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It can start as a simple exploration of ways to enhance your appearance, but research now suggests so-called 'looksmaxxing' sites may be causing serious harm to the mental and physical health of young men.

The online forums are billed as communities where men can find and exchange ideas on ways to improve or maximize their looks, particularly when it comes to facial aesthetics and physique. Users -- mainly young men and teenage boys -- can probe pictures of each other for perceived flaws and recommended fixes.

Now, a report by researchers at Dalhousie University is revealing a dark side to the sites and the pain they can cause.

Michael Halpin, a professor of Sociology at Dal and the lead author of the study, analyzed more than 8,000 comments on a discussion board of an online 'looksmaxxing' community in 2023 that receives six million unique visitors per month.

The examination shows how the community encourages men to alter their bodies by doing everything from leg lengthening and Botox to nose surgery and so-called mewing to strengthen the jawline. Users get the ideas after posting photos of themselves for people to critique and offer advice on how to improve their looks.

The research found that it can lead users to feel demoralized or like failed men, with some being encouraged to self‐harm or even end their lives.

Dr. Halpin is available to discuss the findings and how 'looksmaxxing' should be seen as an emerging health and social issue that can also harm women because of the misogynistic nature of the postings.

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Media contact:

Alison Auld 
Senior Research Reporter 
Dalhousie University 
Cell: 1-902-220-0491 
Email: alison.auld@dal.ca