The Perils of Looksmaxxing for Young Men
A guide for parents and caregivers.
Posted May 1, 2026 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan
Of all the times that I’ve been burned By now, you’d think I’d have learned That it’s who you look like, not who you are You all keep that in mind
—Jackson Browne (1977)
Social pressures on physical appearance are not new. Girls and young women have sustained a thinness imperative from the flappers in the 1920s through the present. Social media compounds the ideal of thinness for women by associating it with beauty, wealth, success, and belonging.
Boys and young men have been influenced far less, though for some not insignificantly. Witness the bodybuilding and action figure dominance from the 1960s to 1980s, as exemplified by superheroes and the V-taper focus of The Terminator. And now, for boys and young men, the emphasis on physical appearance has been captured and promoted by social and streaming media. Witness the ultimate extreme—looksmaxxing.
What Is Looksmaxxing?
Looksmaxxing is an online trend used by young men to “maximize” their appearance according to prescribed, mathematical metrics that follow a prescribed paradigm. The sole emphasis is on modifying one’s physical stature to achieve self-improvement.
It has all the earmarks of a cult, led by Braden Peters, known as Clavicular, an online streamer who posits that the ideal of male attractiveness and “ sexual market value” is appearance. Clavicular has developed a series of looksmaxxing words and phrases that capture who you are—“subhuman” (totally inferior), “normie” (normal), “Chad” (white, muscular, affluent). And during streaming, he has conducted “mogging,” the process of comparing an individual who's clearly out of line with the “ascendant” metrics with one who is close to “perfection.” This kind of humiliation , narcissism , and toxic masculinity is a notable feature of looksmaxxing.
The techniques to achieve predetermined physical appearance, such as precise metrics for waist size, muscularity, jawline, and “hunter eyes,” angled slightly upward, may be achieved in several ways:
These processes have been embedded in online platforms that embrace toxic communities that promote a distorted vision of masculinity, misogyny, and, to some extent, self-harm or advocate suicide if goals are not met. And influencers have used the goals of looksmaxxing to promote and sell various products that claim to be transformative, and none are based on clinical evidence.
Dangers of Looksmaxxing
Though there have not been studies on the etiology or consequences of looksmaxxing per se, research has shown that excessive appearance preoccupation, use of social media to focus on appearance, and compulsive behaviors aimed at cosmetic improvements—all in alignment with looksmaxxing—have mental health and physical health risks, including:
What Parents and Caregivers Should Look For
Parents and caregivers may notice any of these behaviors:
What Parents and Caregivers Can Do
Before we go into specific interventions, let’s consider a general overview. Parents need to keep in mind and reinforce that identity is grounded in one’s values, personal traits such as kindness, generosity , honesty, trustworthiness, and acceptance of differences, particularly in personal relationships. We want our kids to be independent, resilient , able to make sound, healthy decisions, and possess the ability to self-reflect, be aware of problems, and come to trusted individuals for help and guidance. Beauty is grounded in who you are, not what you look like.
With this framework in mind, here are some guidelines for helping young people:
Let’s face it, we all struggle with appearance. It is a consequence of pervasive social forces. However, we can balance our feeling comfortable in our own skin and help our kids feel similarly.
Originally posted on the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital.
If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. For help 24/7 dial 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
Rück C, Mataix-Cols D, Feusner JD, Shavitt RG, Veale D, Krebs G, Fernández de la Cruz L. Body dysmorphic disorder. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2024 Dec 5;10(1):92. doi: 10.1038/s41572-024-00577-z. PMID: 39639018; PMCID: PMC12032537.
Gupta M, Jassi A, Krebs G. The association between social media use and body dysmorphic symptoms in young people. Front Psychol. 2023 Aug 17;14:1231801. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1231801. PMID: 37663365; PMCID: PMC10471190.
Rohrich RJ, Cho MJ. When Is Teenage Plastic Surgery versus Cosmetic Surgery Okay? Reality versus Hype: A Systematic Review. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2018 Sep;142(3):293e-302e. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000004630. PMID: 29878991.
Share this post Facebook Bluesky Linkedin Email
There was a problem adding your email address. Please try again.
By submitting your information you agree to the Psychology Today Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
Eugene V. Beresin, M.D. , is Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, the Executive Director of the MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, and Director of the Elizabeth Thatcher Acampora Endowment.
Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.
This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.