The cliche is that business is a man's world and it takes brains and balls—not a pretty face. That old adage has been put to rest by a survey, which found that more and more men are having cosmetic surgery to advance (or protect) their careers.

Conducted by the American Academy of Facial and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, the survey found that 43 percent of cosmetic surgeons said their male patients were undergoing procedures for career reasons. Men tend to opt for nonsurgical procedures like fat injections, Botox injections, and microdermabrasion that allow them to return to work very quickly. "About 10 percent of my male patients tell me they want cosmetic surgery to ensure they aren't overlooked when it comes time for a promotion," says William Silver, a cosmetic surgeon in Atlanta who is vice president of AAFPRS.

"More and more men are starting to feel the pressure to look attractive and youthful to increase their desirability and marketability in different areas of their lives, including the work world," says Yvonne Thomas, a Los Angeles psychologist who specializes in body image and self-esteem.

Bob Riggsbee, who works for an Atlanta advertising agency, opted to have excess skin removed from his chin just before he turned 65. It made him more confident, he says: "Advertising is a young person's profession, and my chin was starting to bother me. After the surgery, I not only felt better, but clients were telling me how good I looked."