Fellowship-Trained Plastic Surgeon Providing Gender-affirming Care in San Francisco
Dr. Walter Lin, MD is a fellowship-trained Plastic Surgeon who performs Top Surgery and Breast Augmentation at the Buncke Clinic in San Francisco. Dr. Lin has a sub-specialization in reconstructive microsurgery and is dedicated to the advancement of care in microsurgical reconstruction of the extremities, breast, and lymphatic systems. His experience in these areas has contributed to his exceptional skills in gender-affirming Top Surgery and Breast Augmentation.
Dr. Lin has exemplary academic training. He graduated with honors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a B.S. in Neuroscience. He obtained his medical degree at Harvard Medical School in the highly selective Health Sciences & Technology program (Harvard-MIT HST). Dr. Lin’s residency in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was completed at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He subsequently completed a year-long fellowship in Hand, Microvascular, and Transgender Surgery at the Buncke Clinic, widely considered to be microsurgery’s place of origin. Dr. Lin joined the staff of Buncke Clinic in 2017.
Dr. Lin is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), the American Society of Gender Surgeons and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).
Dr. Lin performs the following Gender Affirming Surgery procedures:
- Top Surgery – Double Incision, Peri-Areolar, Keyhole
- Breast Augmentation
- Glansplasty*
*Dr. Lin is part of the Phalloplasty team at Buncke Clinic which includes Dr. Bauback Safa, Dr. Andrew Watt and Reconstructive Urologist Dr. Mang Chen.
Dr. Lin is affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center, the largest medical center and flagship hospital of the Northern California-based Sutter Health system, and Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco.
Surgery Requirements
Dr. Lin follows WPATH guidelines for surgery. You will need to provide one referral letter from a qualified mental health professional, unless otherwise specified by insurance. Dr. Lin will operate on minors with parental consent.
Financing & Insurance
Dr. Lin accepts insurance from a wide number of insurance companies, including Blue Shield, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Cigna, Kaiser and Health Net, as well as Medicaid (Medi-Cal). A cash pay rate can also be requested.
Booking a Consultation
Dr. Lin is available for phone and in-person consultations. Contact his office to book your consultation.
Current wait list: 4 weeks for a consultation and 4 weeks for a surgery date following consultation.
