Cosmetic surgeons must have skills in surgical procedures, have knowledge of instuments needed, excellent judgement and appropriate ethics. The history of plastic surgery finds its origins in early 800 B.C., when surgeons in India restored noses to persons who had theirs taken off as a form of punishment. Successful surgeries were performed throughout history from then on but not frequently as the procedure could become complicated due to lack of sterile conditions and general knowledge of the body's reactions.

Plastic and cosmetic surgeries didn't become common until the 20th century. In the 19th century the first cleft palate was repaired in the United States by a surgeon who designed his own tools, but the first plastic surgeries were developed around World War I due to numerous casualties having damage done that altered their way of living and had permanently disfigured them. The greatest discovery from this plastic surgery was the flap surgery techniques. Flap surgery involves moving sections of tissue from one area of the body, usually the side of the back, to other parts of tehbody while keeping the tissues blood flow in tact. This allows for greater success in repairing and rebuilding the body after injury.

The history of cosmetic surgery has its origins in the aesthetic improvement of the body, and isnt much associated with necessary reconstruction as it is with the struggle and desire for perfectionsim. In 2004, over 11 million persons had cosmetic plastic surgery for reconstruction and cosmetic surgery for solely aesthetic reasons.