DR. WORLDWIDE GETS SOCIAL
DR. WORLDWIDE GET TO KNOW HIM
Frank Agullo, MD, FACS — known globally as Dr. WorldWide — is a double board-certified plastic surgeon in El Paso, Texas. He is a Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Affiliate Professor at the University of Texas at El Paso. Specializing in preservation-based aesthetic surgery and the Deep Plane Facelift, he has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for thirteen consecutive years and has a global social following of over 3.5 million across Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. He is the founder of Southwest Plastic Surgery and Plastic Surgery Studios.
Meet Dr.WWDR. WORLDWIDE GET TO KNOW HIM
Frank Agullo, MD, FACS is the plastic surgeon the world watches. Known globally as Dr. WorldWide, he has built one of the largest followings of any surgeon on the planet (over 3.5 million on Instagram @RealDrWorldWide) by pulling back the curtain on plastic surgery and showing what extraordinary results actually look like. Celebrities, influencers, and patients from across the United States and around the world make the trip to El Paso, Texas, because when you have seen the work up close, there is nowhere else to go. More than 80% of his patients travel from outside El Paso. The practice handles every detail of their journey.
Dr. Agullo is double board-certified, Mayo Clinic fellowship-trained, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. But credentials only tell part of the story. What sets him apart is a philosophy built on preservation: enhancing, restoring, and elevating what is already there rather than changing who you are. Not cookie cutter. Every plan is molded around the individual patient's desires, their anatomy, their life.
That philosophy drives every decision in the operating room. His Motiva Preserve breast augmentations deliver results that feel as natural as they look. His deep plane and endoscopic deep plane facelifts turn back time without announcing themselves. His Supercharged BBL has been refined, published, and presented on international stages. And his ability to combine face and body procedures in a single operative session is a capability few surgeons in the world can offer safely at his level.
The same philosophy applies outside the OR. Forget synthetic fillers. Dr. Agullo restores volume with regenerative grafts including Alloclae, Lipoderma, exosomes, and platelet-derived growth factors. Recovery is treated as part of the result: lymphatic massages, scar management, and Elixir MD LED light therapy ensure that what happens after surgery is as intentional as what happens during it.
Castle Connolly Top Doctor for eleven consecutive years. Texas Super Doctors Hall of Fame. Best Plastic Surgeon in El Paso for thirteen consecutive years. Aesthetic Everything Top Plastic Surgeon 2026. Founding Vice President and President of the World Association of Gluteal Surgeons, where he helped write the global safety standards for gluteal surgery.
The results are daily. The standard is uncompromising. The philosophy is simple: #MakeItHappen. #HappyIsBeautiful. #StayBeautiful.
#PlasticSurgeryIsMyPassion
GLAMOUR SHOTS
Plastic Surgery is a very personal choice and a unique experience for every individual who chooses to undergo a change, be it a discreet or major surgery. The one thing in common for my patients though is that they experience an inner transformation which ultimately shines through as confidence in themselves. Confident is Beautiful!
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- Posted on: August 6th 2026
- Category: Body, Editorial
Bulging again after a tummy tuck? The fascia stretches everywhere, not just the midline. How a triple plication revision retightens the whole wall.
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- Posted on: August 6th 2026
- Category: Body, Editorial
“From your photos, it seems that you still have abdominal wall laxity, and when you lay down, this looks like it’s corrected. It also seems like you still have some excess subcutaneous fat between the skin and the muscle.”
That is me, on a virtual consultation last week, reading two photos a patient sent through my tummy tuck revision page. She had her tummy tuck a few years ago in another city. Standing, the abdomen still pushes forward. Lying down, flat.
She asked me if her first surgery failed. Not exactly. It stopped short.
The Part Nobody Repaired
Here is what I told her next, word for word:
“I see patients like you routinely, where the diastasis was repaired, that’s just the separation between the rectus muscles. But during pregnancy, or when patients gain weight and then lose it, the fascia is stretched throughout the abdomen, not just between the rectus muscles.”
The first surgeon fixed the midline. The stretch was everywhere. That is the whole story of most revision consultations, and it is why the bulge survives a technically successful operation.
She had also been working her core for two years on a trainer’s advice. “Performing core exercises will strengthen the muscle, but will not tighten the fascia.” I have written about that trap before, the sit up lie. Revision patients are its most frustrated victims, because they already did everything right once.
The Retightening
“That’s why I often recommend performing a triple plication, where I plicate from the sternum to the pubis, bringing together the fascia of the rectus, and I also plicate the obliques to the lateral edge of the rectus. This is called a triple plication, which in essence creates an internal corset, or waist trainer.”
Regular readers know my analogy for the triple plication. If you look at any waist trainer at any store, you’ll see that there are multiple seams in the waist trainer. Essentially, most surgeons are just making a waist trainer with one seam, versus using multiple seams, in this case three, to bring in the waistline.
