Eric Lin, MD, MPH

	Joined Jul, 1999 Department: Plastic Surgery [Map] Cosmetic Services [Map] Title: Physician Degree: MD, MPH Interests: Travel, Music, Movies, Tennis Languages: Mandarin, Taiwanese Physician Homepage
Bio I gained my first glimpse into plastic surgery watching Dr. Timothy Miller, now the Chief of Plastic Surgery at UCLA, realigning pieces of fractured facial bones with screws and plates, giving the patient back his form and function. The same afternoon, he would perform a facelift, providing a rejuvenated look for an actress. During my residency at the University of Washington in Seattle, I got exposure to a variety of plastic surgery procedures, ranging from reconstruction of breasts, burns, and congenital deformities to cosmetic surgery of face and body. After completion of residency, I sought a position in a large multi-specialty group practice where I could focus on high-quality patient care. I was very pleased to join Kaiser Permanente and worked for the Fresno Medical Center where I served as the Chief of Plastic Surgery. In 2004 I transferred to Santa Rosa Medical Center and have been delighted to find the same focus on uncompromising service and care, all that I would want for my own family. This website was created for you. It has useful information and links to a variety of procedures, post-op instructions, and breast implant information. Please check back often as I plan to update this site frequently and welcome any suggestions.
My Medical Specialty
More details about my specialty: Plastic Surgery is derived from the Greek word, plastikos, which means to reshape or reform. Plastic surgeons use various techniques to reconstruct different body parts to normalize form and function. We also perform cosmetic surgery to improve appearance. Every patient is unique in a certain way, and I enjoy the challenge of combining science and art to achieve our goal of providing an aesthetically pleasing result while maintaining form and function in each case. It is a great privilege, and I look forward to meeting you in our medical center. My specialty interests and affiliations within my field: I am certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Current projects or research: Silicone breast implants. Poly-l-lactic acid (Sculptra) injection for lipodystrophy and aging. Great health resources that I refer to: My colleagues at Kaiser Permanente are my best health resources. I also refer to the Merck Manual or Harrison's Principles of Medicine. I browse through a few journals regularly, including Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, New England Journal of Medicine, and Journal of American Medical Association. An interesting story from my training: PF was a man in his 60's with a history of esophageal cancer. He underwent surgery to remove his esophagus that successfully treated his cancer. However, he had to rely on a liquid diet for the rest of his life. His only wish in life was to be able to eat steak again and presented to the plastic surgery clinic requesting reconstruction. Due to his many prior surgeries and other medical conditions, there was only one option-- create an esophagus by rolling a skin flap from his back, then connect the skin roll to his neck and stomach, where his esophagus used to sit. Additionally, blood vessels had to be reconnected under the microscope. After many stages and hours of operation, the new esophagus was in place. It was complicated by poor venous blood flow, and we had to assist the circulation by placing leeches on the new organ. Imagine having leeches on your chest all the time for a week, with a nurse forcing them off every 2 hours from sucking on your blood. After a long recovery, the new esophagus survived, and he was able to eat steak again.
Interests
I had an opportunity to travel to Oaxaca, Mexico for two weeks as part of Northwest Medical Teams International. We provided plastic surgery care for local residents. It was challenging to work in a limited space with limited resources for many residents who lined up daily, many of whom walked for days to see us. One truly appreciates how fortunate we are in the United States with modern care and facilities. I still remember vividly the huge smile on a mother's face after she was able to breastfeed her child who just had her cleft lip repaired. We rewarded ourselves nightly after each long day's work with fabulous local cuisine. Currently reading: Journal of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Harry Potter My favorite book or author: Tuesday with Morrie by Mitch Albom Great movie: Lord of the Rings, Troy	Hobby Photos & Links: Apple iTunes ESPN
Family & Friends
People in my life: My mother is the greatest woman on this planet. As a single mom with limited English-speaking skills, she supported 3 children as a seamstress in downtown Los Angeles. Despite various challenges, she made certain we had a wonderful childhood while achieving our best in school. She encouraged and supported all of us to pursue the highest education. She is very proud of my sister, who quit a promising career in Human Resources and earned a PhD in Psychology, and my brother, who obtained a master's degree and a law degree. My children and people I care about: I was most fortunate to meet my wife in college. After we dated for 6 years, she gave up her aspiration of becoming an artist in Metropolitan Los Angeles and followed me to Seattle. She supported me in every way through the very vigorous 6 years of residency training. Most wonderful of all, she is the best mom to our son and daughter. An interesting story about my family or friends: My father-in-law loves to fish. When my wife and I were dating, we joined him one day on the Redondo Beach pier in Southern California to try to impress him. One must understand that I have never caught a fish up to that point. Well, somehow the stars were aligned. We ended up with over 100 mackerels that day, and I established myself as a capable companion for his family.	Photos of my Family & Friends: My mother and our daughter Our family at Auberge du Soleil in Napa
My pets: We await to reestablish our salt water fish tank and plan to have a variety of tropical fish including Puffers, Boxfish, Triggers and perhaps even a Moray Eel.
Travel
An adventure I've had: The best trip I've taken was our honeymoon to Maui, where we parasailed, snorkeled, and saw wild boars from a helicopter. It was a great break before driving along the coast from Southern California to Seattle for my surgical training. Favorite place in the world: I have been fortunate to travel to many places. There are so many favorites, including beaches in Taiwan, Canon Beach in Oregon, Monterey, Maui, and Wayfarer's Chapel in Palos Verdes. My favorite now remains our house in Santa Rosa, where we have beautiful surroundings, room to garden and room for kids to roam. It's a place I can relax and play. One of my recent trips: We traveled to Washington DC this past summer while our son attended a conference. It was wonderful seeing the endless treasures at Smithsonian Institutes. This busy city was hot and humid as advertised, but tourists stood in line in heat just to have an opportunity to ride up the elevator in the Washington Monument.	A Photo of One of My Favorite Places: Our kids enjoying their vegetable garden Trip Photos: Washington Monument on a July afternoon