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Dr. Joseph Mele, MD - Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Walnut Creek, California

Dr. Joseph Mele, MD

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Walnut Creek, California
NPI: 1851388003· License: G069183 (CA) verify

29+ years of experience · self-reported

Industry payments (2024): $1,576 across 12 payments (what this means)
4.32(30 ratings)

In Dr. Joseph Mele's own words

How Dr. Joseph Mele describes their own approach, from their Instagram posts. Each statement links to the original.

Approach

  • Patient’s success has always been my focus, and it is something I strive for every day with every patient
  • My team and I are motivated to give you a five star experience
  • The doctor performs Gynecomastia Reduction surgery to help men feel good about their bodies.

Specialization

  • The doctor performs Gynecomastia Reduction surgery frequently.

Training & credentials

  • I am proud and humbled to receive the 2026 Talk Award for Service Excellence again this year
  • My Walnut Creek plastic surgery clinic has 30 years of experience with Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery
  • Dr. Mele's practice has consistently received 5-star ratings from The Talk Awards for fifteen consecutive years.

Consultation

  • The clinic can schedule a private consultation appointment.

Statements are quoted or closely paraphrased from Dr. Joseph Mele's own public posts and are their claims, not NavMDs' medical advice. Doctors can correct or remove any item via their claimed profile or support [at] navmds.com.

About

Dr. Joseph Mele, MD, is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon based in Walnut Creek, California, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. He specializes in cosmetic plastic surgery, with a particular expertise in gynecomastia reduction. Dr. Mele's practice focuses on patient success, which he strives for daily with every patient, believing it is truly important in plastic surgery. He and his team are motivated to provide a five-star patient experience and offer personalized plastic surgery. Dr. Mele frequently performs Gynecomastia Reduction surgery, an outpatient procedure designed to correct enlarged male breasts by removing excess fat and glandular tissue to restore a masculine physique and boost self-confidence. He also performs liposuction, utilizing a tumescent technique with a cannula to safely remove fat through small incisions, aiming for smoother results and minimal bruising. Other procedures include tummy tucks, which create a sculpted abdomen by removing excess skin and fat and tightening muscles, and arm lifts (brachioplasty) to address sagging upper arm skin. Dr. Mele emphasizes that there is no substitute for an in-person consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. His clinic has 30 years of experience with Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery and has consistently received 5-star Talk Awards for Service Excellence for fifteen consecutive years.

Connect with Dr. Joseph Mele on Social Media

SpecialtiesProceduresAverage CostReviewsIndustry PaymentsInsuranceLocationAffiliationsEducationFAQ

Specialties

  • Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Procedures & Services

Select a service to schedule an appointment · each is approximately 60 minutes

Procedure details

Everything on this page about each procedure Dr. Joseph Mele offers: pricing in context, what they've said about it, related videos and photos, and what patients ask.

Average Cost of Surgery

Healthcare costs shouldn't be a mystery. Below, you'll find crowdsourced data on the actual costs of surgeries performed by Dr. Joseph Mele, submitted anonymously by the patient community. Use this as a guide to better anticipate your own expenses. Please note that final costs can vary based on your specific medical needs.

Inverted Nipple Surgery

$2,230

About typicalTypical nationally: $1,500–$2,230 (median $1,800, 5 reports) compare ↗

Ear Surgery

$3,000

Below typicalTypical nationally: $3,199–$5,000 (median $4,260, 26 reports) compare ↗

Eyelid Surgery

$4,400

About typicalTypical in Walnut Creek: $4,000–$5,975 (median $4,600, 12 reports) compare ↗

Mini Facelift

$6,300

About typicalTypical in California: $5,600–$7,600 (median $6,000, 9 reports) compare ↗

Breast Implants

$6,558

Below typicalTypical in Walnut Creek: $6,938–$8,733 (median $7,450, 14 reports) compare ↗

Liposuction

$8,000

About typicalTypical in Walnut Creek: $5,875–$8,000 (median $8,000, 8 reports) compare ↗

Facelift

$10,300

About typicalTypical in Walnut Creek: $9,750–$22,500 (median $13,271, 11 reports) compare ↗

Breast Lift With Implants

$15,169

Above typicalTypical in California: $8,075–$13,001 (median $10,000, 63 reports) compare ↗

Help us keep this data current and accurate. If you've had a procedure with Dr. Joseph Mele, please take a moment to contribute your cost information.

Questions, Answers, and Information Directly from Dr. Joseph Mele

Sourced directly from Dr. Joseph Mele's social posts and replies.

What is Liposuction and how does Dr. Mele perform it?
Liposuction, also known as Liposculpture, is an outpatient surgical procedure that uses small incisions. Dr. Mele uses a cannula (a thin hollow tube with a rounded tip with holes) to suction pockets of fat and reshape the body. Prior to aspiration, Tumescent Fluid is injected into the fat to facilitate safe, predictable, and smoother fat removal, while also decreasing post-operative discomfort and minimizing bruising. This procedure can remove relatively large volumes of fat from specific areas and has a relatively short recovery period.
Source →
What is a Tummy Tuck and what concerns does it address?
A Tummy Tuck creates a flatter, more sculpted abdomen by removing excess skin and fat while tightening weakened abdominal muscles. This procedure is especially effective for improving concerns that cannot be addressed with diet and exercise alone.
Source →
What is Gynecomastia Reduction and what are its benefits?
Gynecomastia Reduction, also known as Male Breast Reduction, is a short, outpatient surgical procedure designed to correct enlarged male breasts by removing excess fat and firm glandular tissue. It provides immediate and lasting improvements to chest contours, boosting self-confidence. During consultations, patients can get their questions answered and determine if they want to take the next step.
Source →
What is Blepharoplasty (Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery) and what is the recovery like?
Blepharoplasty is a relatively short, outpatient surgical procedure that contours the upper or lower eyelids by removing excess skin, muscle, and fat. It corrects hooded upper eyelids and under-eye bags, with the goal of providing a more rested appearance. When excess skin obstructs the visual field, it can also improve peripheral vision. Most patients experience minimal pain, but recovery from normal bruising and swelling can take a couple of weeks.
Source →
What is Otoplasty (Ear Surgery)?
Otoplasty is classified as both a cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedure. It is designed to reposition, reshape, or reduce the size of protruding or misshapen ears by primarily targeting the external cartilage framework. The goal is to achieve better structural proportion of the ears with the rest of the face.
Source →
What is Gynecomastia and how does Dr. Mele approach its treatment?
Gynecomastia, or 'man boobs', is a condition where men develop enlarged breast tissue. About two-thirds of men develop some breast tissue during adolescence, and for half of them, it never goes away. It can manifest as small lumps under the nipple or more noticeable breasts that are hard to hide. Weight loss alone is often not enough to address this. Dr. Mele frequently performs Gynecomastia Reduction surgery, a cosmetic outpatient procedure, to remove excess breast tissue and restore a masculine physique, helping men feel good about their bodies. He recommends a private consultation to discuss options.
Source →
What is a Mommy Makeover and who is it for?
The Mommy Makeover is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic plastic surgery combinations in the San Francisco Bay Area. It typically involves two procedures: one to enhance the breasts and another to address the abdomen, as both areas are commonly affected by pregnancy. This combination is also frequently used for women and men after significant weight loss, sometimes referred to as a 'Daddy Do-over'.
Source →
What is Dr. Mele's perspective on GLP-1 medications and their impact on plastic surgery?
Dr. Mele acknowledges that GLP-1 treatments offer advantages in maintaining weight loss and improving associated medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension. However, as these are a relatively new class of drugs, their risks are still being determined, and he believes it's important to further examine these novel weight loss therapies. His practice discusses what GLP-1 medications are and how they affect cosmetic plastic surgery on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog.
Source →
What is an Arm Lift (Brachioplasty) and when is it recommended?
Arm Lifts, medically known as Brachioplasty, are primarily performed to address sagging, loose, or excess skin on the upper arms, often called 'bat wings', which can cause an undesirable appearance, discomfort, or functional problems. This cosmetic procedure removes excess skin and fat while tightening underlying tissues for a more toned, contoured look. It is recommended when exercise and diet alone cannot fix significant skin laxity.
Source →

From Dr. Joseph Mele's Instagram

@drmele →

Recent photos posted by @drmele, Dr. Joseph Mele's own Instagram account. Each image opens the original post on Instagram.

Images © Dr. Joseph Mele / @drmele, shown here with a link to the original post. Procedure labels are inferred from the post's caption and hashtags. If you are the account owner and want an image removed, contact support [at] navmds.com.

Technologies & brands Dr. Joseph Mele mentions

Devices, implants, injectables and products named in Dr. Joseph Mele's own posts and videos. A mention is not an endorsement; ask the office what they currently offer.

