Whether to emulate the reverse-aging efforts of Messrs. Jacobs and Ballengee, or to fix issues such as crooked noses, jowly jawlines and downturned smiles, men around the country are seriously thinking beyond non-ablative, gateway procedures such as Botox and opting for surgeons like Dr. Jacono, Dr. Tim Marten in San Francisco and Dr. Jason Diamond in Los Angeles. Statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show a 19% uptick in face-lifts for men between 2000 and 2020, notwithstanding a dip in the last two years, partially due to Covid. This increase comes despite the not-insignificant risks of surgery—from bruising and infection to nerve damage and organ failure, as well as the inherent complications of anesthesia.

But if more men are willing to get a face-lift—an investment that, at the high end, can exceed $125,000—in hopes of avoiding being aged out of the workforce, or the conjugal bedroom, it’s not entirely due to significant advances in the surgery itself. “From my perspective, doctors are much better at not feminizing and destroying a man’s face like they did in the ’70s and ’80s because they simply have more male patients,” said Dr. Jacono. “But the main reason so many guys are considering plastic surgery has nothing to do with technique or science—these days everyone is like a mini celebrity.” The demands of social media platforms such as Instagram are a factor, he said. “Our appearance is our calling card and like it or not, we judge a book by its cover.”

That’s not to say there haven’t been any advancements in the realm of men’s plastic surgery. From V-beam laser treatments and hyperbaric chambers that aid oxygenation and minimize post-op bruising and redness, to advanced at-home lymphatic-drainage systems, the newfangled recovery options are plentiful.