The much-anticipated September issue of Vogue — with Beyoncé as guest editor — just dropped. The cover features a fresh-faced Beyoncé, shot by “brilliant” 23-year-old photographer Tyler Mitchell.
But it’s the singer’s words, not photos, that are getting attention.
The mom of three got real about her post-baby baby, including the revelation that she had a Cesarean section with twins Rumi and Sir. Beyoncé revealed that she was 218 pounds when she gave birth, and her body has changed considerably since.
“I have a little mommy pouch, and I’m in no rush to get rid of it. I think it’s real,” she wrote in the issue. “But right now, my little FUPA and I feel like we are meant to be.”
Fans were thrilled by Beyoncé’s use of FUPA in a major fashion magazine.
BEYONCÉ JUST MADE FUPA TREND WORLD WIDE IM SCREAMING
— Jay McMullen (@JayGMcMullen) August 6, 2018
If Beyoncé can be content with her FUPA, dang it so can I ☺️
— Precious Sanders (@psandersmakeup) August 6, 2018
But, what exactly is a FUPA — and who has them?
What is a FUPA?
While some people are excited about the singer’s mention of her “problem area,” many are wondering: What is a FUPA?
Dumb question but what is a FUPA??
— Karen Maria Alston (@advertisingdiva) August 6, 2018
The FUPA is a slang acronym for “fat upper pubic area” or “fat upper pussy area” — basically, the loose layer of fatty tissue that’s left offer from weight loss or pregnancy (like in Beyoncé’s case).
It’s known medically as a panniculus and can be caused by obesity and hang down like an apron over the pubic area — sometimes, all the way down to the knees — and can be found in both women and men.
Can you get rid of a FUPA?
Beyoncé has a plan to get rid of her FUPA.
“Whenever I’m ready to get a six-pack, I will go into beast zone and work my ass off until I have it,” she wrote in Vogue.
But is getting rid of a FUPA really that easy? Yes and no.
Diet and exercise can help shed body fat, reducing the size and appearance of a FUPA. However, loose skin and stubborn fat might stick around. In those cases, cosmetic surgery — in the form of a skin removal procedure known as a panniculectomy — can get rid of a FUPA.
It’s not necessarily permanent, though: Future pregnancies or weight gain can create further stretch the skin, creating a new FUPA.
Regardless if you know what is a FUPA or not, Beyoncé has a message for you:
“I think it’s important for women and men to see and appreciate the beauty in their natural bodies,” she wrote.