Liposuction techSmartLipo

Patient Experience

Dr. Joseph Mele Review Summary

4.42
Dr. Mele has excellent ratings across multiple platforms. He averages a 4.4 out of 5 stars based on 23 reviews, with similar scores on Yelp (4.2/5) and Google Reviews (4.6/5). Patients consistently praise his surgical skills and caring approach.

Ratings from Other Platforms

m.yelp.com

4.2 out of 5

Based on 42 reviews

View on m.yelp.com

Google Reviews

4.6 out of 5

Based on 17 reviews

View on Google Reviews
Dr. Joseph Mele, MD - Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Walnut Creek, California

Main Office

130 La Casa Via # 206, Walnut Creek, California

(925) 943-6353

Book a Service Consultation

Each service is approximately 60 minutes.

+4 more

Industry Payments

Federal law (the Physician Payments Sunshine Act) requires drug and medical-device companies to report anything of value they give to a physician — consulting and speaking fees, research funding, travel, royalties, and even meals. Medicare publishes all of it in a public database called Open Payments. We show it here so you don't have to go looking for it.

Total received (2024)

$1,576

Payments

12

Compared to peers

Moderate

Dr. Joseph Mele received $1,576 across 12 payments in 2024. That is higher than about 71% of the physicians here who received any industry payment. Most of it was categorised as food and beverage, and the largest single payer was ABBVIE INC..

What this means for your care

  • A disclosed payment is a business relationship, not evidence of wrongdoing, and it says nothing on its own about the quality of your care.
  • Most payments are small. Across the physicians listed on NavMDs, the single most common category is food and beverage at industry-sponsored talks.
  • Larger consulting, speaking or royalty payments mean an ongoing financial relationship with a company whose products your doctor may use or recommend. That is worth knowing about, and it is reasonable to ask about.
  • A fair question to ask: “Do you have a financial relationship with the maker of the implant, filler or device you're recommending — and what alternatives did you consider?”

Source: CMS Open Payments, the federal database created by the Sunshine Act. View the full record on CMS Open Payments ↗

Insurance Information

Please contact Dr. Joseph Mele's office directly for information about accepted insurance plans.

Phone: (925) 943-6353

Help us improve this profile

Do you know which insurance plans Dr. Joseph Mele accepts? Share this information to help other patients.

Location & Contact Information

Main Office

130 La Casa Via # 206

Walnut Creek, California 94598

Get Directions

Office Information

Phone: (925) 943-6353

Where does Dr. Joseph Mele practice?

Doctor's Office

Main Office (Primary)

130 La Casa Via # 206, Walnut Creek, California 94598

(23 reviews)

Hospital Affiliations

Hospital affiliations unknown

Do you know which hospitals Dr. Joseph Mele is affiliated with? This information helps patients understand where they might receive care.

Education & Experience

Certifications & Licenses

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Facs
Member Of The American Society Of Plastic Surgeons
Board Certified In Both Plastic Surgery And General Surgery

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make an appointment with Dr. Joseph Mele online?
The provided information doesn't specify whether online appointment booking is available. It's best to contact Dr. Mele's office directly at (925) 943-6353 or visit his website for more information. Patients can schedule a private consultation appointment by contacting the clinic directly.
Does Dr. Joseph Mele offer telehealth?
The provided information does not indicate whether Dr. Mele offers telehealth services. Contact his office directly for more information.
What do patients have to say about Dr. Joseph Mele?
Patients rave about Dr. Mele's transformative results, with one claiming to look 20 years younger. Reviews highlight successful procedures like liposuction, breast augmentation, otoplasty, and facelifts. Patients appreciate his down-to-earth personality, friendly demeanor, and caring approach. Multiple reviewers mention positive experiences with various procedures, including breast lifts with implants and liposuction.
What areas of care does Dr. Joseph Mele cater to?
Dr. Mele specializes in cosmetic plastic surgery, with a particular expertise in gynecomastia reduction (male breast reduction). He offers a range of procedures including breast augmentation, lifts, implants, liposuction, facelifts, mini facelifts, eyelid surgery, ear surgery, and inverted nipple surgery. He serves patients in the San Francisco Bay Area, with his practice located in Walnut Creek, California. Dr. Mele and his team are committed to providing personalized plastic surgery and a five-star patient experience. His primary focus is patient success, which he strives for every day with every patient, recognizing its true importance in plastic surgery. He emphasizes that there is no substitute for an in-person consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.