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.