty tissue of the mons that was already there, just not noticed. If you're having a tummy tuck, you might want to consider the pubic area as well.

A healthy diet and exercise are the best ways to reduce excess pubic fat. You can lose fat by eating fewer calories than you burn (caloric deficit).

Examples of diets that people may consider trying include:

You don't have to be on a particular diet to lose excess pubic fat. Having an overall nutritious diet that supplies the calories you need can help reduce mons pubis fat—especially when paired with physical activity and specific exercise.

One of the most efficient ways to reduce FUPA is exercise. It's not possible to reduce fat in a specific area of the body but general cardio and strength training can be helpful.

That said, the following exercises may help improve the appearance of FUPA by strengthening and toning the abs and lower body.

The forearm plank is a great core exercise. It engages your stomach area as well as your back, legs, and arms. Here's how to perform a forearm plank:

Bicycle crunches activate your abdominal muscles and improve your conditioning and coordination. Here's how to perform bicycle crunches:

Leg raises work the core muscles and hip flexors. Here's how to perform a leg raise:

The bridge is a great lower-body exercise that strengthens your abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Here's how to perform a bridge:

If you're not seeing improvement with weight loss and exercise, there are non-surgical and surgical procedures for removing mons pubis fat.

Some of the common non-surgical methods for reducing FUPA include:

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that can be done under local anesthesia to reduce FUPA. It can be very effective, especially if the skin of the mons pubis has good elasticity.

However, liposuction of the mons pubis can make already-loose skin in the pubic area even looser because sagging can occur when the fat is removed.

Mons pubis liposuction can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 or more depending on location and the amount of fat removed.

If liposuction does not reduce FUPA enough, a monsplasty (pubic lift) is another option. During a monsplasty, both extra skin and excess fat are surgically removed. This reduces the bulge and lifts the area.

Monsplasty requires an incision which means there will be a scar similar to a C-section scar. A pubic lift can also be done when the pubic area has been stretched out after pregnancy or from age-related skin changes.

The cost of a monsplasty typically ranges from $2,000 to $8,000. It's usually more expensive than other fat removal methods because it's a surgery.

While women might be more likely to seek FUPA surgery, men can also have excess fat in the mons pubis and may want to have it reduced.

Having extra fat in this area can make the penis appear much smaller than it actually is. If this is bothersome, liposuction with or without monsplasty can treat FUPA in men.

Whichever mons pubis procedure you have, there will be swelling during your recovery. The swelling can extend down to the labia or scrotum.

Bruising is also not uncommon after mons pubis surgery but usually resolves after two to three weeks. Swelling can take longer to improve and may not go away for three to four months after surgery.

Any surgery has risks, and complications are possible after a monsplasty.

Hematoma, seroma, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, delayed wound healing, wound separation, skin necrosis, and wound infection are some of the possible complications that can occur after surgery to contour the pubic area.

Having excess mons pubis fat is normal, but there are ways to reduce fat in this part of your body if it bothers you. Being mindful about your diet and adding exercise to your routine can help you lose mons pubis fat.

If lifestyle changes aren't providing results, ask your healthcare provider about non-surgical and surgical FUPA treatments.

Having fat above your pubic area is normal. People can have FUPA because of their genetics, their weight, or age-related body changes.

The mons pubis helps provide some padding during sexual intercourse. The skin in this region also has glands that put out pheromones, which are part of human sexual attraction.

Bykowski MR, Rubin JP, Gusenoff JA. The impact of abdominal contouring with monsplasty on sexual function and urogenital distress in women following massive weight loss. Aesthet Surg J. 2017;37(1):63-70. doi:10.1093/asj/sjw144

Sattler DR, Altmann S, Infanger M, et al. Genital reconstruction after weight loss in adipose male patients: A case report. Eplasty. 2014;14:e14.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Vaginal rejuvination.

Nguyen JD, Duong H. Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Female External Genitalia. [Updated 2021 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet].

Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.

There was an error. Please try again.