Looksmaxxing sells young men the idea that a better face or body can unlock confidence and success. We speak with two experts to understand how the trend has become a dangerous and addictive path into damaging comparisons, risky procedures and online communities that treat insecurity as a problem to be endlessly optimized.
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- Mike Nicholson, founder, director, Progressive Masculinity
- Valerie Adams-Bass, psychologist, University of Virginia’s Youth-Nex Center
Supporters say it’s about self-improvement, but critics like Mike Nicholson, founder and director of progressive masculinity, warn that it creates unrealistic beauty standards. He says that ‘Looksmaxxing’ can come in many different forms.
For some who feel shut out of these opportunities, improving appearance can seem like an alternative path to status, confidence, and even professional or romantic success.
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