- Looksmaxxing, a social media-driven trend encouraging men to intensely “maximize” their looks, is becoming widespread.
- It’s related to comparable appearance-based trends, such as its softer and more extreme counterparts.
- Although frequently presented as self-improvement, health professionals warn these practices can trigger body image issues, stress, disordered eating, and even self-harm.
- Adolescents may be especially at risk due to multiple factors, such as online messaging about manhood and worth.
A increasing phenomenon on social media is encouraging young men to “maximize” their appearance.
Known as looksmaxxing, the trend is obsessed with attaining the “ideal” face and body. It is related to comparable online phenomena, known as softmaxxing and hardmaxxing, which promote practices ranging from intensive skincare regimens to surgical interventions and radical physical alterations.
While followers say these behaviors can be empowering, mental health experts warn they can intensify body dysmorphia, anxiety, and other damaging patterns.
One therapist labeled looksmaxxing as a “social media-driven body image disorder trend.”
“Adolescents can succumb to this false sense of approval, and what they think others want from them,” he said. “They can get caught up in potentially lifelong struggles with feeling a sense of not being good enough and handling that inadequacy.”
He went on to explain that “People will focus their energies on improving their physique based on feelings of low self-worth or insecurity.”
“Men can get stuck in a cycle of trying to ‘optimize’ their looks, but as therapists, we know that if you’re feeling not good enough or less than, those are the issues to address with a trained professional.”
What Are the Distinctions Among the Three Main Trends?
Although the language varies, the phenomena all have one thing in common: the drive to obsessively change one’s appearance.
“Looksmaxxing is fundamentally personal development put on steroids. It’s reframing the male body as something to be designed,” the counselor explained.
Whereas softmaxxing involves more gradual changes to one’s appearance, often accomplished through grooming and lifestyle adjustments, hardmaxxing is more radical.
“It includes serious procedures to change your appearance, such as rhinoplasty, injectables, surgical hair restoration, and genioplasty. The clear issue with this is that once you unlock that door, it’s difficult to close the lid,” he noted.
Another licensed therapist explained the differences.
“It’s natural to have a desire for self-care, and caring for your looks can boost self-esteem and be positive. But the major difference is that this trend is rooted in self-hate and trying to fit in, at the expense of your health and safety,” she pointed out.
“The extreme version, meanwhile, appears to be venturing into dangerous practices, especially some of its associated trends, like smashing your face with a blunt object.”
Why Looksmaxxing Is Particularly Prevalent With Young Men
What makes looksmaxxing seem to be resonating with adolescent boys in particular?
One expert explained that teenagers, particularly adolescents, are often at a phase of their lives when they are still figuring out who they are, and many may be searching for ways to project what they view as “the ‘ideal’ expression of masculinity.”
He also suggests trends like looksmaxxing may be related to incel culture and the manosphere.
“It gained traction several years ago, with online influencers promoting specific views of masculinity. These types of ‘masculine’ influencers have guided some men astray,” he said.
Another specialist offered a additional perspective about potential underlying causes.
“Psychological struggles and loneliness are also prevalent currently, making this demographic particularly vulnerable,” she added.
The Line Between Positive Self-Care and Harmful Obsessions
Recognizing the boundary between caring for your appearance and an unhealthy obsession with how you look can be difficult for many people.
“Routines aimed at betterment become problematic when fear is the primary motivator; when your rituals are consuming so much mental space that you can’t be present in your life and relationships,” one therapist explained.
There are multiple dangers linked to these kinds of detrimental behaviors.
“Eating disorders and dangerous actions are commonly associated with poor body image, anxiety, and poor self-worth,” she continued.
“Males are at risk of experiencing embarrassment around their bodies due to societal messaging that they should be muscular and fit. And for some men, it can feel like a threat to their sense of manhood and self-worth.”
The other expert said that, for some people who attempt to make purely superficial changes to their body, it can open the door to damaging, obsessive emotional voids.
“It can spin out of control, and you may feel you need do something to help yourself feel better rather than being content in your own skin.”
Ultimately, he stated, positive personal growth usually isn’t represented by the type of improvement material that’s trending on social media platforms.
“It’s about nurturing yourself from the inside out,” he concluded.
Tips for Cultivating Self-Acceptance
Practising more self-acceptance isn’t something that happens quickly, but there are healthy actions you can implement to begin that journey.
First, having complicated feelings about your body is normal and natural.
One therapist suggested “exploring” that and finding an outlet for it.
“Artistic expression is a wonderful way to express those emotions in a way that might even be fun. Try drawing, making a collage, or creating a journal to document your experiences,” she suggested.
While social media use can worsen unhealthy behaviors and emotions, there are ways to minimize these dangers.
“Subscribe to profiles that promote body positivity and healthy masculinity. Or engage with people who don’t fit into the narrow definition of masculinity promoted by the mainstream,” she
