Young men are ‘voicemaxxing’ to sound more attractive. But women aren’t impressed

"Voicemaxxing" is the latest TikTok trend promising to optimize men's voices to attract women. Proponents claim a deeper voice increases a man's success with women, offering exercises and apps to train young men to sound more "manly". However, this trend may not deliver the desired results for those seeking to enhance their dating prospects.

The larynx, or voice box, is crucial in shaping pitch. Its length, thickness, and tension determine voice quality. Testosterone thickens vocal folds during puberty, causing men's voices to be deeper than women's. Once the anatomy of the voice box is set, the tone is adjusted by resonance in the throat, mouth, and nasal cavities.

To promote a deeper voice, TikTok users recommend legitimate voice training techniques such as humming exercises, using head and chest voice, diaphragmatic breathing, and staying hydrated. However, speculative methods like neck crunches, mewing (tongue placement to encourage nasal breathing), and apps like Voicemax and Voicemax AI claim to train the voice to sound more masculine and attractive.

Despite the allure of voicemaxxing, it fails to make men sound more attractive to women. Deep voices are associated with dominance, which can influence men's decisions in competitive situations. Women consistently rate deeper voices as more attractive, especially during the most fertile periods. Yet, faking a deeper voice does not improve a man's chances of attracting women.

Moreover, voicemaxxing may have negative impacts on men's health. Practicing artificially low pitches can cause muscle tension dysphonia, leading to strained, rough, or breathy voices. Additionally, taking testosterone to alter one's voice comes with significant health risks. Lastly, others can detect a fake lowered pitch, making the practice unsustainable and unlikely to enhance a man's appeal in women's eyes.