Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Social Media Face-Off: What’s Keeping Plastic Surgery Influencers Up at Night
The article examines a growing clash on Instagram and TikTok between plastic surgeons who built audiences by speculating about celebrity cosmetic work and “looksmaxxing” influencers who promote appearance-based self-improvement, sometimes through extreme methods. It matters because doctors who once used social media mainly to decode beauty trends are now warning that parts of the looksmaxxing culture may expose young followers, especially boys and young men, to harmful misinformation and risky behaviour.
The piece explains that looksmaxxing ranges from relatively mainstream “softmaxxing”, such as skincare and fitness advice, to more aggressive “hardmaxxing”, including drug use, damaging skin manipulation and “bonesmashing”. It cites Michigan plastic surgeon Dr Tony Youn, who has more than 1.9 million Instagram followers, and London aesthetics doctor Dr Jonny Betteridge, both of whom express concern about unqualified influencers presenting themselves as experts. The article also points to 20-year-old influencer Clavicular as a prominent figure in the movement, noting Betteridge’s alarm over his reported discussion of using crystal meth as an appetite suppressant on a December 2025 podcast.
In short
- Doctors are pushing back against harmful looksmaxxing advice online.
- Concern is focused on young male audiences.
- Extreme beauty trends now worry social media surgeons.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Medical professionals express legitimate concern about unqualified influencers presenting appearance-focused advice as expertise to young audiences vulnerable to body image concerns, particularly regarding practices like bonesmashing or discussions of drugs for aesthetic purposes. They argue their public warnings serve essential harm prevention, as young people—especially young men—may not recognise risks that medical evidence clearly establishes, and that professional voices are necessary to counter misinformation in spaces where scientific expertise has been displaced by social media personalities.
The case against
Advocates counter that this response amounts to medical gatekeeping that unfairly stigmatises largely legitimate self-improvement advice about fitness, skincare and grooming that has long interested youth. They contend that singling out extreme outliers misrepresents a broader community focused on personal autonomy and self-enhancement, and that young people deserve agency over appearance choices without medical professionals suppressing online conversations. The real solution, they argue, lies in cultivating critical thinking rather than restricting access to grassroots guidance.
Explained simply
"Looksmaxxing" is an online trend where people, particularly young men, pursue appearance-based self-improvement through various methods. These range from relatively standard advice like skincare and fitness routines to more extreme practices such as using drugs, deliberately damaging skin, and techniques designed to alter bone structure. The movement has gained significant traction on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where influencers share tips with large followings.
A growing tension has emerged between plastic surgeons who built their social media audiences by discussing celebrity cosmetic procedures and the looksmaxxing influencers promoting these appearance-focused self-improvement methods. Prominent doctors including American surgeon Dr Tony Youn, who has nearly two million Instagram followers, and London-based aesthetics doctor Dr Jonny Betteridge have begun expressing concern about unqualified people presenting themselves as experts to young audiences.
Medical professionals warn that some looksmaxxing content exposes young people, particularly boys and young men, to potentially harmful misinformation and risky behaviour. Their concern is that whilst much of the trend overlaps with conventional fitness and beauty advice, the more extreme practices could encourage vulnerable audiences to damage their health in pursuit of physical ideals.