Joseph Mele named to NAOPS Top 10 Plastic Surgeons 2026 list

Walnut Creek plastic surgeon Joseph A. Mele, MD, FACS, has been included in the National Academy of Plastic Surgeons’ 2026 listings. The recognition spotlights his nearly 30-year career in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he has built a practice focused on facial, breast and body procedures.

Why it matters: - The NAOPS 2026 listing gives patients another way to evaluate plastic surgery providers by region. - The recognition reinforces Dr. Joseph Mele’s standing in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he has practiced for more than two decades. - The honor also highlights a career that blends surgical practice, research and community-based care.

What happened: - Joseph A. Mele, MD, FACS, a double board-certified plastic surgeon in Walnut Creek, was included in the National Academy of Plastic Surgeons’ 2026 listings. - The NAOPS directory is designed to help patients research plastic surgery providers by region. More information - The announcement says Dr. Mele has been in practice for nearly 30 years. - Dr. Mele has served patients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area since founding his practice in 1997.

The details: - Dr. Mele earned a degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of California, Davis, where he graduated with high honors. - He later received a Regents’ Scholarship to attend UC Davis School of Medicine. - Dr. Mele completed a five-year general surgery residency through UC Davis Medical Center and San Joaquin General Hospital. - He then completed a plastic surgery fellowship at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco. - Dr. Mele holds board certifications from the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. - His practice offers facial, breast and body procedures, including facelift, breast augmentation and tummy tuck surgery. - The practice also offers non-surgical treatments, including BOTOX Cosmetic, dermal fillers and laser skin resurfacing. - Dr. Mele holds hospital affiliations with John Muir Medical Center and San Ramon Regional Medical Center. - He has appeared as a plastic surgery expert on KRON 4’s "Body Beautiful" and NBC Bay Area’s "Living Well." - RealSelf.com has recognized Dr. Mele as a Distinguished Member. - Dr. Mele has been a primary investigator in silicone breast implant studies for Allergan, Mentor and Sientra. - He has published peer-reviewed articles on scar minimization, patient safety and resident training. - Dr. Mele is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. - His professional memberships include The Aesthetic Society, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the International Confederation of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, the California Medical Association, the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association and the American Medical Association. - Dr. Mele also offers otoplasty, inverted nipple correction and male breast reduction for gynecomastia.

Between the lines: - Dr. Mele’s background in engineering helps frame his description of plastic surgery as a mix of technical problem-solving and aesthetic judgment. - His international reconstructive missions in Guatemala and Argentina suggest a career that extends beyond elective cosmetic work. - The recognition in a region where Dr. Mele grew up and built his practice adds a local-care dimension to the honor. - Dr. Mele’s research on silicone breast implants is notable because the announcement says that work contributed to findings that factored into the FDA’s decision to lift years of restrictions on their use.

What's next: - Dr. Mele says he remains focused on caring for patients in the Bay Area community where he built his career. - The practice continues to offer both surgical and non-surgical aesthetic services in Walnut Creek. - Dr. Mele is available for interviews upon request.

The bottom line: - NAOPS’ 2026 listing adds another credential to a long Bay Area career that spans surgery, research and community practice.