In a revision, those two extra seams retighten the fascia the first operation never touched, laterally over the obliques, and they add something the patient did not have even on her best day after the first surgery: a waistline.
The triple plication is something I have published on. I can’t take the credit for inventing it, as it is something the Brazilian plastic surgeons described many years ago. But somehow, a lot of plastic surgeons did not implement it into their procedures. I’ve been performing it for more than seventeen years, which is exactly how long revision patients have been finding their way to my office after one-seam operations.
The Fat, the Skin, the Scar
Remember the second finding in her photos, the excess subcutaneous fat between the skin and the muscle. The wall repair alone does not fix that. All my tummy tucks include liposuction, especially of the anterior abdomen, waistline, and lower back, and I often combine it with Renuvion J-Plasma for skin tightening. A scar that healed wide or rides too high gets revised in the same operation.
So the revision is really three corrections in one: retighten the wall, remove the residual fat, and improve the scar.
Recovery, Second Time Around
Patients brace for a worse recovery than the first surgery. Then I tell them my numbers. I use Exparel injected into what we call a TAP block, which numbs the area for three days, and I’m happy to say that fifty percent of my patients experience no pain whatsoever. Most patients recover in two weeks to get back to normal activity, and six weeks for exercise, running, jumping, and heavy lifting.
Patients do feel a tighter abdomen after surgery. This time it stays tight standing up, which is the entire point.
The Two-Photo Test
Standing, then lying down. If the bulge disappears when you lie flat, the wall is the likely problem, and a wall problem has a surgical answer. If it does not disappear, the answer may be liposuction, or skin, or something else, and I will tell you which.
I trained at the Mayo Clinic and I teach plastic surgery at Texas Tech. Revisions are where that training earns its keep, because the first operation already spent the easy options.
Ready to Talk?
If your tummy tuck left you flatter lying down than standing up, send me the photos. Call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or book online. #StayBeautiful
@RealDrWorldWide on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, @Agullo on X, or @AgulloPlasticSurgery on Facebook.
Companion reads: the clinical revision guide on agulloplasticsurgery.com, and the practice overview at swplasticsurgery.com.
- Posted on: August 5th 2026
- Category: Plastic Surgery News, Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is one of the most expensive procedures I perform, and one of the most misunderstood prices. Here’s what the number actually includes, and why the cheapest quote is usually the most expensive one.
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- Posted on: August 5th 2026
- Category: Plastic Surgery News, Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty has a reputation as one of the more expensive procedures I perform, starting at $15,000 in my practice, and revision starts at $18,000. I’ll give you the honest version of what that number includes, why it varies so much from surgeon to surgeon, and why I think searching for the cheapest rhinoplasty surgeon is the wrong way to go about it.
What the Price Actually Includes
The published price on my web page, on the fees page, includes everything you need to undergo a rhinoplasty. This is the surgeon’s fee, the anesthesia fee, and the operating room fee. It includes the vitamins you’ll take preoperatively and after surgery, as well as supplements like Arnica and Bromelain for bruising and swelling. I give you ice packs and everything you need to recover, as well as your follow-up appointments. The only thing you’ll be responsible for is picking up your prescription medications at the pharmacy.
Why the Price Varies So Much From Surgeon to Surgeon
There are several things that increase the cost of a rhinoplasty with certain surgeons. Location affects the price, due to overhead and the fees related to anesthesia and the operating room, which are more expensive in certain cities. When you seek a board-certified plastic surgeon, they often charge more than a non-board-certified physician, because of their experience and additional training. Other factors include how much demand a surgeon has for rhinoplasties, the expertise and consistent before-and-after results, and patient testimonials and satisfaction.
Sometimes you’ll see too-good-to-be-true prices, and they usually are. When this happens, surgeons usually cut down on surgical time, or rush through the procedure to decrease the cost of anesthesia and the operating room. Also, surgeons who aren’t as experienced, or want to get more experience with rhinoplasty, may charge less to attract new patients.
What Actually Changes the Cost
| Factor | How it moves the price |
|---|---|
| Primary rhinoplasty, standard | Baseline, $15,000+ |
| Open technique with significant tip work | Longer procedure, more controlled contours, cost rises with time |
| Weir incision (ala width reduction) | Adds time, increases cost somewhat |
| Revision rhinoplasty | $18,000+, grafts often needed from other parts of the body or a donor graft, much longer surgery |
| Rhinoplasty plus chin implant | $18,000+ |
Most primary rhinoplasties are standard. If there’s significant tip work, I usually recommend an open rhinoplasty for the best results, and more controlled, longer-lasting contours. But cost is really determined by how long the procedure takes and the number of maneuvers and techniques needed, including grafting. Most rhinoplasties are done in two to two and a half hours. When a patient also wants to reduce the width of the ala, a Weir incision, the time runs a little longer, and that increases the cost somewhat. What increases the cost the most is revision rhinoplasty, where grafts need to be taken from other parts of the body, or using a donor graft. These surgeries run much longer, and multiple revisions make them exponentially longer.
