A troubling trend has emerged in the fitness influencer space where young athletes are not only using PEDs but actively promoting their safety to impressionable followers. The latest case involves Connie, a 19-year-old fitness influencer who has sparked controversy by claiming that ster*ids don’t cause facial structure changes despite exhibiting dramatic physical transformations herself.
“Gear does not change your facial structure.”
In a recent Instagram video, Connie responded to critics with that statement. She argued that visible changes in her appearance were due to low body fat percentage rather than ster*id use. However, fitness expert Coach Kolton points out the dangerous misinformation in this claim noting that Connie has undergone significant morphological changes in just 12 months of PED use.
Connie writes: ‘Getting lean means your face gets lean, you can see your jaw line smile lines and cheekbones more, your lips may look larger, and your nose may appear to be larger or smaller, and your eyebags may look smaller, but if you put fat on your face it will look the same as before.’
The science contradicts Connie’s assertions entirely. Decades of research on female-to-male transgender hormone therapy demonstrate that even moderate doses of testosterone (50-70 milligrams) cause measurable facial structure changes within one to two years. These studies provide clear evidence that sex hormones directly influence bone growth and facial morphology through the activation of osteoblast cells.
face in 2023 vs now:
Commenters were having none of it:
“It’s not even a debate. Gear changes female facial structure. I’m sorry if this is hard for you to accept. In the end, it’s everyone’s choice to damage their bodies but please don’t promote dangerous lies. God Bless Stay Golden.”
“Yes, it will change your vocal cord structure, clit growth, hair growth, muscle mass and hormones but it will never change your face structure. Girl. 🤣 Come on now.”
“19 years old…”
“Gear changes facial structure – we all know that it does. I’m not sure why you are even disputing that. It’s not like you are hiding the fact that you are not natural, so why not admit to the side effects?”
“It’s really interesting to watch someone brag about being on gear but deny all the side effects that are proven by science exist. If you wanna blast gear it’s your life and your body—just stand on that.”
“Source: trust me bro”
“You are gorgeous and you have great bone structure! But it does change the jawline for both men and women. Actually can even change the brow line. Jaw muscle can hypertrophy as well which accentuates it.”
“Ya, it does. It also drops your voice to man levels 😂”
“Girls 19 and already showing the exact side effect she claiming gear doesn’t cause. Children should not be pushing misinformation in the fitness industry.”
“Talking in a condescending tone does not mean you’re right 😂”
“I’ve just watched this twice, trying to work out what kind of watch that was on your wrist… I think it’s definitely time I go to bed now.”
“It’s a known fact it changes facial structure. Jaws widen. You can see it on all the top competitors. Let’s not fool ourselves.”
“Gear does in fact change facial structure.
Study Link
‘We examined the objective facial features that influence perceived face sex identity. Male faces develop distinct facial features during adolescence. Testosterone levels correlate with facial features related to “maleness” of the face.’
You can also look at how androgen receptors activate osteoblasts and osteoclasts.
This is science that has been solidified for decades.
Lämmle et al. (2012) used cephalometric analysis to show facial masculinization in female-to-male transgender individuals receiving testosterone.
Hell we’ve had transgender studies for over 10 years. Go read any of them lol.”
“You are conflating two subjects—
The way your face looks on a cut: very defined and sharp lines
vs
The masculine structure you get from gear, especially HGH and T.
If you disagree with what I just said, you are 100% wrong both in science and from every lifter ever. This girl’s a kid. Two years on… she has no clue.”
What makes this situation particularly concerning is the influence young athletes wield over their followers. Connie’s defiant attitude was further displayed in another video where she mocked critics:
“They said I would regret gear in a year and now they give it five. So come back later when I laugh in your face as you tell me give it 10.”
This bravado masks the reality of irreversible changes already occurring. Beyond facial structure alterations, Connie has experienced voice deepening—a permanent side effect that will never reverse. Many female athletes report losing the ability to sing, a common casualty of androgenic steroid use that often goes unmentioned in promotional content.
The situation becomes more complex when considering Connie’s background. According to her former coach, she was determined to use ster*ids from age 16 and began obtaining them from a bodybuilding boyfriend at 18. While her coach attempted to provide safer guidance rather than let her proceed unsupervised, this highlights the broader issue of young athletes rushing into PED use without fully understanding long-term consequences.
Coach Kolton describes bodybuilding culture as a “walled garden” where dangerous practices become normalized through peer reinforcement. Inside this environment, concerning symptoms are dismissed as “part of the journey” preventing athletes from recognizing the severity of their situation until it’s too late.
Connie isn’t just playing with her own health—she’s performing for an audience that’s ready to follow her off the same cliff. When someone with thousands of followers shrugs off permanent voice changes and facial restructuring as minor side effects, she isn’t just dodging accountability—she’s rewriting reality for people who haven’t even grown into their adult bodies yet.
This isn’t empowerment—it’s a glamorized self-experiment broadcast like entertainment. And the cost isn’t measured in likes. It’s in the girls who think they’re getting stronger when they’re actually just getting quieter, raspier, and less able to recognize themselves in the mirror. That silence isn’t confidence. It’s damage, and it doesn’t go away.
Influence isn’t the problem—delusion is. And when that delusion spreads, it stops being personal and starts becoming cultural rot.
