The most common question the patient coordinators at Southwest Plastic Surgery answer is not about a procedure. It is “how long do I have to stay?”
That is because most of the practice’s patients are not from El Paso. Dr. Frank Agullo put the current number at about 70 percent, and the map behind it is wider than most people expect.
Where Patients Come From
What share of patients travel in, and from where?
Dr. Agullo: “About 70 percent of our patients are from out of town. At least 40 to 50 percent of those come from within Texas and New Mexico. Although we get patients that come in from Mexico, it is surprising that we get a lot more patients from Canada. Other places where we have a large draw from are Seattle and the Washington area, California, Florida, and New York. We also get a fair number of patients from the Midwest. I am proud to say that we’ve had a patient from every single state in the United States, from all of North America, and as far as Japan and Dubai.”
Texas and New Mexico first, which makes sense for a practice in El Paso. Canada ahead of Mexico, which surprises almost everyone. Then the coasts, the Midwest, and the occasional long-haul flight.
Why They Choose El Paso
Why do patients choose you?
Dr. Agullo: “I think patients come here because they realize the quality of treatments and care we provide at Southwest Plastic Surgery. They see that I deliver consistent results with significant body and face transformations. They are also impressed by the high number of five-star reviews. And I think that they also hear it from friends and family, as word of mouth.”
“I think they also appreciate the fact that we’re used to taking care of patients from out of town. So we’ve streamlined the process and make it as easy and automatic as possible for the patient, through our patient coordinators.”
Many patients meet the practice on social media first, and a virtual consultation usually comes before anyone books a flight.
How Long to Stay, and Where
This is the part the coordinators walk every traveling patient through before surgery is scheduled.
What do you tell out-of-town patients about staying for follow-up?
Dr. Agullo: “The instructions are the same as for patients coming in from other states in the United States or from Canada. Depending on the procedure, I will give the recommendation of what time to stay in El Paso. For large procedures, it’s usually a minimum of seven days. For smaller procedures, they can travel as soon as two to three days.”
“We have several hotels that we’ve partnered with for accommodations for our patients. And we also have the ability to have nurse visits, and even 24-hour care can be arranged. Some patients choose to stay in an Airbnb for comfort, or many patients may have family that they can stay with, and that makes it even easier.”
| Procedure size | Minimum stay in El Paso | Support available |
|---|---|---|
| Large procedures (a tummy tuck, for example) | Seven days minimum | Partner hotels, nurse visits, 24-hour care on request |
| Smaller procedures | Two to three days | Partner hotels, coordinator follow-up |
The practice has written procedure-specific guides for the two most common trips: traveling to El Paso for a tummy tuck and out-of-town rhinoplasty.
Before You Book Any Texas Surgeon
Dr. Agullo asks patients to run the same check on him that they should run on anyone.
How does a patient verify a plastic surgeon in five minutes?
Dr. Agullo: “Patients can look up a doctor’s Texas medical license on the Texas Medical Board website, and they can see if it’s in good standing and any history the doctor may have.”
“But I think it’s more important to make sure that your plastic surgeon is board certified. You can do this by going to the American Board of Plastic Surgery website and looking up your physician, and they will quickly confirm whether the physician is board certified in plastic surgery or not.”
The two links are the Texas Medical Board license lookup and the American Board of Plastic Surgery directory. The full checklist, including the three society directories and what each one tells you, is on agulloplasticsurgery.com.
Where are you licensed, and by whom are you certified?
Dr. Agullo: “I am honored and proud to say that I am a licensed physician in Texas, New Mexico, Florida, California, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona. I am board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and I am a member of ASPS, ASAPS (The Aesthetic Society), and ISAPS.”
The Mexico Question
El Paso shares a border with Juarez, so the practice hears this one constantly.
Is surgery in Mexico cheaper than surgery in Texas?
Dr. Agullo: “I know many excellent surgeons in Mexico. And I can tell you that for most surgeries, top level surgeons in Mexico charge pretty similar to top US surgeons. The difference lies in that oftentimes anesthesia and operating room costs can be lower, as well as the cost of medications and supplies. So there may be a lower cost in Mexico, but not a very significant difference.”
“When you see very significant differences, where the cost is almost too good to be true, it is because there is a reason to it, and somehow the costs are getting cut in places that may be essential to your care.”
Southwest Plastic Surgery publishes its starting prices, all-inclusive of the facility, anesthesia, garments and post-scar care, on the fees page at agulloplasticsurgery.com. Those are the numbers to compare against, as of this writing, and an exact quote can only be provided after a consultation.
Why Dr. Agullo
Dr. Agullo is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, completed his plastic surgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and serves as Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He has been a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for thirteen consecutive years, 2014 through 2026.
Schedule a Consultation
To plan a trip to El Paso for surgery at Southwest Plastic Surgery, call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or reach the practice at swplasticsurgery.com. #StayBeautiful
Find Dr. Agullo at @RealDrWorldWide on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, @Agullo on X, or @AgulloPlasticSurgery on Facebook.
