October 10, 2026 | Body Contouring, Plastic Surgery Recovery, Preparing for Surgery
“About 70 percent of our patients are from out of town.”
That is why Travel Bulletin asked me how to avoid getting sick on a plane. Their readers fly for fun. Mine fly for a tummy tuck. What I told Travel Bulletin: “The cabin air itself is not the main problem.” A mask, water, hand washing and a window seat. For my patients that advice matters more, because of what comes next.
Why a Cold Can Move Your Surgery Date
What happens if I arrive with a cold?
Dr. Agullo: “Colds are managed on a patient by patient basis, we want patients to be over it or almost over it the day of surgery so it depends on symptoms. Sometimes surgeries need to be rescheduled due to safety.”
A fever the morning of surgery is a stop sign. You have a date to protect.
When to Land
When should I arrive if I am flying in?
Our pre-op nurse: “If you’re able to arrive here the day before, that will be good so you can come into the office and we can have you sign your original consents and take your before photos. So that way, the day of the surgery it goes smooth. But if it’s unable, we understand that sometimes it’s not possible, as long as you arrive at 7:30 in the morning.”
The rest of the pre-op schedule, including the medication list, is in the pre-op call post.
Can I travel with my prescriptions?
Our pre-op nurse: “If they question you on the airplane, as long as you have your prescription with you, you’re fine.”
How Long to Stay
How long do out-of-town patients stay in El Paso?
Dr. Agullo: “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.”
And for a large procedure specifically?
Our pre-op nurse: “So for this one, we need you seven days minimum. Some people stay two weeks, but seven days is the usual.”
When can I travel or go back to work?
Dr. Agullo: “That depends on the procedure and how you are healing, so it is a per-patient answer. I would rather clear you based on how you actually look than a generic timeline. If a trip is coming up, tell me early so we can plan around it, including any precautions to take with you on the trip.”
The Flight Home: Clots Are the Real Risk
Recent surgery plus hours of sitting still is the part of the trip I plan for.
What do your patients do on the flight home after a large procedure?
Dr. Agullo: “Our patients are on blood thinners and will use their TEDs and SCDs during their travel.”
The blood thinner is Lovenox, and it starts before you ever get to the airport.
Our pre-op nurse: “Lovenox is a blood thinning medication that you’re gonna have to be injecting starting right the next day after surgery, and that’s gonna be to prevent the blood clots in your legs, which is DVTs. You’re only gonna do one shot daily for 7 days.”
TEDs are compression stockings. SCDs are the calf sleeves that squeeze on a cycle, and they fly home with you.
Swelling in a Pressurized Cabin: Real or Folklore?
Is the cabin-pressure swelling effect real?
Dr. Agullo: “The physiology behind this thought is real. Cabin pressure in the airplane is lower, and allows gases to expand, and also allows tissues to expand. So there can be swelling while you’re up in the air. Using a compression garment will help avoid swelling.”
“But really, the physiologic component that creates the most swelling while you’re in the air is immobility. So that is why we recommend standing and walking a little bit at least every hour, and moving your feet, flexing your calves, flexing your hands, sometimes using a squeezy ball. And most importantly, using your TED socks and your sequential compression devices.”
The garment is for surgical swelling. The stockings and the machine are for clots. Wear all three, and get up every hour.
Who Should Fly In for Surgery
Do I need somebody with me?
Our pre-op nurse: “Somebody has to come with you and stay with you wherever you’re gonna be staying for the first 48 hours. So that means you cannot be by yourself.”
What if nobody can come with me?
Our pre-op nurse: “If nobody is coming with you, there is another way. You will need to stay in our office, you will need to pay for the overnight stay, and then the next day we can arrange for a driver to take you to the hotel or the Airbnb, wherever you’re gonna be staying. Because we cannot release you right after surgery because you’re still loopy and drowsy.”
On lodging: “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.”
Follow-up after you land at home is covered in the post-op follow-up post. If you use nicotine in any form, read the nicotine and surgery post before you book the flight.
Why the Out-of-Town Process Runs Smoothly Here
“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.”
Why Choose Dr. Agullo
I am certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, trained in plastic surgery at the Mayo Clinic, and teach as Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Castle Connolly Top Doctor, 2014 through 2026. About 70 percent of my patients fly in, which is why Travel Bulletin called.
Ready to Talk?
Tell us where you are flying from at the consultation and the coordinator will build the travel plan with you. Pricing is on the fees page.
Call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or book online at agulloplasticsurgery.com. #StayBeautiful
Find me at @RealDrWorldWide on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, @Agullo on X, or @AgulloPlasticSurgery on Facebook.
