In a place like San Francisco, where people value authenticity and subtle, natural beauty, patients often want more than just a technically skilled surgeon. They want someone who understands their individuality, listens closely, and approaches their goals with genuine, industry-leading care.
For many in the Bay Area, that surgeon is Dr. Ginger Xu.
At Ethos Plastic Surgery, Dr. Xu blends world-class surgical training with innovative holistic wellness protocols to craft an experience where beauty resonates from the inside out. Dr. Xu’s journey, from her early years as a Chinese immigrant in Oklahoma to her Harvard fellowship and starting her own practice, has granted her a unique perspective that combines surgical mastery with a meaningful sense of humanity.
While San Francisco boasts many talented plastic surgeons, Dr. Xu’s blend of Ivy League education and personal experiences, as both a woman and a minority, offers a distinct insight into diverse beauty norms. She prioritizes education, conversation, and genuine care in every consultation and strives to provide a space that’s medically credible, warm, and comforting. To her, it’s all about practicing medicine the way she’d want to be treated as a patient.
The “Bay Area Beauty” Aesthetic & Soft, Gentle Beauty
Our aesthetic philosophy mirrors the spirit of the Bay Area: natural, understated, refined. Patients describe Dr. Xu’s work as soft, gentle, elegant, and powerful, with results that look like an elevated version of their true selves rather than something manufactured.
Whether she is performing a facelift, breast augmentation, small implant surgery, fat transfer, tummy tuck, or complex revision work, her touch is precise and artistic.
Dr. Xu uses her background in music and visual arts to approach each procedure as both a scientist and an artist; her hands move with the same intention and sensitivity whether she is holding a paintbrush, playing piano, or creating harmony within the human form. Every result is designed to feel timeless, not trendy. She wants her work to align with who the patient is, not who they are “supposed” to be.
“Aesthetic surgery embodies the elegance and precision of plastic surgery and demands perfection. More than just the results of the surgery, my team and I place immense emphasis on the entirety of the patient experience.” – Dr. Ginger Xu
Elite Ivy-League Training & A Grounded Presence
This artistic intuition is matched by her rigorous training. Dr. Xu attended Stanford University and NYU School of Medicine and completed a seven-year plastic surgery residency at UCSF, which is considered one of the most demanding programs in the country. She then went on to Harvard’s prestigious Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Fellowship, where only one surgeon is chosen each year. It was there that she refined her expertise in facial rejuvenation and advanced breast and body techniques.
Patients are drawn to Dr. Xu because she combines top-tier training with a calm, grounded presence that puts them at ease. She brings exceptional precision to the operating room while maintaining a reassuring, supportive energy that helps patients feel safe every step of the way.
An Optimized Plastic Surgery Consultation
Patients also choose Dr. Xu for her soft, human approach to consultation. She gives each person the time and space to speak openly, reflect deeply, and be heard without judgment. Her consultations often last an hour and feel more like an in-depth conversation than a medical appointment.
She brings the same care to explaining procedures and risks as she does to understanding a patient’s motivations, values, and emotional landscape. It is not uncommon for patients to say they felt “seen,” “understood,” or “at ease” in ways they hadn’t expected. Education, collaboration, and mutual trust are at the center of every treatment plan she designs.
A Pioneer of “Small Breast Beauty”
Many patients find Dr. Xu because of her leadership in small breast augmentation and the modern movement toward natural proportions. Dr. Xu has become known for her “small breast beauty” philosophy, an approach that prioritizes subtlety, proportion, and ease of movement. This resonates deeply with Bay Area women who lead active lives and prefer results that align with their identity rather than mimic trends.
Her mastery of petite implants, fat transfer, and subfascial breast augmentation offers options that feel contemporary, elegant, and individualized. In a world where oversized once dominated, Dr. Xu’s work represents a shift toward honest, refined beauty with implants and techniques that enhance, not overshadow.
A Holistic Healing Framework: The GX Collection™
What also sets Dr. Xu apart is that her work doesn’t end when the surgery does. She has built a comprehensive healing ecosystem, The GX Collection™, which is designed to care for patients through all phases of recovery.
These programs, which include lymphatic massage, sound healing, aromatherapy, guided visualization, nutritional support, herbal remedies, and strength and mobility training, were created from years of research, patient conversations, and her own belief that healing is most powerful when the whole person is supported.
Dr. Xu wants patients to approach recovery as an active, empowered portion of the surgical journey. Through her Five Guiding Principles of GX and Seven Pillars of Healing, she engages all the senses to help patients recover with more comfort, less stress, and deeper emotional grounding. The result is a recovery experience that feels intentional, soothing, and deeply supportive.
Ready to Get Started? Contact Ethos Plastic Surgery Today!
To schedule your confidential consultation at Ethos Plastic Surgery, please contact Dr. Xu online or call (415) 504-1124. Dr. Xu and our team look forward to hearing from you!