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Parents Are Using “Looksmaxxing” Tricks On Their Babies As Experts Sound Alarm Over Dangerous Obsession
Interview With Expert“Looksmaxxing” has been one of the internet’s most talked-about self-improvement trends in recent years.
It encourages a persistent pursuit of physical attractiveness through increasingly extreme methods that influencers claim are designed to “maximize” one’s appearance.
Emerging from the more extremist corners of the “manosphere,” internet communities centered around male-focused themes, “looksmaxxing” was originally targeted at young men as a solution for body image struggles and insecurities.
It has since drawn in a wide array of audiences, including parents who want their young kids to grow up “attractive,” and experts are highly concerned about how this is impacting children’s physical and psychological well-being.
“Frequent exposure to highly curated, unrealistic beauty standards can make children feel inadequate,” Dr. Sharon Martin, a licensed psychotherapist from California and author of The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism, told Bored Panda.
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Parents are allegedly paying $39 a month for online courses to “looksmaxx” their kids
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On May 19, 2026, Lily Isaacs, a social media executive at The Observer, wrote an investigative report on how mothers are trying to “looksmaxx” their babies, right from infancy or even before they’re born, to make them “more attractive.”
The report, first published on Dispatch Media, began with the story of Leisa Mari Bekkers, a mother of two teenagers, aged 14 and 19, from New South Wales.
Image credits: Helena Lopes/Pexels (Not the real image)
She avoided ultrasounds during both pregnancies and forbade her children from taking pharmaceutical medicines — “not even aspirin” — to give them the “best chance of growing up beautiful and strong.”
She also breastfed them until they were 3.5 years old to replicate the DIY technique “mewing,” meant to improve the structure of one’s jawline.
Image credits: karensjuulpod
Despite her best efforts, she was not happy with the result, so she turned to the “boot camp” run by 20-year-old British “looksmaxxing” influencer Oscar Patel, who has amassed more than 1.7 million followers.
Patel runs one of the most popular “looksmaxxing” courses on the online monetization forum, Skool, with roughly 6,500 users paying $39 every month for the program.
Image credits: Maja Kos/Pexels (Not the actual image)
In comparison, Clavicular, one of the community’s most polarizing figures, reportedly has fewer than 1,000 members.
Isaacs attended Patel’s course, with his sister Stella as her “accountability coach” for the duration.
Stella allegedly removed Isaacs from the platform after she asked other members “too many questions.”
Oscar Patel has built his “looksmaxxing” brand on a childhood experience of being bullied
Image credits: _oscarpatel_/Instagram
Isaacs shared that Oscar Patel’s motivational videos on the platform (and elsewhere on his social media) often follow a “familiar arc” in which he unveils his transformation from his younger, prepubescent self, who was allegedly bullied at school, to his present-day appearance as a shirtless, muscular man.
Patel claims that he “fixed asymmetry” of his face, smoothed the “hump” on his nose, and straightened his teeth “without braces.”
In the course, Patel teaches his “looksmaxxing” techniques to young men, but more often than not, also to their mothers.
Image credits: caitlin_mmm
Image credits: _oscarpatel_/Instagram
His advice includes “thumb-pulling,” which involves applying pressure with the thumb to the roof of the mouth, and “lip sealing,” which requires keeping the lips closed at all times to avoid breathing through the mouth.
He also suggests that pregnant women avoid cesarean birth, as “surgical birth” can disrupt “myofascial tension” at birth, but promises that his teachings, which also include using gua sha for “lymphatic drainage,” can help as the children grow up.
Image credits: _oscarpatel_/Instagram
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While Isaacs was a member, she attended several video conferences hosted by Oscar, Stella, and their mother, Megan, and participated in threads where members shared “looksmaxxing” tips and tricks.
One member told her to eat “200g raw liver, 100g of raw butter, and 500g of raw ruminant animal meat” for breakfast.
“Patel’s message, repeated across the platform, is direct,” Isaacs wrote.
“Parents, through small, everyday decisions, are destroying their children’s looks. Then he tells them not to worry: by following this secret fix, their lucky kids will be fine in no time.”
An expert psychotherapist weighed in on the potential long-term impacts of “looksmaxxing” on children
Image credits: _oscarpatel_/Instagram
Parents who hyperfocus on their kids’ physical appearance and constantly strive to “improve” their looks can harm their kids, Dr. Sharon Martin warned.
“This can negatively affect self-esteem and contribute to anxiety, depression, perfectionism, disordered eating, or lead to feeling dissatisfied with their body,” she told Bored Panda.
“For some, it can become obsessive, interfering with daily activities, the ability to enjoy typical childhood activities, or lead to doing things that can cause serious physical harm.”
“Looksmaxxing also encourages children to base their worth on appearance and seek external validation rather than developing a strong sense of inner worth. In addition, it reinforces rigid gender expectations and promotes harmful beliefs tied to toxic masculinity or narrow ideals of femininity.”
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Dr. Martin emphasized that while the extent of the impact on children will vary depending on factors such as age, level of exposure, or the presence of trusted adults who can offer healthier perspectives, young people at large may still be susceptible to such online influences.
“Young people are particularly vulnerable because they’re still developing their identities, values, and sense of self,” she said.
Image credits: clavicular0/Instagram
As for parents, Dr. Martin suggested they should watch out for “warning signs” such as frequent appearance checking, negative self-talk about looks, social withdrawal, excessive comparison, or a desire to purchase excessive beauty products.
She urged parents to encourage open conversations with their kids, reduce their direct exposure to such content by limiting social media use, and model a greater focus on overall health and well-being rather than appearances.
Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels (Not the actual image)
“If you’re concerned, I suggest approaching your child with curiosity and empathy, avoiding being another voice of disapproval or judgment, and consulting a pediatrician or therapist for additional guidance,” she advised.
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