Face Time: More Men Getting Plastic Surgery

Of course, that investment can be substantial. The average surgeon's fee for a face-lift is more than $6,200, according to annual data from the plastic surgeons' association. Factor in other costs like anesthesia and a hospital stay, and a face-lift could easily run $10,000 — a tab not covered by most insurance policies because it's considered elective surgery.

Obviously, many men think it's worth it. It also helps that they're becoming less embarrassed about doing things to enhance their appearance. Baker says his practice traditionally has been about 80 percent women, 20 percent men. "But in the last year, it's become almost 40 percent men, 60 percent women."

Face-lifts are becoming more popular for men. — Gen Nishino/Getty Images

Not every male patient needs a face-lift, he adds. "For men, sometimes it's just some Botox or fillers to get rid of that angry expression" — the furrow between the eyebrows that can make a person look mad or hostile.

Baker also suggests that men consider improving puffy eyes or sagging necks. "Bags under the eyes can make you look tired. That puffiness is fat that's pushed forward because the tissue has gotten looser. If I had to pick one thing, the lower eye lids make the biggest difference."

For those who are thinking of a face-lift, Baker says it's not about looking "overdone, like Kenny Rogers. It's about looking a little more youthful and rested."

Jennifer Kalita of Silver Spring, Md., a market consultant specializing in adults over 50, isn't surprised by the growing trend in male plastic surgery.

"A lot of boomer men don't want to think about retirement. They say, 'I feel like I'm at the top of my field, yet they're going to hire someone at half my salary. How can I compete?'"

Older men are also dealing with other midlife transitions, she adds, including sleep problems, erectile dysfunction, even online dating.

Next: Top 10 male cosmetic procedures. >>