The mirror is a little less forgiving and birthdays continue to tick by. That’s no different from years gone by but in 2025 it is leaving more and more men confronting middle age with a new kind of urgency — not necessarily to outrun it, but to meet it with intention. Healthy diets and embracing a regular fitness routine are important but so are scheduling long-overdue checkups. Some subtle plastic surgery may even be an option.
No longer content to fade quietly into their fifties and beyond, the 2020s see a growing number of men leaning into a lifestyle that values health, self-respect, and just the right touch of vanity — proving that aging gracefully doesn’t mean aging passively.
Dr. Sara Trigero is a Northern Nevada native and Reno High graduate. Following medical school at VCU and a residency in Denver, she returned to Reno to run her practice. She says feeling younger and better about yourself definitely requires self-care and making healthy choices, but it’s also easier with a little help.
“Sometimes men have the desire to ‘be strong’ and to try and work through things. That means they don’t seek out care, especially if they’re feeling well,” Trigero says. “They may not want to know about a kink in the armor. We’re all human beings and we are all supposed to help each other. There’s something confident and great about somebody who looks out for themselves by making good choices and by getting the care they need from others."
Trigero adds that all of the factors that go into building a healthy lifestyle have a synergy. The more healthy choices you make, those build on each other for a greater impact.
“Sometimes, we may have certain habits that we’re able to get away with when we’re younger - better metabolism for one,” she says. “But whatever it is, if you’re starting to see some of the effects of less healthy habits, it is good to reassess… The investment in working out, eating healthy meals, there’s so much interplay. Getting good sleep is huge. That can really affect your mood, appetite, and even the sensation of pain in your body."
Camie Cragg opened her gym, Camie Cragg Fitness, in 2011. She’s seen a growing number of middle-aged men make time for the gym in recent years and she thinks it’s about more than just leaving their 20s and 30s.
“I’ve seen an influx in men and noticed it since covid,” Cragg says. “There are multiple reasons for that. Gyms were told ‘no’ to being essential. These men were blocked out and I think depression became present. Their gym was forced into a garage and their community was taken away. The comeback of men to the gym was strong and we realized for their mental health it was better too.”
So how should a guy reaching his mid-40s approach getting into better physical shape? Weight training is an option. Cardiovascular exercises are important too. Cragg says while most men can use some guidance about how to get in better shape, almost all come to the gym knowing they’re not looking to show out at ‘muscle beach.’
“These are just dorky guidelines I’ve come up with by myself,” Cragg says. “But for men in their 20s, it’s about vanity. In their 30s, it’s about vanity and hustle - and in their 40s, 50s and 60s - the bottom of the barrel is vanity and at the top it’s about the hustle. By that point, there’s a sense of peace and harmony. It’s not about lifting 200-300 pounds. It’s about feeling better and leaner.”
“Guys love to hunt, golf and ski. I love to help guys training for life. As you age, the narrative changes from vanity to how can I age gracefully.”
For men who want to continue to enjoy those activities that require some degree of physical activity, it’s important for them to prioritize continued movement. DeeDee Desiderio is the general manager of Sports West Athletic Club and Spa. She too has seen a growing number of middle-aged men getting to the gym with a goal of enjoying a high quality of life for a longer period.
“We do see a growing number of men in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s becoming actively involved in exercise,” she says. “It is important for anyone getting back into the gym to start easy and stay consistent. Listen to your body. If it hurts don’t do it. Consistency is what drives results.”
And there are different ways to get results. While improving physical fitness to change your body can be a big factor, there may be times when that doesn’t achieve all the desired results. Dr. Nichole Josyln is a board-certified plastic surgeon at Reno-Tahoe Plastic Surgery.
Joslyn talks about many less evasive options like skin rejuvenation and laser resurfacing. She also cites injectables like neurotoxins and dermal fillers. Additionally, Joslyn says many clients are taking advantage of hormone therapy and weight-loss programs that include GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide.
And of course, there are surgical options as well.
“We see men get upper eyelid surgery. Their eyelids may make them look angry or tired,” Joslyn says. “They can even be awake. We remove that excess skin, excess fat. The stitches come out in a week. That can be a huge transformative procedure for men. They say they don’t look fatigued or grumpy anymore.”
“My biggest question for patients in general is, ‘what bothers you?’ As a plastic surgeon, I can ask. But what I want is to hear what the patients come up with that bothers them. If they come in with underlying concerns, then we can address them individually.”
Joslyn stresses her job is not just about identifying an issue and fixing it with a procedure.
“I ask, ‘what are you doing for activity?’” Joslyn says. “Living a healthy lifestyle and approaching life with a good, healthy mental frame of mind, that leads to better long-term results for patients.”
Addressing mental health may be the biggest key to aging gracefully. People who are happy certainly enjoy a higher quality of life. Just about any health expert will say happy people try more new things. They’ll feel younger and that often translates into looking younger.
That leads to them smiling more and smiles are an area of expertise for Reno dentist Dr. Chelsea Dean.
“There are lots of studies that say smiling increases dopamine release,” Dean says. “People who smile more tend to be happier. Feeling confident in your smile is important. The more confident you feel about it, the better. Going for routine dental care on a bi-annual basis - two cleanings a year - increases the likelihood of being healthy and smiling more, being happier and healthier.”
Dean stresses that oral hygiene is about a lot more than avoiding cavities and keeping your teeth white.
“Everybody is trying to find the fountain of youth,” she says. “Elevated levels of bacteria in the mouth are associated with Alzheimer’s, dementia, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. To maintain an overall healthy lifestyle, it’s important to incorporate the dentist into your health maintenance.”
“A lot of men tend to put off addressing their own health from the standpoint of getting routine checkups with their primary health physician and regular checkups with the dentist. I’d recommend they be consistent and make that part of their routine.”
There are certainly plenty of tools at the disposal of men hitting their 40s and beyond while starting to be more aware of aging. From clean eating to clean jawlines maybe today’s man doesn’t need to fight age so much. He can outsmart it, one smart choice at a time.
“I really think having a full holistic approach for men in general is huge,” - Dr. Nichole Joslyn