I'm a retired firefighter. I spent $14,000 on plastic surgery in my 50s, and I'm not ashamed.

Mark Tortorella before and after having rhinoplasty. Courtesy of Dr. Anil Shah Mark Tortorella was unhappy with his nose, but thought surgery would interfere with his busy job. He had rhinoplasty two years after he retired and a neck lift and fat transfer six years after that. Tortorella said the procedures have refreshed his looks as much as a long vacation. This story is based on an interview with Mark Tortorella, 61, a retired firefighter and medic from Chicago . It has been edited for length and clarity. I don't fit the profile of someone who has had plastic surgery. Many people think the typical patient is a well-to-do woman, not a former firefighter-medic from a middle-class background . Still, there's less stigma for men now, and it was a very personal and empowering decision to go ahead. Have you undergone cosmetic surgery as a man?