Men Are Doing Something Called ‘Looksmaxxing’

The idea that you can “optimize” yourself into some rigid hierarchy like “Chad” vs. “subhuman” isn’t just misleading, it’s the mindset that pushes people toward genuinely dangerous choices.

Online “looksmaxxing” communities encourage men to improve their appearance, often starting with “softmaxxing” relatively safe changes like fitness, grooming, skincare, and better style. These steps can overlap with normal self-care and are generally low risk.

But deeper in these spaces, the focus shifts to “hardmaxxing,” where extreme and sometimes irreversible methods are promoted as shortcuts to attractiveness or “ascension.” This includes using anabolic steroids (“roidmaxxing”) to build muscle quickly, despite potential side effects like hormone disruption and heart issues. Fat-dissolving injections (“leanmaxxing”) are used to alter facial features, often without proper medical supervision.

Some trends are even more concerning. “Threadmaxxing” involves people attempting at-home procedures with medical-grade materials meant to be used by professionals. “Bonesmashing,” which involves hitting facial bones to reshape them, is not only ineffective but can cause serious injury. At the far end, “methmaxxing” promotes drug use for weight loss, posing severe health and addiction risks.

Don’t do any of these things!
Lana Backman