Looksmaxxing, a term originating from internet forums, primarily incel (“involuntary celibate”) -run platforms, is the pursuit of maximizing one's physical appearance. It offers advice primarily aimed at young boys, emphasizing self-improvement and appearance enhancement. The measures recommended can range all the way from harmless tips like fitness training, skincare routines and hair styles to much more drastic like cosmetic surgery or becoming gym and appearance-obsessed.

Of course, it would be completely inaccurate to say that everyone participating in the looksmaxxing trend is damaging their self-image. Many simply want to improve their quality of life by increasing their confidence. Getting a few more compliments, or being noticed by a crush could certainly be a healthy incentive to want to engage in looksmaxxing; the problem only exposes itself when young, impressionable boys become obsessed with the notion of becoming more desirable, and allow the community to influence them far past an acceptable level.

This doesn’t only affect their own self-esteem, it definitely affects how these boys perceive and treat the people around them.

Some forums offer constructive tips, reassuring young individuals that "high school ugliness doesn't last forever" and that they need not take their appearance too seriously. Such platforms can serve as safe havens, inspiring hope and reducing cynicism among teens and softening their outlook on the world.

Looksmaxxing practices are often touted by attractive people claiming ‘If you follow everything I say, you can look like me too’ which is almost never the case, but is nevertheless believed by young boys. You may have seen ‘mewing tutorials’ on TikTok or Instagram, claiming that it can help boys to get a more defined jawline. Regardless of whether it may work, the unrealistic beauty standard remains.

The feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem would inevitably develop, and could possibly lead to more obsessive behaviour in the future. Some teens already obsess over the smallest things they believe make or break their attractiveness, like eye shape and canthal tilts. Body dysmorphia is almost inevitable, and can be incredibly destructive to their lives. Some teens end up devoting exorbitant amounts of time and effort to morphing their appearance, sometimes at the expense of their relationships, work and hobbies. If these measures don’t work, they would probably sink more time and money into it, as per the sunk cost fallacy, and their self-esteem will plummet further.

In their pursuit of the ideal look, some teenagers resort to extreme measures like excessive gym routines, disordered eating, or even steroid use to gain muscle quickly without realising the long-term impacts or effect on their daily lives. Some may turn to cosmetic surgery as a solution; this is not inherently bad, but it could be when teens and young adults see it as their only option and rush into it without considering all the effects. A disturbing trend on TikTok, known as 'bone-smashing,' promotes the use of blunt trauma to reshape cheekbones and chin, leading to permanent disfigurement and inflammation.

As these teens continue to consume and internalise these harmful practices, they tend to focus more on physical appearance over everything else in the people around them as well. It may reinforce shallow values and cause them to disregard other qualities, like intelligence, kindness and personality. Eventually, even if they do improve their appearance and get into a relationship, it most likely would be more superficial and unsatisfying, contingent on appearances as well.

Unfortunately, looksmaxxing has underlying roots in misogyny as well. Remember that its origin was in the incel community, known to bash and hate women? They may feel that improving their appearance directly correlates to admiration and desirability; they may feel ‘cheated’ or ‘wronged’ if they improved their appearance but not their personality, and some women still did not like them or find them desirable. Improving just a singular facet of their person does not improve their overall desirability. Ultimately, this would lead to more resentment and hate towards women as a whole.

Eventually, at the extremes, looksmaxxing just ends up hurting everyone and leaving everyone unsatisfied. On a personal level, one can learn to discern the real difference between healthy self-improvement and more harmful practices propagated by unrealistic beauty standards continually perpetuated by the media and social platforms we use all day every day. Other than that, it's important to promote self acceptance in a society whose instant thoughts are to criticise, and push for more inclusivity and real representation of the diversity of beauty in the world.

It’s crucial to question why this largely harmful trend has arisen in the first place: why we as a society place so much value on beauty. It’s a major point in everyone’s existence, where we say ‘every woman is beautiful’ and urge men to up their attractiveness. It’s drilled into us from young, it’s in the fabric of our society. Beauty does not define the worth of a person, and it's time we move away from this idea. Developing other personal qualities is just as significant, if not more! Everyone should have a more fulfilling existence without thinking about beauty 24/7.

Looksmaxxing: The Self-Image Iceberg

InSight Scoop