Looksmaxxing

It is easy to laugh at young people who measure themselves in the mirror and try to improve every detail of their appearance, but perhaps they are simply playing by the rules the world has taught them. Perhaps they are the result, not the cause — an entire generation grew up in front of filters, algorithms, influencers, and photos of celebrities that have been retouched and edited, and received...

Ben Gandis is only 24 years old and has undergone a series of numerous surgeries to improve his appearance: nose, eyebrows, fat removal, jaw, dental alignment, eye lenses, and more. Following the 'looksmaxxing' trend, a great deal of discourse has arisen online, especially due to the surgery he is about to undergo on his private part.

Ben Gandis started training due to body image issues, reached the YAMAM, and was wounded by an explosive device two weeks before his discharge. After reaching what he calls "the bottom of appearance," he adopted looksmaxxing and took it to the extreme: from rhinoplasty and injections to changing eye structure and the possibility of limb lengthening. But the change also took a toll: "I stopped...