Exploring the hidden costs when self-improvement goes viral.
Young men are showing up in the beauty space in a new way, but not all the advice being given is in their best interest. Image by katemangostar for Freepik.
Viral Self-Optimization
Bone smashing, ‘budget’ at home injections, hormonal optimization, jaw surgery, ‘ascending’.
Viral self-optimization is taking a new crop of impressionable youth by storm. Though you’ll often hear it described by enthusiasts as ‘looksmaxxing’, this cultural movement is much bigger than the masculine-tinged beauty hacks might lead you to believe. Rather than being isolated to just one gender or even aesthetics goal, the overarching theme is reaching your maximum potential — by any and all means necessary.
You bet there are downsides.
Beauty as Defined by Others
How attractive people perceive you can have ripple effects on other aspects of your life — that concept is nothing new. But this new, youth-driven version is less about learning to appreciate and accept the natural beauty in the mirror and more about maximizing beauty potential… as dictated by others.
Viral approval and lauded ‘before and afters’ have catapulted a new crop of young influencers into the limelight as the authorities on ‘all things beautiful’. But compared to previous generations, where there was a passing acknowledgement of having won a genetic lottery, modern influencers are attributing their attractiveness to their extreme methods, and turning a profit by selling their ‘hacks’.
Many of these viral beauty hacks are dangerous, and many young people partaking (some as young as 14), still in the throes of the invincibility of youth, are jumping in headfirst. All in the name of looking better.
Biohacker and Fitness Origins
Many say today’s dangerous beauty hacks are a natural evolution of teen hormones encouraging young brains to compare themselves to those around them. That’s part of natural teen behaviour. But when it collides with social media and a global population, it becomes more pressurized and sinister.
But social media and teen hormones are not the whole picture. They’re also not new. Those of you who experienced the 1990s and early 2000s might remember the biohacking and fitness trends, where the pursuit of ‘health and fitness’ went far beyond what was scientifically sound or healthy (ephedra weight loss supplements, chlorophyll eye drops, extreme diets), all in the pursuit of leaner, better, hotter.
Arguably, it’s meaner this time around as people chase validations through ‘ratings’. More men are participating (often coined looksmaxxing) in these viral beauty methods as they chase their next level of online aesthetic approval.
What is new is how quickly dangerous procedures and ‘hacks’ are being adopted and perpetuated within the communities with the kind of reckless abandon and rebellion youth are known for.
So what are the most dangerous “hacks”?
The Worst Offenders
Bonesmashing is one of the most extreme practices. And it is rapidly gaining traction amongst young men. It’s meant to increase the size of the cheekbones (making them look more chiseled) by repeatedly hitting the area with (often homemade) padded hammer-like tools.
Does it work? No. Though Wolff’s Law, coined by pioneering 19th century German surgeon Julius Wolff to explain the benefits of exercise on bone health, says that microfractures can help bones remodel (ie: grow), it only applies to load-bearing activities (like lifting weights or playing sports). The people claiming that it’s worked for them? Mostly what they’re seeing is a result of natural puberty and/or weight loss. Risks include damaging the orbital area and the appearance of two black eyes. Bonesmashing …hard pass.
What to do instead? For young men and teens, give it time. Wait and see where your natural facial anatomy settles. For those who are still concerned and want to increase the prominence of their cheekbones safely? Fillers (when appropriate), orthodontics to correct bite/jaw issues, even jaw surgery and implants can be an option for the right candidate, but it’s not a good starting point.
Dangerous DIY injectables are on the rise with young people looking for a cheaper fix. (Image by Freepik).
The trend amongst teens of DIY injections has led to some viral videos, like this one featuring teens attempting to remove buccal fat with fat dissolving peptides (https://youtu.be/_NGqaqR4S4I?si=3UvSWVMOJsPnShQS). What’s the appeal? Cheaper injections for starters; fillers, Botox, fat dissolving peptides (though the authenticity of the products they’re ordering is always suspect). Also, the perceived control is another appeal.
The risks are exponential. Fraudulent products contaminated with bacteria, the wrong concentrations of botulinum (which can and has been lethal), and not understanding the risks.
What to do instead? Again, time can work wonders on perspective. Many people participating in these trends will look back and regret not appreciating what they had naturally. For older teens dead set on pursuing augmentation? A consultation with a professional provider is essential to determine the safest route and educate them about the risks (someone like our Christina Shamrock). There are hundreds of stories of people who’ve had questionable procedures administered in hotels who desperately regretted it. Let’s not encourage our teens to join those ranks.
Teens are experimenting with testosterone and other PEDs, but not for the reasons you think. Like hacking a videogame, they’re trying to cheat code their own puberty. (Image by drobotdean for Freepik).
Last but not least is hormonal optimization. Possibly the most dangerous long term, hormone augmentation has been gaining popularity among young teens and 20 somethings. But instead of using PEDs (performance enhancing drugs) for muscle growth (think testosterone and anabolic steroids), young men especially are using testosterone to ‘perfect puberty’ and ‘game their peak potential masculinity’. And it’s not just men. Young women looking for a more ‘fit and lean’ physique are also experimenting with synthetic steroids and peptides that are advertised as ‘female friendly’ and ‘non-virilizing’, often discovering too late that they indeed are masculinizing.
These drugs aren’t working the way they think they’re working. There are many, many potential health consequences (liver, heart, and kidney damage, sterility, cancer, scarring body and facial acne). For young men, natural puberty will eventually deliver the masculine features they’re coveting. Adding hormones in doesn’t help. It actually encourages bone plates to fuse and finish growing, meaning full height may never be reached — arguably the opposite of maximizing potential.
Worse, we’re only seeing the success stories so there’s a strong confirmation bias. Young people have died from taking these drugs.
What can be done instead? Patience. Trying to game your own biology without medical supervision is a recipe for disaster. Work with a trainer, join a sports team — give it time. Only explore hormone replacement therapy if it’s necessary as prescribed by a doctor.
My Thoughts
I wish the only thing youth considered was a gentle skincare routine (like my Feel Confident skin care line https://feelconfident.com/collections/skin), acne or medical hair therapies if necessary and medically monitored, and of course learning about real health and fitness for long-term health, not just an extreme glow up.
Jumping straight to plastic surgery, do not pass go, is not the answer. There’s nothing beautiful about these hacks, no matter how viral they go.
