PsyPost reports:

A recent study explores how an extreme male self-improvement trend known as looksmaxxing moved from obscure internet forums into mainstream public awareness. The research suggests that this spread relies not just on social media algorithms, but on a coordinated system of controversy, short-form video clips, and mainstream media coverage. The findings were published in Journal. Media.

Looksmaxxing revolves around the intense, systematic attempt to maximize a person’s physical attractiveness. Participants often scrutinize their own facial features, such as jawlines and eye angles, using harsh rating systems. The culture encourages men to alter their bodies to climb a perceived social hierarchy, sometimes endorsing dangerous practices.

For example, participants might engage in “bonesmashing,” a pseudoscientific practice involving hitting one’s face with a hammer to supposedly encourage stronger bone growth. Others promote using anabolic steroids or taking crystal meth as an appetite suppressant. These practices are part of what the community calls “hardmaxxing,” which involves intense and painful physical alterations.

Recent research has documented the harms of these online spaces. A 2025 study detailed how looksmaxxing communities subject men to severe critiques of their physical flaws under the guise of self-help. Participants are often made to feel like failures, driving them toward extreme cosmetic interventions. [Continue reading…]