I'm a 72-year-old grandfather and spent $60,000 on a facelift and other cosmetic procedures. People now think I'm in my 50s.

I'm a 72-year-old grandfather and spent $60,000 on a facelift and other cosmetic procedures. People now think I'm in my 50s. Ariel Grunberg before and after having plastic surgery. Courtesy of Dr. John Layliev This story is based on an interview with Ariel Grunberg, 72, a semi-retired real estate owner and manager from New York City. It has been edited for length and clarity.My eyes bothered me the most as I got older. I always felt they were drooping too much, and if I didn't do anything about them, they would cover my vision.One of the turning points was attending a presentation when the speaker had eyes similar to mine and peered upward in an exaggerated way. I remember thinking, "Why doesn't he get them fixed?" Sure enough, when I saw him again, I noticed that he'd had his eyelids lifted. You could see a lot more of his eyes, and he no longer had that mannerism of looking up. Grunberg, pictured before his surgery, felt particularly self-conscious about his eyes and neck. Courtesy of Ariel Grunberg In February 2026, I consulted the New York cosmetic surgeon, Dr. John Layliev, who came highly recommended, to discuss my options. He suggested eye surgery and a brow lift.As we got talking, I mentioned how much I didn't like my turkey neck, which made me think about my age.People had remarked about how young and fit I looked — I did triathlons, including a half IronMan — but I was still self-conscious.The total cost was around $60KIn the end, we settled on a deep plane facelift, neck lift, brow lift, lower blepharoplasty procedure, facial fat grafting, and fat-based liquid rhinoplasty.I thought that, if I were under anesthesia anyway, I might as well get more than my eyes and brow done. The total cost was around $60,000. My girlfriend was supportive, but I only told my two daughters about two weeks beforehand. I suspected they'd say I didn't need it, but they said it was up to me. Grunberg, pictured after his surgery, which included a deep plane facelift, is pleased with the results. Courtesy of Ariel Grunberg I'm not the nervous type, so I wasn't worried ahead of the operation on July 31. It took around eight hours, and I stayed in the hospital overnight.My face felt very stiff afterward, which I'd expected. I had a spinal surgery a year earlier, and my body had temporarily stiffened, too.There is less of a stigma about men having cosmetic surgeryThere was very little pain or puffiness, but I stayed inside for three weeks, though it probably wasn't necessary.I'm not very good at keeping secrets, and I thought there was no point. There is less of a stigma these days about men and cosmetic surgery.In fact, I told everyone who cared to listen. Grunberg in photographs taken by the clinic before and after surgery. Courtesy of Dr. John Layliev I think the results are exceptional, as I don't have as many wrinkles or as much facial drooping. I recently visited a new dentist, who said I looked 50. A taxi driver guessed my age at 55.My younger brother used to joke with restaurant waiters when we were together that I was his dad. He can't do that anymore, and it's a good thing.I'm considering veneersI know 72 is relatively mature for a facelift, but I feel I'm less likely to need another one in the future. I'm considering veneers on my teeth, but I'll leave it at that.I didn't go ahead with the surgery for my girlfriend, but she is delighted by my rejuvenated look. The feeling is certainly mutual. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Jane Ridley is a correspondent on Business Insider’s Life team, where she tackles parenting, health, careers, and real estate with a reporter’s edge and a storyteller’s instinct.She’s known for her signature As Told To narratives — raw, first‑person accounts shaped from intimate, revealing interviews.Before Business Insider, Ridley spent a decade at the New York Post and six years at the New York Daily News, where she wrote exclusive, standout features.Born and raised in the UK, she moved to the US in 2005 after seven years at The Daily Mirror in London. Her reporting has taken her everywhere from Tokyo and Beijing to Sydney, Bangkok, Athens, and Madrid. as told to New York City Health More