The parents of a Canadian teenager were thrown into a panic after discovering their son was missing. They later learned he had traveled to a controversial “looksmaxxing” bootcamp and was now considering $40,000 facial surgery, according to a report.
William Munro, 19, of Ontario, secretly flew to Los Angeles to attend “Camp Looksmax,” a retreat centered on the Gen Z trend of improving male attractiveness through intensive grooming, physical changes and cosmetic procedures, USA Today reported.
Munro was among 15 young men who took part in the seven-day event, which was organized by the embattled influencer Clavicular. The online figure has faced criticism over misogynistic comments, his association with Andrew Tate and rape charges that were later dropped.
“It was a super radical decision,” Munro, who paid $7,000 to attend, told the outlet. “I just thought, I’m a young kid. Money comes and goes. So might as well get the experience out.”
After noticing that he was missing from his bedroom, Munro’s parents called him at the airport. He said he offered them a “really basic explanation” of looksmaxxing and falsely claimed he had won the trip through a YouTuber’s giveaway.
Munro, a business major at Western University, now says he is considering a major facial operation that could cost $40,000, according to the outlet.
He described himself as a “decent-looking guy” with a good physique but said he wanted to place “more focus” on his “actual aesthetic face-wise,” the outlet reported.
During the camp, Munro learned about double jaw surgery, a procedure that repositions the upper and lower jaws to correct issues such as underbites. Although it can be medically necessary, some people pursue it primarily to change their appearance, and the operation can carry risks.
The looksmaxxing movement first gained traction in online incel and manosphere forums. It has since drawn criticism for promoting cosmetic surgery and dangerous do-it-yourself practices, including the disturbing technique known as “bonesmashing.”
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Utah Parking Garage Adds Slides to Help People Exit Its Four-Story Building
Bonesmashing involves striking the jaw with a hammer in the belief that it will create a sharper jawline. There is no evidence that the practice works.
Munro registered for the camp while rape charges against Clavicular were still active, but said he believes the influencer’s denial.
Clavicular was facing the charges during the camp, but they were dropped on Oct. 13.
Munro said he funded the $7,000 bootcamp fee with money he had earned over several years doing “odd jobs,” according to the outlet.
The first week of Camp Looksmax was promoted as an educational retreat and livestreamed around the clock on Clavicular’s Kick channel beginning Oct. 1.
Clavicular presented the event as an opportunity for aspiring male influencers to stay in a mansion with a private chef while receiving advice on grooming, fashion and flirting with women.
Munro said attending the camp also changed how he approaches women.
“You go see a hot chick. Go try to hit on her, like, it doesn’t matter,” he said.
“You just got to go out, talk to people, make connections. You know, you see people you think are cool. Just go say anything. Go say hi.”
He said most of his friends “think it’s real cool” that he attended the camp, adding that “probably every person” his age knows Clavicular’s name.