Experts Say Miley Cyrus’ Sexy Image Is Hurting Her More Than Helping

Although Miley Cyrus has been embracing her wild side as of late, experts are saying that this drastic image change may not be beneficial to her career as an entertainer.

Recently, Miley Cyrus has been making headlines for things like smoking cigarettes, ripping bongs filled with salvia, and for her revealing outfit choices. FOX spoke to some experts who weighed in on Cyrus' jump from 'Hannah Montana' to bona fide bad girl, and they all seem to agree that it was a bad move for Miley.

"Few entertainers can transition, and Ron Howard did, from lovable child actor in 'The Andy Griffith Show' to memorable adult actor in 'Happy Days' and 'American Graffiti,' to award-winning director of 'Apollo 13,'" Jason Maloni, a crisis communication expert working for Levick Strategic Communications , said to FOX411’s Pop Tarts column.

"Miley Cyrus should aspire to be on that level and the first step is hard work. Unfortunately, it seems she isn’t far from the path many young adults follow: Exploring adulthood; testing the boundaries around them; and flirting with danger through reckless behavior," Maloni continued. "The road ahead for Miley is to master her craft. Whether her future lay in music or acting, she needs to be studying at the feet of the best producers and directors there are, and also, watching the older artists and performers around her to learn from their mistakes as well as their successes."

In addition to Maloni's opinion on the Miley matter, FOX also spoke with Michelle Groover, a Public Relations professor at Georgia Southern University. "I believe for the young fans who have grown up with her, while she is trying to assert her independence, she is alienating this one-time target audience,” she said. "With 'Hannah Montana' still airing on ABC Saturday mornings, her fans are confused by what they see on the program with what they see on an entertainment website, a magazine they see and/or hear their parents discuss. Many of her fans are too young to understand the difference between the actress as a real person and the role she plays on the show.”

FOX asked a rep for Miley Cyrus to add a comment, but they refused. Maloni pretty much summed it up for all of us, adding, "At this point, Miley could be a flame, or flame out." We hope it isn't the latter.