What are “predatory eyes” and why are so many men trying to get them?

Every month, Alex Kabba posts pictures of himself on Reddit for strangers to judge his looks. The 33-year-old has been diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder (BDR), but it has left her wondering “Is my chin receding?” That hasn’t stopped random redditors from asking questions like that. or “Will I need to have surgery to make my forehead smaller?”

Not everyone responds well to that. For example, it is said, “You have a scary vibe.” Or: “You need to lose weight. 3.5/10.”

Kaaba, who says she doesn’t have an iota of confidence, is determined to get hunter eyes, “Eyes of a Predator”. The phenomenon has become an obsession for some men, thanks in part to a popular video on TikTok claiming that highly attractive men have narrow, deep-set eyes – Chris Hemsworth, David Gandy and Robert Pattinson. Think about The corners of Reddit where Kaba works are filled with desperate posts from men trying to change the shape of their eyes. “I wish I had hunter eyes Because I want to be very attractive,” he sighs. “And I’m not attractive at all.”

The predatory eyes of Robert Pattinson. Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

The concept of ‘hunter’s eyes’ is not new. The term originated from the online Blackpill and Lookism forums (where extreme views about appearance are exchanged and where people assess each other’s physical appearance), and refers to the idea that most The eyes of handsome men are slightly slanted inward, like those of a cat or a fox, with drooping eyelids.

Kaba believes that men with predatory eyes look “more imposing and mysterious”. The idea is that men with such eyes are attractive to women because they look like predators such as tigers and cheetahs, and would therefore be quite capable of protecting them (rather than, you know, eating them).

On TikTok alone, videos with the tag “Hunter Eyes” have been viewed 49.6 million times. Men on the other end of the beauty spectrum, according to this mindset, have “prey eyes”—good-natured cow-eyed goofs who appear weak and under-assertive. With his eyes slanting slightly outward, Timothée Chalamet is a prime example of someone with prey-like eyes – even though almost every woman on the internet likes him.

Caba, who lives in Romania, has been saving up for an endless list of cosmetic procedures, including liposuction on her chin and cheeks, hair transplants or hair growth agent minoxidil, augmentation of her upper lip and surgery on her forehead. He also wants surgery on his eyelids because “his eyes slant outward,” and tells VICE there’s one doctor who’s a perfect fit for such surgery: Barry Epley.

Epley works as a plastic surgeon in India and treats mostly male patients. He became a phenomenon on the internet in 2019 an article featured in the magazine New York In which it is told how he operates on Incels who want to be Chad. according to data from american society of plastic surgeons Eight percent of all cosmetic procedures are performed on men, and eyelid surgery is one of the top five procedures most commonly performed on male patients.

What makes Epley relatively special is that it is adept at completely reorganizing faces. With a balanced application of fillers, implants and surgery, he helps men transform their face in search of a more stereotypically masculine appearance.

Epley told VICE that the focus on the male eye first appeared about four years ago and “certainly didn’t exist a decade ago.” The desire for predatory eyes is now “common” among his patients, he says.

“You can make a face more masculine by adding more structure, support and shape, in other words more sharpness,” he says. “Hunter eyes are probably an extreme form of that.”

But many of the examples his patients show him aren’t even real, he says. “They often see gimmicks, like models who squint when they pose.” You also often see pictures of actors and models on reddit forums about predatory eyes. blue SteelLike look at the camera. From the right angle, Chalamet also looks more predator than prey.

Not only has the predatory-eyed look been popularized on TikTok, but a lot of nonsense has been spread about what is physically possible. ,glow up tips for boys”, viewed 2.6 million times, TikTok claims you can get predatory eyes by touching the skin around your eyes pull and push, Countless videos suggest that “meow-meow‘ (by pressing your tongue to the palate) Your jaw may harden and predatory eyes may meet.

At the extreme end of this spectrum, you’ll find “breaking bones”—slapping your face repeatedly in the belief that doing so will give you a chiseled look. This is usually offered as a joke, but there are people on Reddit who claim they do. really tried,

Spoiler: According to plastic surgeon Dr. Ross Perry, maw or bone crunching is unlikely to markedly change the shape of your face or eyes. But they are part of a wider trend of “luxmaxing,” in which men undergo extreme physical improvements through beauty and surgery to improve their lives. At one time the term was confined only to Incel forums, but now it extends to people who are not Incels but are insecure about their appearance – such as Kaba. They engage in luxmaxing practices in hopes of being happier and performing better with women.

Perry, who is medical director at Cosmedix Skin Clinic, says it’s very difficult to get hunter eyes without surgery, “because it requires modifying the anatomy.” The type of surgery required is “highly specialized and delicate”.

Which surgery is needed to bring a predatory look to your face? Epley says it depends on the patient, but in any case, several procedures are needed, including eyebrow transplants and tear duct fillers. The cost of each procedure is between 2330 and 6988 Euro.

Not everyone is as focused on plastic surgery as Kabba. One man, who regularly posts about meowing on beauty self-help forums, tells VICE: “I want predatory eyes, but I’m okay without them because they’re genetic. ”

This Redditor (who wishes to remain anonymous to protect his privacy) posted several updates on his quest for more charm. He says the growing popularity of Predator Eyes is self-evident in their online social circles. He further added that the pressure to become more attractive in general is also high.

“The fact that there are more single people who also have higher demands has created more uncertainty. People want to look better, and eventually they search for ideas about luxmaxing, predatory eyes, purr, posture, etc. Sometimes they find those ideas because they were looking for them, sometimes they come across them by accident,” he explains. But instead of feeling empowered by this mindset, it makes her feel worse: “It made me aware of my own flaws.”

Many men pursuing the predatory gaze seem convinced that women are only attracted to the human version of the jaguar. They believe that they have a better chance in the dating market if they adjust their appearance accordingly. But many people, myself included, can attest to the fact that we are often attracted to men who are tall, well built, and attractive. It’s why Chalamet – a sexy but obsessed Victorian doll – brings women around the world to their knees, and it’s why Pete Davidson – who has eyes like a hoverfly – can hook up with Instagram’s most beautiful women .

And, as Epley says, getting predatory eyes can be incredibly expensive. Do you know what is cheap? confessed to. And if this is not possible for the time being, you can always roll your eyes.