By: Adriana Sinclair
Texas is one of the busiest cosmetic surgery markets in the country. A double board-certified surgeon on the state’s western edge explains how to tell the real specialists from the rest.
Plastic surgeons in Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio have no shortage of potential patients. Plastic surgery patients come to Texas from New Mexico and Arizona, from the West Coast and East Coast, and from all over Mexico, to name a few.
But did you know that El Paso is also a destination for plastic surgery, especially for procedures in the breast, face, and body? There’s a good reason why patients make the trip to El Paso for plastic surgery:
- There are direct flights to El Paso from most major hubs.
- Surgical costs are generally lower since operating costs (rent, cost of living, staff wages, etc.) are lower in El Paso than on the coasts.
- Wait times for certain procedures may be shorter in El Paso compared to the coasts.
- The patient gets the same surgeon and the same operating room standards.
Dr. Frank Agullo is the founder and medical director of El Paso’s Southwest Plastic Surgery, a Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery in the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, and one of the people training the next generation of plastic surgeons in Texas. Agullo has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and Texas SuperDoctor for eleven years straight, from 2014 through 2026.
His credentials and accomplishments include the following:
- Board-certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery
- Plastic surgery fellowship trained at Mayo Clinic
- General surgery residency training at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
- Member of the editorial board of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the official peer-reviewed journal of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
- Over 19 peer-reviewed publications and 6 chapters in plastic surgery textbooks
- Among the first roughly 30 US surgeons trained in Motiva’s Preservé technique, and a published researcher on gluteal fat grafting
- Medical licenses in seven states, including Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Washington
- A social media following in the millions for his plastic surgery educational content, where he posts as Dr. WorldWide
Agullo attributes Southwest Plastic Surgery’s reputation to two key factors: a steadfast commitment to patient safety and a philosophy of preserving as much of the body’s natural tissue, blood supply, and structure as possible during each and every operation.
Agullo is passionate about educating patients so they can make informed decisions about their bodies. That education matters in Texas, where anyone holding a medical license can refer to themselves as a cosmetic surgeon.
“Anyone with a medical license can legally call themselves a cosmetic surgeon in Texas,” says Agullo. “Patients assume the title means training. It doesn’t. The question to ask is not ‘Are you a surgeon?’ It’s ‘Which board certified you, and in what?'”
Ask any surgeon you’re considering these questions:
- Are you board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery? Check for yourself on the board’s website.
- Is the facility where you operate accredited?
- How many of this exact procedure do you perform per year?
- What medical conditions or circumstances would make me NOT a good candidate?
The El Paso Surprise
About six out of every ten surgical patients at Southwest Plastic Surgery come to El Paso from out of town. In fact, patients come to El Paso from all over the U.S. and even from Canada.
“People find us because of a specific procedure or a specific technique, then they do their homework and realize the trip is worth it,” Agullo explains. Agullo’s medical licenses in seven states allow him to handle pre-op consultations and follow-up care for patients in those states.
One such technique is Motiva’s Preservé breast augmentation, for which Agullo was among the first roughly 30 US plastic surgeons trained. In this technique, a smaller implant is placed through a minimal approach intended to preserve more of the native breast tissue. “I have patients who came to El Paso specifically because they researched Preservé and found out I was the only one offering it in the region,” he says. “I had never seen that happen with any implant company before.”
Agullo has also published peer-reviewed research on gluteal fat grafting, a procedure that drew national scrutiny after deaths around the country at high-volume clinics. “The technique that kills people is injecting fat into the muscle,” Agullo explains. “We changed where and how we place it years ago, and we teach that. Fast and cheap is not a plan.”
Knowing When Not To Operate
Agullo also believes firmly that certain people should not have certain surgeries, and turns away surgery candidates on a weekly basis. Reasons for declining to operate can include anything from patient anatomy or unmanaged medical conditions to unrealistic expectations, often the product of filters in photos. Active smokers also are not considered candidates for certain operations until they quit.
“A good consultation is a candidacy assessment, not a sales pitch,” Agullo explains. “If a surgeon has never told you no, be careful.”
Whichever surgeon you see, ask them what would disqualify you from being a candidate. In Agullo’s words: “If the answer to that last one is ‘nothing,’ you are talking to a salesperson.”
Southwest Plastic Surgery operates two locations in El Paso along with The Medspa at Southwest Plastic Surgery. Consultations, including virtual consultations for out-of-town patients, can be booked at (915) 590-7900 or by text at 1-866-814-0038. #HappyIsBeautiful
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. The information presented does not replace professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Plastic surgery procedures involve potential risks, and individual results may vary. Readers should consult a qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss their medical history, suitability for specific procedures, and potential risks before making any medical decisions.
