Beginner's roadmap — where to start if you're new here

If you're new to this community and feeling overwhelmed, this post is for you. The amount of information here can be paralysing. Here's a structured starting point.

Step 1 — The non-negotiables that apply to everyone: sleep 7-9 hours, drink 2-3 litres of water daily, wear sunscreen SPF30+ every morning, fix your posture (shoulders back, chin level, nasal breathing), get a good haircut appropriate for your face shape.

Step 2 — Low effort, high reward: start a basic skincare routine (cleanser, moisturiser, SPF). Once established, add tretinoin if accessible. If you have any signs of hair loss, research finasteride and minoxidil now. Gym or home training, 3x per week minimum.

Step 3 — Intermediate: learn your colour season and update your wardrobe. Study your actual facial structure and proportions before deciding what to change.

Step 4 — Advanced (only after 6+ months of basics): explore surgical or procedural options for specific concerns the above doesn't address.

Do not skip steps. I see people researching jaw implants when they're 20% body fat, or trying to book rhinoplasties when they don't even have a skincare routine. Do the work in order.

The "do not skip steps" point is the most important thing here and the most ignored. The foundational stuff — sleep, skincare, training, posture — is boring to talk about and takes months to show results. So people research surgery threads instead. But a 3-month consistent tret + training + posture protocol will do more for 90% of people than any single surgical intervention.

Bookmarking this to link to anyone who posts asking where to start. This is the answer.

This was literally the post I needed when I found this forum. I was reading about surgery and procedures in my first week and hadn't even established a skincare routine. Wish I'd found this roadmap sooner.

Good structure. I'd add one thing to Step 1: take progress photos. Standardised photos (same lighting, same angle, same distance, once a month) are the only way to actually see progress over time. Memory is terrible at tracking gradual change. Without photos you will both overestimate some changes and miss others entirely.