Shirin Towfigh

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Shirin Towfigh (born 1971) is a surgical innovator specializing in minimally invasive hernia surgery in the United States. She is the President and Founder of the Beverly Hills Hernia Center, a specialty clinic launched in 2013, dedicated to treating hernias and hernia-related complications. She is also the CEO of Hexagon Health, Inc., a technology company developed to promote and advance abdominal wall and pelvic floor health, using a multi-faceted, gender-specific approach.
Early life
Towfigh was born in 1971 in the capital city of Tehran, Iran. She moved to the United States at the age of two, as her father wished to raise his daughter in a land where opportunity flourishes for females. After completing her primary education at Santa Monica High School, she completed her undergraduate education at the . During her undergraduate years, Towfigh first realized her passion for medicine. Her father, Hossein Towfigh, pioneered the Iranian freedom of the press and was the editor-in-chief of the Towfigh Magazine. Her mother, Faranguis Ghazanfarian Taleghani, was born of the Khalatbari family, notable for her great grandfather, Sepahsalar Khalatbari, former Commander-in-Chief and four-term Prime Minister of Iran. Her family’s philosophy of democratic freedoms and service to the people profoundly influences Towfigh in her mission in life.
Medical education
Towfigh attended the for medical school. It was in her clerkship year that she gained an interest in surgery. Her interest in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery was sparked during residency, as she says she was always interested in laparoscopy due to potentials in technological advancements.
Surgical training
Towfigh is certified by the American Board of Surgery and was also awarded an honorary certificate in abdominal wall surgery by the European Board of Surgery.
Towfigh ultimately decided to advance hernia care as a private practicing surgeon. “Why would I choose to be employed with… a whole hierarchy of administrative bosses, when I can be my own boss, without a ceiling on growth?” she wrote in a book. Thus, in 2013, she opened the Beverly Hills Hernia Center, a multi-disciplinary clinic that cares for hernia patients with various hernia-related issues. She is also the sponsor of the American Hernia Society’s Female Factors in Hernia Award, which helps promote research and gender awareness as it pertains to hernia evaluation, repair, and their outcomes.
Academic awards and accomplishments
As chief resident in 2002, Towfigh was awarded the Golden Apple Award for Outstanding Teaching by the UCLA School of Medicine and the Golden Scalpel Award in Recognition of Teaching Excellence in the UCLA Department of Surgery. book chapters and the textbook “SAGES Manual of Groin Pain,” of which she is co-Editor. She has delivered hundreds of lectures nationally and internationally . She has served as the Governor to the American College of Surgeons and to the American Hernia Society. She is an active member of national and international hernia societies, including the American Hernia Society, International Hernia Collaboration, and Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeon (SAGES). She earned the SAGES Member Spotlight Award in 2021 and the SAGES Recognition of Excellence Award in 2022.
Alongside her clinical and academic pursuits, Towfigh has a social media presence dedicated toward education and awareness of hernias, under the moniker “herniadoc.” She started her podcast channel, “HerniaTalk LIVE,” in April 2020. With this weekly live podcast, she discusses relevant hernia-related patient issues to educate providers and patients and invites guest specialists to augment the discussion and learning.
Advocacy for women in surgery and women’s health
Towfigh is an advocate of women in surgery. She hosted the first Women in Surgery event in Los Angeles in 2002. Her research highlights the importance of hernias in women via research publications and lectures. She sponsors an annual research award, Female Factors in Hernia Award, to promote research on hernias in females.

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