When Men’s Vanity Becomes a Requirement: How Social Media Turned Self-Improvement Into Obsession

A decade ago, I had a Korean coworker who put my skincare regimen to shame. I used to be annoyed at him for not leaving a single lick of hair on his perfectly groomed, smooth skin. He blamed it on his culture’s beauty standards — and the fact that his wife was a runway model, so he “had to keep up.”

A recent viral moment involving the influencer Androgenic, whose wig cap was pulled off during a livestream, sparked renewed conversation about how much pressure young men feel to maintain a curated appearance. The reaction online wasn’t just about an influencer who was bald but tried to hide it — it reflected a broader fixation on image, authenticity, and status in digital culture.

One of the comments read:

“Androgenic has his hat stolen by a stranger revealing his clapped bald hairline and exposing him as a FRAUDMAXXER. The hair was a lie he was wearing a wig. GENERATIONAL AURA LOSS. No recovery possible. Baldmogged.”

Androgenic was a Looksmaxxing influencer. I’ve only really heard the word “looksmaxxing” in the past couple of months, but apparently it’s been floating around online incel forums since the 2010s. Looksmaxxing is the practice of maximizing physical attractiveness through a range of methods — from basic self-care routines to extreme interventions.

The version I see on social media these days feels dystopian. Young men are enhancing their jawlines, eyes, and sometimes even their height. There are even DIY methods like “bone smashing,” where people literally hit their faces to supposedly reshape bones.

God, save me.

This trend isn’t limited to influencers. Cosmetic clinics report rising numbers of male clients seeking Botox, fillers, hair transplants, and anti-aging treatments. In tech hubs like Silicon Valley and entertainment industries like Hollywood and Bollywood, looking youthful has increasingly become tied to professional relevance and social status.

Public figures reflect this shift. Simon Cowell, now in his mid-60s, has admitted to using Botox, fillers, lasers, and even a non-surgical facelift procedure called the Silhouette Soft Lift. He dissolved the excess fillers around 2022 and has since scaled back apparently, but the public image damage has been done. Recently, Bradley Cooper came out looking nothing like himself.

And talk about overdone fillers — although the Bogdanoff brothers deny getting any work done, judge for yourself, LOL. Forget giving them a role in TV — they should be starring in a horror film. They’ve become extreme examples of how cosmetic enhancement can transform public identity over time, highlighting the risks of crossing the line from maintenance into distortion.

I have mixed feelings about all of this. I’m deeply sad that our children have to live in a world where social media amplifies beauty standards. Between filters and algorithms, it feels like everyone suddenly has sharper jawlines and perfectly symmetrical features.

A friend in the Bay Area once told me that men, just like women, can’t afford to age in Silicon Valley. Everyone has to be young enough to wear a hoodie and still look cool — otherwise, you’re irrelevant. Anti-aging trends and male-focused salons have risen significantly.

While women are getting preventative Botox in their 20s, men don’t want to be left behind. Looking “vital” now feels like a résumé requirement.

It ties into politicians, actors, and everyday men chasing youth through looksmaxxing communities — jaw exercises, mewing (tongue-positioning technique to make your jawline look sharper), skincare, and hardmaxxing like fillers and surgery. Remember the time when Matt Gaetz showed up like this?

On the other hand, its comical to see celebs like Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman who never seem to age thanks to “good genetics, disciplined routines, and solid skincare.” Oh, please.

The trend isn’t slowing. 2025 saw constant buzz around celebrity transformations — weight loss drugs like Ozempic sharpening faces, and rising male cosmetic procedures. In old days, gray hair meant gravitas. Now, no one wants to age gracefully.

Especially in Bollywood, Ozempic faces have turned red carpets into walking zombie parades. It’s ugly and disturbing. Imagine not being able to live with your own face. Yikes, Karan Johar.

Shirish Kunder, Farah Khan’s husband, is now sporting a look that makes him almost unrecognizable. What’s going on?

The concern isn’t grooming or self-care — those are normal and healthy. The issue is when appearance becomes identity, and self-worth becomes dependent on constant optimization. Social media encourages comparison, creates unrealistic standards, and turns faces and bodies into personal brands instead of human features.

As these trends grow, the conversation needs to shift toward balance. Looking healthy, taking care of yourself, and presenting yourself well are reasonable goals. But turning the body into a permanent project or treating aging as failure creates deep anxiety rather than confidence.

There’s a difference between improvement and obsession. Looksmaxxing sits right on that line, and more people are crossing it without realizing the psychological cost.

We need to tell our children, that their worth is not in their jawline, their hairline or their height.

“You are enough, just as you are.”

Jim Carrey’s New Avatar

At a recent Paris awards show, he comes out looking like this: 

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