Exploring the Factors That Cause a FUPA and How to Lose It

What is FUPA?

FUPA, meaning "Fatty Upper Pubic Area," is a mound of fat above the vaginal area in women. It takes the shape of an upside-down triangle extending from the genitals to the top of the pubic hairline and is also known as the mons pubis.

FUPA can make women feel self-conscious about their bodies, given that it can affect their overall appearance and cause discomfort with their clothing. It can even make wearing tight pants an uncomfortable experience.

Still, do not worry if you have concerns over your fat upper pubic area. The good news is that FUPA is simply surplus fat. And all subcutaneous fat can be reduced by committing to a healthier lifestyle. You can even have the excess fat physically removed with mons pubis reduction surgery or other variants of cosmetic procedures. 

What Causes a FUPA?

What causes a FUPA, you may be wondering? As board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kevin Hanz from our Dallas AirSculpt® office explains in the video above, stubborn fatty pubic tissue can be caused by a number of underlying conditions or variables.

These factors include genetics, which dictate where fat tends to be distributed throughout our bodies. For some of us, that area is the pubic region, and it can be a problem even for thin people. Dr. Hanz also explains that a past liposuction procedure can result in fat forming in new areas of the body, even the pubic area.

Beyond the reasons highlighted above, common causes for accumulating fat around the pubic area include childbirth, aging, and even rapid weight loss. Let's look into each of these factors a bit more deeply.

Genetics

Genetics is one of the more common causes behind your FUPA development. Your genetics dictate where your body stores extra fat, and some of us have the genetic tendency for it to accumulate around the pubic mound.

Nonetheless, while you can blame your genetics for where fat is placed, you cannot blame them for having fat. Fat tends to be directly linked to your lifestyle choices. Any excess consumption of calories above your maintenance level will lead to a build-up of fat. 

Aging

As we age, we lose lean muscle mass, gain more fat, and realize that maintaining weight isn't as easy as it used to be.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declare that over 40% of Americans aged between 40 and 59 years are overweight, and 37% of those over 60 are too.

Getting older is linked to less physical activity, indirectly affecting your health and physical appearance since you're more prone to developing excess fat.

Stress

Being under a lot of stress for an extended period inclines you to gain weight, but it also makes it likely to accumulate fat in the area where you least want it to appear.

This is caused by the proliferation of the stress hormone cortisol, which is linked to fat accumulation throughout the body.

Pregnancy

While pregnancy allows you to obtain one of the biggest joys in life, its effects on your body aren't quite ideal.

Aside from the expected weight gain you undergo while pregnant, it also weakens the abdominal muscles, which causes the skin to sag and drop.

Thus, FUPA and pregnancy are linked, but this is a natural occurrence and nothing to fear or dread.

Weight Gain

Last but not least, the main culprit behind FUPA is weight gain. If you adopt a lifestyle high in calories and limited in physical activity, you'll likely gain weight unprecedentedly. 

Remember, a healthy lifestyle requires consistency; it's easy to embark on a crash diet and relapse after three weeks. Make the necessary changes to sustainably become the healthier version of yourself one day at a time.

Ways to Get Rid of FUPA

It must be made clear that losing fat is impossible in just one area of the body. Fat, whether through diet or exercise, is reduced overall throughout the body.

To lose FUPA fat, you could always opt for surgical treatments or try lifestyle changes first, which is recommended. 

Lifestyle Changes to Reduce FUPA:

• Calorie deficit: Aim to burn more calories than you eat to lose weight by burning fat.

• Exercise: From cardio to strength training, any activity that burns calories assists with weight and fat loss.

• De-stress: Mindfulness activities such as meditation and yoga will help decrease cortisol production.

Plastic Surgery Procedures to Remove FUPA:

• Pubic liposuction: A cannula can remove fat from the pelvic area during this form of cosmetic surgery.

• Pubic lift: If loose skin is the cause of your FUPA, a cosmetic surgeon can redrape or remove excess skin to tone the pubic mound. As Dr. Hanz highlights above, skin tightening pairs nicely with fat removal of the pubic area.

• Tummy tuck: This surgical procedure focuses on the abdominal region but can also extend to the mons pubis to tighten the vaginal mound. 

Benefits of FUPA Removal

While FUPA removal has aesthetic advantages that women look forward to, other benefits exist, such as better hygiene and sexual comfort, to name a few.

• Better hygiene: By removing excess tissue and skin, maintaining cleanliness around your genitals becomes easier.

• No more rashes: Due to skin no longer chafing together in the pubic area, no more rashes or skin irritations tend to form.

• Better sex: Less fat in the upper pubic area makes sexual activity more comfortable.

• Easier urination: Urination can be made easier by not having to move aside the excess tissue.

AirSculpt® FUPA Removal

To remove your FUPA permanently and efficiently, AirSculpt® has the ideal procedure for you.

Residents in and around Washington, D.C., can opt for the minimally invasive Pubic Area AirSculpt® to remove excess fat through easily concealable, two-millimeter-wide entry points that look like mere freckles.  

The procedure also does not use stitches, needles, or general anesthesia, which minimizes the risks associated with traditional FUPA removal forms like liposuction.

Not only do we reduce invasiveness, but AirSculpt provides more precise results, allowing surgeons to pluck fat by the cell while sparing the surrounding sensitive areas.  

For more information on how we can help you, call our Washington, D.C., body sculpting office for a free consultation, or find the fat removal center nearest you to begin.