August 15, 2026 | Uncategorized
A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a researcher who was working on a structured audit of 200 UK aesthetic clinic websites and wanted an opinion from an American surgeon about what each website must include on its pages to inform patients adequately before they book their procedures. I am contacted about requests like these far more often than I accept them. This request had me looking at my own website and answering back in the meantime.
The audit published on August 1 under the name iGlowly Research. Unfortunately, the news was not as good as I would have hoped. 96 out of the 200 websites had no risk info, no suitability info. Only 77 of them had everything, explanation, recovery, suitability, risk, all in one place. Just over half had a “book” button with none of that complete set sitting anywhere near it. And only six out of the 200 sites allowed you to ask a question before you handed over any personal info.
The Test I’d Apply to My Own Site
I stand behind every single thing I just said to you in this quote.
“A clinic’s website is not doing its job if a patient has to call just to learn the specific risks of a given procedure, whether they might be a poor candidate for it, and the name and credentials of whoever is actually performing the treatment. If a page cannot answer those questions within a few minutes, that gap is more about the clinic’s priorities than its web design.”
Of the 200 clinics examined, 96 failed the risk-and-suitability half of that test outright, and 123 failed the complete-set half. No copywriter can magically alter this; the writing is not the problem. The problem is a deliberate decision somewhere within the clinic about how much to share prior to someone becoming a client.
Why I Publish Prices Nobody Else Publishes
I made a different decision a while back, and it is most noticeable on one page: agulloplasticsurgery.com/fees.
Most surgeons quote a fee only after a consultation, and almost never list a price anywhere on their website. I list real starting prices, all-inclusive. Everything listed includes surgeon fees, operating room, anesthesia, compression garments, vitamins and a take-home scar care kit. The only out-of-pocket expense after that is prescription medication at the pharmacy. Starting price is $7,050 for gynecomastia, $7,000 for saline breast augmentation and $8,000 for silicone breast augmentation, and starting at $16,000 to $26,000 for a tummy tuck.
I do not publish those numbers because I think price is the whole picture. It is only a small part, and it is not the deciding factor. Board certification, accreditation, and a surgeon’s real experience are more important than any price. A person looking to make a change, however, should not be forced to negotiate with front desk staff to get access to basic information. It should not take a phone call just to find out what a procedure costs. An exact quote still has to wait for a consultation and a physical exam, but everything before the actual consultation needs to be accessible online.
What I Told the Researcher
The honest version of my answer to her was shorter. Most clinics treat the website as a brochure. The goal is for my website to feel like a normal conversation with the person when they walk into my office: this is what happens during it, these are starting costs for the procedures, this is who is doing it; if you have questions beyond this, ask me anything else in person.
Out of 200 sites, only 6 let you ask them something before making you submit your contact info. I do not want this to continue.
Ready to Talk?
If you’re comparing options and can’t find straight answers on a clinic’s website, that’s worth noticing. Check my published fees at agulloplasticsurgery.com/fees, call (915) 590-7900, text the consult line at 1-866-814-0038, or book a consultation. Find me as @RealDrWorldWide on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, @Agullo on X, or @AgulloPlasticSurgery on Facebook. #StayBeautiful
Companion reads: the editorial version on drworldwide.com and the practice story on swplasticsurgery.com.
