'I was told to starve' - why teen boys are crushing their bones and making themselves infertile

EXCLUSIVE: 'I was told to starve' - why teen boys are crushing their bones and making themselves infertileA toxic trend that originated in incel forums has now seeped into the world of social media - with real-life consequences. We delve into the dark world of looksmaxxingCommentsNewsCally Brooks Features Writer and Niamh Kirk Features Writer07:00, 18 Apr 2026View 6 ImagesBraden Peters, AKA Clavicular is a looksmaxxing 'influencer'(Image: clavicular0/Instagram )Crushed bones, starvation and infertility - welcome to the dark world of 'looksmaxxing' that teenage boys are getting sucked into.‌The manopshere-adjacent social media trend centres around physical attractiveness and an obsession with status, and young men are being taught how to 'fix' their insecurities with extreme and potentially dangerous methods.‌In its softer form, looksmaxxing involves changing your appearance through diet, posture, skincare, hairstyling and exercise. But more severe measures include DIY "bonesmashing" to reshape facial bones, extreme steroid use and even plastic surgery. Phrases like 'mogging' are also commonly used - a slang term for dominating others, usually in appearance, fitness, or confidence.‌It's a trend that initially formed in online forums for incels - young men who describe themselves as "involuntarily celibate" who promote misoginistic views and blame women for their lack of sexual encounters. The extreme mission of maximizing physical attractiveness (specifically facial features like jawlines and eyes) was designed to overcome perceived sexual rejection.READ MORE: Clavicular hospitalised: Dark moment live stream cuts off after suspected overdoseView 6 ImagesThe 20-year-old has been open about his extreme views about women and what he does to his apperance(Image: clavicular0/Instagram )But now it's seeped onto mainstream social media platforms, with the likes of Andrew Tate creating content wi...