Insurance, Deviated Septum, and the Cosmetic Portion
I have a holistic approach to rhinoplasty. I don’t take insurance myself, but I still take care of the problem. If I encounter a deviated septum, or diagnose it before surgery, I take care of that at the same time as the rhinoplasty itself, which is usually cosmetic in nature. If a septoplasty or turbinate resection is necessary and a patient wants to run that portion through insurance, the insurance will require the procedure be done at a Medicare-certified surgery center or hospital. Some surgeons do it this way, but the patient still gets charged for the cosmetic portion in terms of OR time and anesthesia, and that ends up much higher than if the entire procedure is performed at the surgeon’s own cosmetic surgery center.
Why I Think It’s Worth the Investment
Rhinoplasty is a very technically demanding procedure, and it requires vast experience and great communication with the patient, to find out what the patient is truly looking for. I find 3D imaging systems help communicate better, so patients can visualize the changes that are technically feasible, and that makes certain the surgeon and the patient are on the same page. A rhinoplasty also isn’t something that can be easily hidden after surgery. It’s in the middle of your face. Everybody else is going to be looking at it, and you’re going to be looking at it in the mirror every day. It’s important to get it right, and it’s really important to get it right the first time, because that’s the best chance at the best result.
I do a lot of revision surgeries, and I can say a revision will never get it as good as the first time around. Revisions are far more expensive than an initial rhinoplasty. That’s why I think cost-cutting, or searching for the cheapest rhinoplasty surgeon, isn’t the right way to go about it.
Smart Questions Beyond “How Much”
The most important things to look at are the surgeon’s reviews, the number of reviews, their before-and-after photos, the number of before-and-after photos, the consistency in results, and whether the surgeon is using an accredited facility. Make sure you’ll have proper follow-up and access to the clinic twenty-four hours a day after surgery. Make sure your surgeon is board-certified. And make sure you have good rapport with the surgeon during the consultation, since you’ll be seeing them for a while, rhinoplasties take about a year for their final outcome.
Financing
Making a rhinoplasty affordable is something I take seriously, so my practice offers several financing options, including PatientFi, AlphaEon, Cherry, and CareCredit. Beyond those, I also offer direct financing through the practice itself, where a patient can make payments toward their surgery ahead of time, scheduling the procedure around a timeline that works for them. Patients are always welcome to use a credit card, pay in cash, or finance through their own bank.
What About Non-Surgical Filler Rhinoplasty?
Non-surgical rhinoplasty, the liquid filler option, costs significantly less than surgery, usually around fifteen hundred dollars, and it’s done without anesthesia or an operating room. It’s a temporary fix, and what you’re really doing is creating an optical illusion by adding volume to the nose, so you’re making it bigger. If your goal is to make your nose smaller, this isn’t the right treatment. But if you have a small hump, it can be hidden by adding filler above the hump, below the hump, and to the tip.
Filler doesn’t really go away, it migrates. I see a tendency in some patients where the bridge of the nose, or even the tip, starts getting wider over time as the filler dissipates. If you’re seriously considering a rhinoplasty down the road, you’ll likely need the filler dissolved first with Hylenex, a hyaluronidase that dissolves fillers. You shouldn’t have any other materials injected into the nose, since they’re not dissolvable and can interfere with future treatments.
Hidden Costs and My Revision Policy
The idea behind a primary rhinoplasty is to get it all done correctly the first time. There’s a chance that after surgery there are things a surgeon can’t control, like how an individual scars, how fast swelling resolves, and whether the cartilage’s memory wants to return to its previous shape or deviation. So sometimes revisions are necessary. I always give it at least a year before jumping to any revision, to allow all the swelling to go down. If a revision is requested and I believe the result can be improved, I won’t charge any surgeon’s fees. The patient is only responsible for the operating room and anesthesia.
About Dr. Frank Agullo
Frank Agullo, MD, FACS, is double board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He completed his plastic surgery fellowship at Mayo Clinic and serves as a Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. He has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for thirteen consecutive years.
Ready to Talk?
Bring the real questions, not just the number. I’ll walk you through exactly what goes into your quote.
Call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or book online at agulloplasticsurgery.com/appointments. #StayBeautiful.
@RealDrWorldWide on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, @Agullo on X, or @AgulloPlasticSurgery on Facebook.
Cross-links
- Patient-facing version on agulloplasticsurgery.com: “What Rhinoplasty Actually Costs in El Paso” (link once live)
- Practice version on swplasticsurgery.com: “Southwest Plastic Surgery on Rhinoplasty Pricing” (link once live)
