As some men take increasingly extreme steps in pursuit of ‘looksmaxxing’, a doctor is warning people to think twice before copying online trends that could leave them seriously injured.
For anyone unfamiliar with the term, “looksmaxxers” are typically men who try to “maximise” their physical appearance. One of the best-known figures associated with the trend is influencer Clavicular.
Across social media, looksmaxxing communities often rank and critique young men’s appearance, assigning scores and fixating on features like jaw structure, muscle definition, hair, fitness, clothing, and even how white someone’s teeth are.
Many discussions focus on so-called “softmaxxing” — changes that are generally non-invasive, such as consistent exercise, nutrition, skincare routines, and broader self-care.
But there’s also a more severe side, often referred to as “hardmaxxing”, which can include steroid use, hair transplants, and cosmetic procedures.
Now, an even more alarming practice linked to looksmaxxing has been circulating: “bone-smashing”.
The idea involves young men intentionally striking their cheekbones and jaw with objects like hammers or household items, believing it will make their faces look more sharply defined.
In other words, people are literally hitting themselves in the face in an attempt to look more “chiselled”.
The practice appears to have been amplified online by Clavicular, who has built a following of roughly 800,000 people.
Those attempting “bone-smashing” may lightly tap (or repeatedly impact) the chin, jawline, and cheekbones with a hammer — and some have even used a massage gun for a similar effect.
The underlying claim is that repeated “micro-damage” to bone will prompt the body to repair itself in a way that changes facial shape, supposedly leading to a more angular look or a squarer jaw.
Medical professionals, however, say the concept is not only ineffective but also potentially devastating. A doctor has stressed that instead of producing a “better” jawline, the impacts can cause major facial trauma.
One reported example linked bone-smashing to a fracture behind the eye, which resulted in blindness.
Specialists also warn that these kinds of social-media-driven appearance ideals can worsen body dysmorphia in young men, encouraging riskier and more extreme behaviour.
Brazilian Dr Ricardo Grillo wrote a letter to the Journal of Stomatology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery warning that risks ‘encompass a range of severe maxillofacial injuries, which can cause ‘cosmetic disfigurement, functional impairment and other potential long-term consequences’.
He also pointed to a long list of possible harms, including scar tissue as well as damage to blood vessels and nerves.
He concluded: “There is also a risk of facial asymmetries since this trauma is not controlled.”
The message from experts is simple: don’t hit yourself in the face with a hammer.