Recently, a dangerous trend is spreading among teenagers overseas via social media platforms, where individuals hit their own faces with hammers in an attempt to enhance their appearance.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on April 18, a trend known as looksmaxxing is gaining traction on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Looksmaxxing refers to efforts by men to appear as attractive as possible, a term that gained attention last year.
SCMP highlighted that influencers are leveraging men’s insecurities to gain popularity on social media, noting that one TikTok video featured a man tapping his cheekbones with a hammer as part of a supposed skincare routine. While the video has prompted warnings about its danger, it has also attracted comments suggesting it could help define facial features, raising concerns.
These so-called looksmaxxing influencers are causing alarm as they promote unscientific and unverified methods for improving appearance on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. According to SCMP, some of these influencers even endorse tooth whitening with hydrogen peroxide, steroid use, plastic surgery, and even leg-lengthening surgery—spreading misinformation in the process.
Experts also warn against looksmaxxing influencers who exploit the insecurities of young men regarding physical attractiveness. Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan, an analyst at the Strategic Dialogue Institute think tank, explained that influencers are using the image of physical perfection as a way to secure their influence. More broadly, he warned that such harmful beauty standards may also negatively impact women.
