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A rapidly growing online trend known as "looksmaxxing" may expose some boys and young men to significant physical and mental health risks, according to a new commentary published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Looksmaxxing refers to efforts to "maximize" physical attractiveness, often according to highly rigid standards of male appearance. While some looksmaxxing practices involve relatively common behaviors such as skin care, grooming, exercise and hair-loss prevention, others can include starvation, anabolic-androgenic steroid and peptide use, skin whitening, cosmetic procedures, and "bonesmashing" (i.e., deliberately striking the face in an attempt to change its structure).

"Looksmaxxing exists on a spectrum, and it is important that we do not automatically pathologize normal grooming, exercise, or appearance-related behaviors among adolescent boys and young adult men," said Kyle T. Ganson, Ph.D., MSW, lead author of the commentary and associate professor at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.

"At the same time, clinicians need to recognize when these behaviors become extreme, unsafe, or connected with significant distress and impairment."

The authors note that looksmaxxing communities often promote the idea that attractiveness can be objectively measured and optimized. Common ideals include facial symmetry, a strong square jaw, chiseled cheeks, clear skin, and a tall, lean, muscular body.

These appearance standards can contribute to intense appearance comparison, body dissatisfaction and overvaluation of physical appearance. Online looksmaxxing spaces may also expose young people to pseudoscientific health claims, unregulated products, extreme body-change practices, and content involving misogyny, racism, social demoralization and self-harm.

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