What Is Cortisol Face? — and Can Stress Really Change Your Appearance?
What to know about the social media trending topic “cortisol face” as many are blaming the stress hormone for their increase of facial swelling and puffiness
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“Cortisol face” is currently a trending topic on social media as many people are blaming the stress hormone for their increase of facial swelling and puffiness.
Cortisol is the primary stress hormone that’s produced and released by the adrenal glands, which are the triangle-shaped organs on top of the kidneys. It affects nearly every organ and tissue in the body, the Cleveland Clinic explains.
It takes part in regulating the body’s response to stress, suppressing inflammation, regulating blood pressure, increasing blood sugar, helping manage the body’s metabolism and helping control the body’s sleep-wake cycle.
Cortisol levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day and they can spike in response to stress or other triggers. Both lower-than-normal and higher-than-normal cortisol levels can be harmful to your health.
High cortisol levels can cause symptoms like weight gain, especially in the face and abdomen, muscle weakness in the arms and thighs, weak bones, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, wide and purple stretch marks on the abdomen and fatty deposits between the shoulder blades.
That facial swelling and bloating, which often results in a round and puffy appearance, is what people are characterizing as “cortisol face.”
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However, experts note that everyday stress does not raise cortisol levels high enough or long enough to cause significant swelling in the face or puffiness.
“It would have to be very, very high levels of stress for it to have a more visible, non-transient effect,” Dr. Rajita Sinha, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center, told The New York Times.
Those symptoms typically only present themselves when the body frequently produces too much cortisol — a very rare hormonal disorder called Cushing’s syndrome. This is the same condition that Amy Schumer has. She revealed her diagnosis in January after fans began questioning why she had a "puffier" face during her promo tour for season 2 of Life & Beth.
“I think the ‘cortisol face’ trend is trying to explain a perceived cosmetic issue, like a round face, and trying to medicalize it, in order to be able to take control of fixing it,” Dr. Cristina Psomadakis, London-based dermatologist, told the outlet.
Although cortisol levels may be higher when an individual is stressed, Psomadakis said, “that doesn’t necessarily amount to a disease or a disease process.”
Those who may be concerned with their cortisol levels can consult with their doctor in order to determine if there are any underlying health problems. Healthcare providers can measure cortisol levels through blood, urine or saliva tests.
Otherwise, those who are experiencing stress-related “cortisol face” are encouraged to practice typical stress management techniques. This includes physical activity, healthy diet, proper and quality sleep, guided meditation, deep breathing and more.
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