Does the amount of cortisol in your body change how your face looks? An @OSUWexMed endocrinologist explains what hormonal changes can lead t
“Cortisol face” isn’t an official diagnosis
There’s no medical condition called “cortisol face.” It is a misconception that the actual cortisol buildup is leading to a puffy face. But this facial feature has been described in the medical field — we’ve called it “moon face” — and it absolutely can be induced by high cortisol levels.
It’s a combination of fat accumulation and soft issue swelling, associated with thinning of the skin. All of this can lead to a more round-looking, puffy face with pinker cheeks.
This can happen if the body gets exposed to sustained high levels of cortisol for a long period of time, such as when we use high doses of steroid-containing medications, or it can be induced by a tumor in our body that keeps secreting cortisol without control.
I figured that all the tiktok people concerned with cortisol face were only trying to sell their various products; it’s interesting that high levels of cortisol can affect how your face looks though. Considering that cortisol levels would need to be affected by steroid-containing medications or a tumor… it’s safe to say that day-to-day stress levels aren’t going to give you the dreaded moon face 🌝
article dated September 2024