Biohacker’s ‘Face Blows Up’ Moment in Bold Anti-Aging Experiment

Bryan Johnson—tech entrepreneur, biohacker, and devotee of Project Blueprint—has become famous for spending around $2 million per year on anti-aging regimens.

But even with rigorous routines and teams of doctors, not every experiment goes as planned. Recently, Johnson revealed a dramatic misstep during what he calls Project Baby Face: a fat injection procedure intended to restore youthful volume to his gaunt face, which backfired badly.

Fat Injections Went Wrong for the Biohacker

Johnson’s strict calorie restriction stripped his face of essential fat, making him appear elderly and hollow. To counteract this, he injected donor-derived extracellular fat tissue to stimulate volume restoration. But immediately afterward, his entire face “blew up” with swelling so severe he temporarily lost vision in one eye. Johnson described it as “worse and worse” until he could barely see.

Candid images posted on Instagram showed the horrifying puffiness and discoloration, prompting him to wonder if he’d need “life-saving actions.” Thankfully, within seven days, the swelling subsided and his face returned to normal.

Project Blueprint: The Cost of Anti-Aging Ambition

Johnson’s flagship longevity initiative, Project Blueprint, aims to optimize all major organ systems to function like those of an 18-year-old. His daily protocol includes early rising, sauna, hyperbaric oxygen, six minutes of red-light therapy, a strict vegan diet, 90 daily supplements, and continuous biometric tracking.

He’s open about every step, even using his teenage son’s blood in prior experiments. The fat injection was the first serious complication, though not the last. The biohacker continues to test aggressive approaches, including microdosing GLP‑1 drugs like tirzepatide, known for diabetes and obesity therapy, hoping they may also slow aging.

Ethical and Health Concerns

Johnson’s practices stir controversy. Critics argue that self-experimentation carries unknown risks, especially with off-label or unproven therapies. Prominent medical experts caution that injecting donor fat or using weight-loss drugs without medical need can lead to serious adverse reactions like pancreatitis, nutrient deficiency, or immunologic complications.

Some social media voices question the extreme lengths the biohacker goes to—could simpler lifestyle changes offer better yields? Yet Johnson asserts that radical innovation often demands radical methods.

A Philosophical Pivot for the Biohacker

Despite the dangers, Johnson remains undeterred. He sees himself as both inventor and test subject: “Building a product is one thing; being the product is a whole different thing.” His willingness to share failures publicly underscores this theory-of-experiment approach to life extension.

You might also want to read: Tech Billionaire, 46, Spends $2 Million a Year to Reverse His Aging