Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Dr. Frank Agullo performs mini, full, and extended tummy tuck procedures in El Paso, each including 360-degree liposuction as standard. His signature approach combines triple plication — tightening the rectus abdominis and oblique muscles to create a permanent internal corset — with ultra-low scar placement below the mons hairline, a designer belly button with a hidden internal scar, EXPAREL nerve blocks for up to three days of local anesthesia, and quilting sutures to reduce fluid accumulation and shorten drain time. The procedure is outpatient and most patients feel like themselves within one week.

Tummy tuck surgery at Southwest Plastic Surgery in El Paso is distinguished by a set of signature techniques that Dr. Frank Agullo has developed and refined over his career, combining proven outcomes with meaningful patient comfort improvements. Three abdominoplasty variants are offered: the mini tummy tuck addresses the lower abdomen only through a single low incision, suitable for patients with isolated lower abdominal skin laxity and mild muscle separation; the full tummy tuck treats the entire abdominal wall through a pelvic-width incision and a circumferential navel incision, addressing both upper and lower skin excess and comprehensive diastasis recti repair; and the extended tummy tuck adds treatment of the flanks, lateral hips, and a mild buttock lift for patients whose skin laxity extends beyond the midline anterior abdomen. All three variants include 360-degree liposuction as a standard component — treating the back, flanks, and abdomen simultaneously to create a harmonious circumferential contour rather than addressing only the anterior abdomen in isolation. The triple plication technique — a distinctive feature of Dr. Agullo's approach — involves layered repair of not just the central rectus abdominis muscle pair but also the lateral oblique muscles, creating what he describes as a permanent internal corset. This provides both superior abdominal wall strength and a narrower, more tapered waist than achievable through single-layer rectus plication alone. Incision placement is ultra-low — positioned below the mons pubis hairline so that the scar is concealed beneath even low-rise underwear and bikini bottoms. The umbilicoplasty (belly button reconstruction) is performed to create a natural-looking oval shape with the internal scar completely hidden within the neoumbilicoplasty, avoiding the visible scar that results from conventional techniques. EXPAREL (liposomal bupivacaine) nerve blocks are administered at the time of surgery, providing sustained local anesthesia for up to 72 hours post-operatively; Dr. Agullo reports that approximately 50 percent of patients using this protocol describe no pain at all in the immediate recovery period. Quilting sutures are placed between the superficial fascial system and the abdominal skin flap to eliminate the dead space where seroma fluid accumulates, reducing the duration of drain requirement and the incidence of post-operative seroma. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, and most patients return home the same day. The first five days require some assistance with daily activities; the majority of patients feel like themselves again by the end of the first week, are able to venture out by two weeks, and are cleared for strenuous exercise at six weeks. All fees include anesthesia, surgical facility, pre-operative medical testing, post-operative compression garments, and recovery products. Prescription medications are the sole additional patient expense.