Plastic surgeons do not operate to save lives or resolve functional problems, but are responding to the inner, psychological needs of their clients. Thus Lai considers himself a "psychological surgeon," and the patient must decide whether the surgery is "necessary."
賴永隆說，美容整型外科開的不是救命、解決功能性的刀，而是出於內心、心理上的需要，因此他把它定位為「精神外科」，開與不開決定權在病人。