“Cortisol Face”: Is This Phenomenon Supposedly Responsible for a Puffy Face Proven?

On Tiktok, in recent months, a new fear has taken over the beautistas: that of having a “cortisol face” – you know, puffy face due to too high cortisol levels. In this particular case the dark circles would be more marked, the shape of the face rounder, the face more puffy and the acne more intense than usual. Remember that cortisol is a hormone that is secreted when we are under pressure and stressed. For this reason it is nicknamed “stress hormone”.

Many Internet users support thishaving too much cortisol contributes to that puffy look and unwanted for the face. Are these statements true? Let’s disentangle the true from the false.

The “cortisol face” is demonstrated if you suffer from certain medical conditions

Our colleagues at HuffPost* decided to interview two experts on the topic to delve deeper into the issue. And their conclusions should reassure those who are most concerned. According to them, in fact, even if you have higher than normal levels of cortisol due to the stressful context in which you find yourself, These levels are of course too low to generate the physical metamorphoses that we attribute to the “moon face” phenomenon.

In fact, cortisol has a significant impact on the appearance of your face if and only if you have a medical condition that causes the level to skyrocket. We are thinking of Cushing’s syndrome or even polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Another scenario where cortisol would dramatically alter the shape of the face:

When people take and/or ingest cortisol for medical reasons, for long periods of time and in high doses*, explains Dr Mehboob Hussain.

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So be careful not to take everything people say on Tiktok at their word.

A puffy face is not only linked to high cortisol levels

Moreover, the puffy face is not only related to the level of the stress hormone: It can also result from metabolic syndrome, obesity, or even diabetesrecalls endocrinologist Mehboob Hussain.* It is therefore advisable to look in this direction before shouting too quickly at a too high cortisol level.

Furthermore, the endocrinology specialist reminds us that we should not demonize or despise this hormone unjustifiably: it is in fact essential for the functioning of our organism and the maintenance of our good health.

Without cortisol, many of your body’s functions would not function properly. Plus, no cortisol would mean you would die if you didn’t have treatment to fix it.*

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But it is true that acne can be caused by an increase in the secretion of cortisol

If stress and secreted cortisol fail to transform the shape of a person’s face to such an extent; on the other hand, they can have an impact on the appearance of the skin and, in particular, on acne. You don’t have to suffer from any of the above medical conditions. We’ll explain that to you.

Stress actually causes an increase in cortisol levels, and this increase in cortisol levels can itself lead to an increase in androgen secretion. However, when androgen levels are too high, this is very likely to happen. your body produces more sebum.

And if you have too much sebum, you also have excess bacteria and dead skin cells that build up on your skin, clog pores and lead to acne (…) Some studies also show that a stress-induced increase in cortisol is associated with worsening acne symptoms*, suggests Dr. Divya Yogi-Morren.

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After reading this article, if you have any doubts and still think that your cortisol level is too high, the best thing to consider is to consult a health professional. It is always better than worrying on your own: if you do it too much, you really risk making your cortisol level explode…