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What exactly is 'looksmaxxing' and why is it a trend?
Brandwatch found more than 806,000 mentions in a recent surge as experts warn the trend can fuel anxiety, body dysmorphia and risky behavior.
- Between September 2025 and early 2026, online conversations about "Looksmaxxing" exploded with more than 806,000 mentions across social media platforms, according to a Brandwatch analysis. The trend encourages people to aggressively pursue what they believe is the ideal face or body, primarily targeting young men.
- 7News reporter Adrianna Hopkins said the trend ranges from simple grooming to dangerous practices like "bone smashing," where young people hit their faces to change bone structure. Experts attribute this obsession to unrealistic, Eurocentric beauty standards that fuel risky attempts to alter appearance.
- A 2025 survey found 49.1% of active participants under age 24 considered surgical procedures like jaw surgery or hair transplants, while more than 55% reported stress or anxiety tied to appearance practices. Dr. Ashley Maxie-Morman of Children's National Hospital noted that unrealistic standards prevent satisfaction with one's appearance.
- Reaching boys as young as 10, influencers in the "manosphere" push supplements or steroids to facilitate these changes. Andrew Levey, a licensed therapist at LightLine Therapy, warns that while some seek genuine self-improvement, algorithms often steer participants toward harmful, obsessive behaviors.
- Experts recommend that parents monitor for sudden behavioral changes such as excessive exercise, food restriction, or rapid weight loss. Therapists encourage shifting focus back to function over form to combat damaging aesthetic metrics and help young people develop healthier relationships with self-image.
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15 Articles
15 Articles
thepress.net+12 Reposted by 12 other sources
Looksmaxxing exposes the darker side of glow-up culture
Between September 2025 and early 2026, online conversations about “looksmaxxing” exploded, with more than 806,000 mentions across social media platforms, according to a Brandwatch analysis. ... Read moreThe post Looksmaxxing exposes the darker side of glow-up culture appeared first on…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources15
Leaning Left3Leaning Right5Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Right
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Right
42% Right
L 25%
C 33%
R 42%
Factuality
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