Should you judge a book by its cover? One growing online community says yes. According to those in the “looksmaxxing” community, it’s all about the way you look. The community offers guidance on maximizing one’s appearance, oftentimes promoting extreme measures to achieve the desired appearance. The practice has gained traction online, particularly with young men, and one academic whose research focuses on eating disorders and body image issues in men, says the growing trend can lead to harmful outcomes. Kyle T. Ganson, an assistant professor of social work with University of Toronto, joined CTV Your Morning Ottawa on Wednesday to shed some insight into the oftentimes extreme world of “looksmaxxing.” What is lookmaxxing? Looksmaxxing content creators will promote techniques that viewers can use to supposedly optimize their physical attractiveness. As Ganson explains, many of the commonly promoted techniques are benign, like adopting a skincare routine or wearing sunscreen to reduce aging; however, some “looksmaxxing” creators also promote more extreme measures. These measures can range from steroid use to plastic surgery to “bone smashing,” which, as Ganson explains, involves “taking a small hammer to make micro fractures in your facial bones, and hopefully have them grow and redefine themselves.” Another viral technique is “mewing,” an unproven method of improving facial structure that involves pressing one’s tongue on the roof of their mouth. Who is Clavicular? Braden Peters, better known online as Clavicular, is one the most prominent looksmaxxers. He’s amassed over 413,000 Instagram followers and over 786,000 followers on TikTok, and was even profiled in the New York Times in February. According to Ganson, Clavicular’s central message, which is often geared towards young men and boys, is that physical appearance is the only thing that matters. “If I want to be successful, if I want to make money if I want to attract a potential partner, I really need to look this way,” Ganson said. “I need to change my facial features and be attractive as possible and really fit a standard that for most, is very unrealistic or would require really significant intervention.” This type of messaging can have harmful effects on audiences, Ganson says. “Engaging in some of these behaviours in really extreme ways that become quite risky or repetitive that can of course have health effects but also mental health effects like depression or anxiety. There’s also been reports of suicidal ideation and thoughts of harming oneself,” he said. A 2025 study from Dalhousie University adds supports Ganson’s claims. The researchers studied looksmaxxing message boards and found that looksmaxxing caused harm to the physical and mental wellbeing of participants. “It can really run the gamut,” Ganson said. “Eating disorders, body dysmorphia and really serious mental health conditions can arise, if it continues and becomes more engrained in that person’s thinking.” What should people who consume this content know? For those who might be considering going down the looksmaxxing rabbit hole, or who are feeling affected by the trend, Ganson has one simple message: online trends don’t reflect real life. “The online ecosystem is really just highlighting what is most controversial or getting the most attention, and so it’s not real life. It’s not reality that you would engage in like human-to-human contact,” he said. “We should move past this idea of appearance and looks and bodies as a way to measure one’s worth and self-efficacy in life and so, the message would really be, put the phone down, engage in human connection, and move past that kind of mentality.” For those seeking mental health support, here are some numbers you can call:
