Plasticizer migration from plastics, particularly in polar polymers like flexible PVC, poses significant health risks, including endocrine disruption and carcinogenicity. This review article consolidates research on surface modification techniques aimed at suppressing plasticizer migration, which are crucial for minimizing health and environmental hazards. Over the past decade, substantial advancements have been made in this field. Physical irradiation methods, including plasma, ultraviolet, and gamma-ray irradiation—induce surface cross-linking, forming a three-dimensional network that reduces plasticizer migration by up to 80 %, as demonstrated by DEHP loss decreasing from 5.6 to 1.2 mg/cm2 in modified PVC. Chemical grafting techniques covalently attach hydrophilic groups or polymer chains, which interact with plasticizers via hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces, achieving a 75 % reduction in migration, for example, DEHP leaching from 250 mg to 52 mg. Solution coating methods, particularly protein-based coatings, show exceptional performance with up to 93 % inhibition, reducing DEHP migration from 60 ppm to 4.2 ppm. Despite these achievements, challenges persist in enhancing coating durability, reducing costs, and minimizing environmental risks. Future research directions should focus on improving the long-term stability of coatings, refining experimental methodologies, and establishing robust evaluation standards. This work aims to provide a critical reference for the development of safer plastic applications in healthcare and food packaging industries, offering insights into the design and implementation of effective surface modification strategies to address the ongoing issue of plasticizer migration in plastic materials.