Extended Medical Listings

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Section Chief, Dept. of Plastic Surgery, Eisenhower Medical Center “Voted one of the Regions ‘Top Doctors’ for Five Consecutive Years” — Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. Ltd.

By John Carrigan

Throughout his successful career, he has always found time to help those less fortunate — men, women, and children who could not afford needed care. There was the case of a 12-yearold boy whose face was horribly disfigured in a vicious dog attack. When the young baseball player tried to break up a fight between his dog and another dog, the dogs attacked and destroyed most of the boy’s right cheek. The psychological ramifications of losing half your face can be very severe for a child, and since the family could not afford the $20,000 procedure, Dr. Sofonio treated the boy at no cost. Needless to say, the procedure changed the course of the boy’s life. In another case, a woman was told by her doctor that, due to health problems, she needed to lose a huge amount of weight. She lost over 150 pounds with gastric bypass surgery, but was left with a large amount of loose, hanging skin. Since she could not afford the procedures to remove the skin, Dr. Sofonio donated his time and skill at no charge. For a number of years, Dr. Sofonio has traveled to Mexico, donating his time and expertise to disadvantaged patients who could not afford the expensive procedures and treatments that would restore severe disfigurements and enhance their self-esteem.

Dr. Sofonio has recently offered his services to an organization called Scars to Freedom, whose goal is to provide free scar treatment to all military veterans in gratitude for their sacrifice and service for our country. After returning home from a tour of duty, a soldier is often left with a permanent physical reminder of a harrowing wartime experience. Through Scars to Freedom, Dr. Sofonio repairs a soldier’s scars absolutely free. “We owe America’s fighting men and women such a debt of gratitude,” Dr. Sofonio says, “that I am proud to offer my services in removing the scars that cause both physical and emotional pain.”

Dr. Sofonio also helps many other desert organizations by contributing his time, his expertise, and/or his financial support to a wide range of local charities. These include the American Heart Association, Animal Samaritans, Boy Scouts of America, Buddy Rogers Youth Symphony, City of Hope Cancer Center, Desert AIDS Project, Gilda’s Club, Palm Springs Youth Charities, and United Way to name a few. He also conducts several yearly seminars at no charge to educate residents of the Coachella Valley on the latest trends in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.

A graduate of Palm Springs High School, Dr. Sofonio successfully completed the accelerated U.C.R. /U.C.L.A. combined undergraduate/medical school program with magna cum laude honors. Following graduation from U.C.L.A. Medical School, he served an internship and general surgery residency at the University of Hawaii. He then completed his plastic surgery residency training at the Medical College of Ohio. Dr. Sofonio has been certified twice by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is also a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and completed several post-residency fellowships. He ran a Burn Unit/Wound Care Center at the Medical College of New York. He also received extra cosmetic surgery training from some of the world’s foremost aesthetic surgeons at the Connell Aesthetic Surgery Institute.

Dr. Sofonio has been named one of the top 70 doctors in Palm Springs Life magazine for five years in a row. Of the 75,000 cosmetic surgeons practicing in the United States, Dr. Sofonio is one of only 6,000 who are board certified by the American Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has published and lectured extensively in the field of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, American Burn Association, AMA, American College of Surgeons, American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and The American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons. He is currently the section chief of plastic surgery at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage.

Dr. Sofonio has a special interest and extensive experience in performing aesthetic surgery. He specializes in all forms of body contouring and facial rejuvenation surgery, including the latest techniques in laser surgery and hair restoration. For added safety and privacy, Dr. Sofonio utilizes his own on-site, state-of-the-art surgical center, approved by the State of California Institute for Medical Quality. He always requires the use of board-certified M.D. anesthesiologists for all anesthetic-related surgery.

Dr. Sofonio was honored in 2008 with the 306th star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. “We are proud to honor Dr. Mark V. Sofonio with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars,” said Robert Alexander, president of the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, who presided over the event. The star is a lasting tribute to Dr. Sofonio’s exemplary career as well as his tireless efforts on behalf of his fellow man.