Some people may think that plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are the same thing. There is a great deal of overlap between the two terms, but each term stresses different aspects.

"Plastic" derives from the Greek plastikos, meaning "to mold," so plastic surgery is surgery that shapes or forms the human body, emphasizing using surgery to change features of the body.

"Cosmetic" comes from the same Greek root as cosmos, which we now use to describe the universe. To the Greeks, cosmos meant "order" or "system." Cosmetic surgery might be thought of, then, as the attempt to give order to the body. It takes the feature of your face or body that is out of balance and restores harmony and balance with the whole. This is a large part of what we do.

Studies have shown that beauty is largely dependent on symmetry, balance and synergy among the many features of the body or face; it is not a random concept. When we say a person is handsome or beautiful, we are, in fact, referring to the balance and proportion of facial features.