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• Looksmaxxing, a social media-driven trend encouraging men to aggressively “optimize” their appearance, is gaining popularity.
• It’s related to similar appearance-based trends, like softmaxxing and hardmaxxing.
• While often framed as self-improvement, experts warn these trends can fuel body dysmorphia, anxiety, eating disorders, and even self-harm.
• Young men may be particularly vulnerable due to several factors, including online messaging about masculinity and worth.

A growing trend on social media is encouraging young men to “maximize” their appearance. 

Known as looksmaxxing, the trend focuses on pursuing the “ideal” face and body. It follows similar social media trends, known as softmaxxing and hardmaxxing, which encourage everything from intensive grooming routines to cosmetic procedures and extreme body modification. 

While proponents say these practices can be empowering, mental health experts warn they can fuel body dysmorphia, anxiety, and other unhealthy behaviors. 

Jason Fierstein, MA, LPC, founder of Phoenix Men’s Counseling, said these trends are toxic and harmful. 

“Young men fall into this false sense of acceptance, and what they believe women want from them,” he told Healthline. “They can get caught up in potentially lifelong struggles with feeling inadequate and handling that inadequacy.” 

He further described looksmaxxing as a “social media-driven body dysmorphia trend.”

“People will focus their energies on improving their physique based on feelings of inferiority or inadequacy,” Fierstein said. 

“Men can get caught in a cycle of trying to ‘optimize’ their looks, but as mental health clinicians, we know that if you’re feeling inadequate or inferior, those are the issues to work on with a qualified therapist.” 

What are the differences between the looksmaxxing, softmaxxing, and hardmaxxing trends?

While the terminology differs, the trends all have one thing in common: the desire to obsessively change one’s appearance. 

“Looksmaxxing is essentially self-improvement put on overdrive. It’s reframing the male physique as something to be engineered,” Fierstein explained. 

While softmaxxing involves subtler changes to one’s appearance, often achieved through grooming and lifestyle adjustments, hardmaxxing is more extreme. 

“It involves serious methods to change your looks, such as nose jobs, Botox, hair transplants, and chin surgery. The obvious issue with this is that once you open that Pandora’s Box, it’s hard to close the lid,” Fierstein noted. 

Christine Ruberti-Bruning, MA, ATR-BC, CEDS, LPC, licensed therapist and certified eating disorder specialist, summed up the differences. 

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good, and caring for your appearance can build confidence and be gender affirming. But the big difference is that looksmaxxing is rooted in self-hate and trying to fit in, at the cost of your health and safety,” she pointed out. 

“Hardmaxxing, meanwhile, seems to be dipping its toe into self-harm territory, especially some of its associated trends, like smashing your face with a hammer.” 

Why looksmaxxing is particularly popular among young men

Why does looksmaxxing seem to be resonating with young men in particular? 

Fierstein said young men, especially teens, are typically at a stage of their lives when they are still figuring out who they are, and many may be searching for ways to project what they perceive as “the ‘correct’ version of masculinity.”

Fierstein believes trends like looksmaxxing may be related to incel culture and the manosphere, too.

“It started several years ago, with male gurus like Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, and the Tate brothers. These types of ‘masculine’ influencers led men astray,” he said. 

Ruberti-Bruning shared another perspective about potential contributing factors.

“Mental health issues and loneliness are also prevalent right now, making young men especially vulnerable,” she noted. 

The line between healthy self-improvement and unhealthy behaviors 

Recognizing the line between taking pride in your appearance and an unhealthy obsession with how you look can be challenging for many people.

“Self-improvement practices become harmful when anxiety is the main motivator; when your rituals are taking up so much mental space that you can’t be present in your life and relationships,”  Ruberti-Bruning said. 

There are several risks associated with these types of unhealthy behaviors. 

“Eating disorders and self-harm behaviours are commonly associated with body dysmorphia, anxiety, and low self-esteem,” Ruberti-Bruning said. 

“Men are at risk of feeling shame around their bodies due to societal messaging that they must be muscular and fit. And for some men, it can feel like a threat to their masculinity and self-worth.” 

Fierstein said that, for some people who attempt to make purely superficial changes to their physique, it can open the door to harmful, obsessive psychological needs.

“It can spin out of control, and you may feel you need to do something to help yourself feel better rather than feeling comfortable in your own skin.” 

Ultimately, he said, healthy self-improvement usually doesn’t look like the kind of self-care content that’s popular on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

“It’s about taking care of yourself from the inside,” he said. 

Tips for practising self-acceptance 

Practising greater self-acceptance isn’t something that happens overnight, but there are healthy steps you can take to begin that journey.

Firstly, Ruberti-Bruning said having complicated feelings about your body and appearance is valid and natural.

She suggested “leaning into” that and finding an outlet for it.

“Creativity is a great way to let those feelings out in a way that might even be fun. Consider drawing, collaging, or making a book to document your journey,” she advised. 

While social media use can fuel unhealthy behaviors and feelings, there are ways to reduce these risks.

“Follow accounts that promote body acceptance and healthy masculinity. Or follow people who don’t fit into the narrow view of masculinity perpetuated by society,” Ruberti-Bruning said. 

And finally, spend more time with friends and family.

“It sounds simple, but feeling connected to others helps us get out of our own heads. Our communities can help us stay true to ourselves,” Ruberti-Bruning said.