But there is a problematic development which I think will further stunt that emotional journey for young boys who barely have the space to articulate bodily dysmorphia: the rise of “looksmaxxing”. Marketed to young boys through influencers such as Clavicular – it is the reframing of physical “self improvement” as a mathematical problem to be solved with tools: measurements, ratios, syringes, hammers to damage bones. There will always be someone out there ready to “frame-mog” you, where men battle against other men in the areas of muscularity and facial symmetry. The extremity of looksmaxxing is something of a mirror – it tells us of an anxiety of young boys that has long gone unheard and without language. It is therefore incumbent on all of us to speak to the young boys and men in their lives, about how they look and how they feel about themselves.

Source: The Guardian March 24, 2026 07:50 UTC