I read a 2025 health paper about looksmaxxing communities. It’s basically an outsider academic critique, and I’m posting the main points here so yall can tell me what they got wrong or what they missed.
They analyzed 8,072 comments from two sections of a large looksmaxxing site (a “general/selfimprovement” board and a “ratings” board). They say the community gets millions of visitors/month and they collected data in 2023.
Rating culture = “male gaze.” The paper says guys often judge each other’s faces and bodies like a score. People try to sound “objective,” and this can make mean or very harsh comments seem acceptable.
Self-improvement becomes more medical. The paper says these forums can move people from normal changes (gym, style, skincare) to stronger choices (fillers, surgery, height procedures) as the “next step” when they feel their “stats” are not good enough.
Mental health can get worse. The paper says the culture can become very negative. Some users call others “hopeless,” and the talk can change from “you can improve” to “it’s over for you.”
Self-improvement becomes more medical. The paper says these forums can move people from normal changes (gym, style, skincare) to stronger choices (fillers, surgery, height procedures) as the “next step” when they feel their “stats” are not good enough.
Mental health can get worse. The paper says the culture can become very negative. Some users call others “hopeless,” and the talk can change from “you can improve” to “it’s over for you.”
They frame looksmaxxing as a “help” space that can also backfire: it can motivate improvement, but it can also intensify insecurity and create a loop of endless comparison.
I just think that’s an oversimplification.
As i was reading this thread (also as a curious nigga) i had to ask a question -- What positive changes have you gotten from LDARing that the article didn't acknowledge?
