A former pupil of Marlborough College has sparked controversy by earning £220,000 through promoting so-called 'looksmaxxing' techniques, which he claims can 'cure ugliness'. Oscar Patel, aged 20, sells a $39 monthly membership to a community of around 6,600 followers, offering advice on maximising physical attractiveness. The term 'looksmaxxing' was popularised by online streamer Clavicular, real name Braden Peters, and refers to an internet subculture predominantly consisting of young men seeking to enhance their appearance.
Controversial Methods and Medical Criticism
Mr Patel has adopted techniques from Clavicular, including 'thumb pulling', where he presses the roof of his mouth with his thumbs for several minutes. These methods have gained traction within the online 'incel' community, a term for individuals who feel involuntarily celibate. Medical professionals have expressed concern, warning that Mr Patel and similar influencers are hijacking legitimate research and attracting young men into cult-like communities without scientific backing.
Misrepresentation of Internship
In his videos, Mr Patel claims he interned at the Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences (AAMS) in Los Angeles, a non-profit organisation that hosts international conferences. Myofunctional therapy is considered a fringe practice within dentistry, with exercises that may correct serious breathing, swallowing, and chewing disorders. However, Samantha Weaver, a founding member of AAMS and director of the Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (AOMT) in California, stated that Mr Patel never interned there. She accused him of using their name to gain credibility and preying on self-conscious young people. 'He did not intern and we have asked him many times to remove any reference to us. He is just taking people's money and taking advantage of what people want, which is to look better. It's a cult inside social media,' she told The Telegraph.
Potential Harm and Parental Concerns
Ms Weaver revealed she had received emails from concerned parents whose children had paid Mr Patel hundreds of pounds. She warned that untrained individuals could cause problems such as jaw pain, headaches, and disrupted sleep. 'To be able to identify what people have, rather than blanket teaching, that is where someone like Oscar could be doing more harm,' she added, comparing him to a guru making people believe his methods are a golden ticket.
Claims of Personal Transformation
Mr Patel has claimed on social media that he was bullied as a child due to his ambiguous appearance. He asserts that without surgery, he has cured his asthma, sleep apnoea, and scoliosis, and improved his nose symmetry, crooked teeth, overbite, and flat feet. His website states: 'Changing your facial structure isn't magic - it's biology. Your bones are not static. They're dynamic, living tissue that constantly remodels based on the forces applied to them. This is the principle behind orthotropics, the science that shows how correct muscle posture drives healthy bone growth.'
Origins of Looksmaxxing
Looksmaxxing originated on forums like Lookism.net in the early 2010s. The incel culture embraces the 'black pill' ideology, which posits that attractiveness is genetic and those born with unfavourable features must 'ascend' to improve them. Mr Patel's methods follow the teachings of the late Dr John Mew, whose 'orthotropics' theory from the 1970s and 80s gave rise to looksmaxxing influencers. Dr Mew experimented with facial masks on patients, including his son Mike Mew, who continued the practice. Both were struck off the General Dental Council's register but created a movement known as 'mewing'. Dr Mike Mew has endorsed Mr Patel, stating: 'Without any qualifications, without going to dental or medical school, he's managed to come up with some really interesting answers.'
Professional Condemnation
Grant McIntyre, vice-president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and dean of the college's Faculty of Dental Surgery, described Mr Patel's methods as 'deeply misleading and harmful'. He noted that 'thumb pulling' lacks scientific evidence and data to support claims of addressing asthma or sleep apnoea. Mr Patel has been contacted for comment but has not responded.
