Punishing regimens of facial exercises. Intentional starvation. Reshaping the jawline or cheekbones by smashing them with a hammer or chisel. These extreme behaviors are part of a practice known as looksmaxxing. This effort to enhance appearance at any cost is gaining popularity among teenage boys and young men on social media. Looksmaxxing, which began trending on TikTok in the early 2020s, has moved from niche communities to the mainstream.
Much of the media attention on looksmaxxing focuses on cultural dimensions, such as underlying misogynist ideologies and the conversations about masculinity tied to this trend. Prominent figures in the community, with hundreds of thousands of followers on platforms like TikTok and Kick, have reached pop culture status.
However, the well-being of young men involved in this trend is often overlooked. As a mental health professional exploring how people perceive emotions and mental health, the actions associated with looksmaxxing resemble symptoms of eating disorders and body dysmorphia, also known as body dysmorphic disorder. These disorders can harm young people who are navigating self-identity and relationships, already strained by social media pressures.
Promoting young men and their behaviors as spectacle rather than recognizing potential signs of psychological distress diverts attention from addressing these urgent mental health concerns.
A Historical Comparison
Looksmaxxing mirrors alarming patterns observed in the past. A similar ideology emerged in the 2000s when young women and girls engaged in disordered eating behaviors. They found communities on platforms like Tumblr and MySpace to share advice on harmful practices, including eating restriction and induced vomiting. This was labeled as “pro-ana” (pro-anorexia), “pro-mia” (pro-bulimia), or “pro-ED” (pro-eating disorder).
Media, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2001, expressed concern over pro-eating disorder online communities. Social scientists and medical professionals researched the impact on girls and young women. It wasn’t until 2012 that Tumblr banned pro-eating disorder content, as part of broader efforts to reduce self-harm-related blogging.
By 2026, major social media platforms have updated guidelines aiming to prevent such communities and direct users to helpful resources. Instagram and TikTok have dedicated pages offering help for eating disorders. Meta and Pinterest have policies focused on user safety, with Pinterest banning weight loss ads in 2021.
Challenges in Addressing Looksmaxxing
Despite recognition that eating disorder content is detrimental to health, looksmaxxing remains largely unchallenged by social media policies. Influential looksmaxxers are often treated as celebrities, their methods and worldviews promoted in media profiles and interviews.
The terminology used may contribute to this oversight. “Pro-ED” directly references a mental health disorder, while looksmaxxing is seen as goal-oriented self-improvement. Gender plays a role too. Looksmaxxing primarily targets young men, while “pro-ED” culture centered on young women.
Researchers estimate one in three people with eating disorders are male, but societal views still see eating disorders as largely female. A 2025 study highlighted that while thinness obsession is linked to female conditions, males focus on leanness, aiming for the perfect muscle-to-fat ratio. This distinction is often missed by parents, educators, and media, complicating clinical screenings and responses.
Clinical Insights on Looksmaxxing
From a clinical perspective, looksmaxxing behaviors align with symptoms of eating disorders and body dysmorphia. Starting with an obsession over perceived physical flaws, it prioritizes appearances, leading to compulsive actions to fix perceived shortcomings.
Mental health professionals recognize such compulsions – acts fueled by obsessive thoughts, disrupting a person’s ability to live a normal life. Simple actions, like wearing makeup or shoe lifts for height, can boost confidence. But if someone cannot leave home or function without them, it raises concern. Similarly, altering diet or exercise for fitness is healthy, but using amphetamines to suppress appetite, common in looksmaxxing, signals a mental health issue.
These behaviors warrant scrutiny because untreated body dysmorphia and eating disorders cause lifelong issues. Early intervention is crucial, as these disorders increase risks of physical and mental health problems, including serious conditions like heart issues, depression, and suicide.
The way society frames problems impacts solutions. Responses to internet-enabled eating disorder culture in the 2010s offer valuable lessons. Addressing looksmaxxing as both a cultural and clinical issue could assist researchers in understanding how these disorders manifest in young men. It could also drive social media guidelines, help parents recognize warning signs, and connect struggling individuals to appropriate care.
If you or someone you know might benefit from speaking to a specialist in male eating disorders or mental health, consider using the directory available at the National Eating Disorders Association or the men’s mental health organization HeadsUpGuys. For those in crisis in the U.S., call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or text HELLO to 741741. These services are free, available 24/7, and confidential. For readers outside the U.S., use a local helpline or seek professional care.