DDoes your face sometimes swell? Do you sometimes experience the feeling called “stress”? According to some of the best medical thinkers (TikTok influencers) on the planet, these are not just an inevitable result of existence. These are signs that you may have what’s called a “cortisol face.”
Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. According to hundreds of clips on social media, too much stress, and by extension too much cortisol, results in a round, swollen face. “You’re not ugly, you just have a cortisol face.” popular refrain Among these video. In their posts, users share before-and-after images of themselves changing from a round, plump face to a thinner face with protruding cheekbones and a sharper jawline.
“You get a double chin, swollen eyelids, and sagging cheeks because high cortisol is silently changing the look of your face.” video claims.
Other than blatant fat shaming, there’s no science to these messages at all. “‘Cortisol face’ is not a recognized medical term,” explains Dr. Priya Jaisinghani, an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Health.
Prolonged high levels of cortisol can have negative health effects. Over time, excess cortisol can cause symptoms such as: cushing syndromeIt is a condition that can lead to high blood pressure, bone loss, and in some cases type 2 diabetes. But experts say Cushing’s syndrome is relatively rare.
We asked experts for the truth behind this new wellness term.
What is cortisol and how does it affect our health?
“Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands,” says Dr. Adam Friedman, professor and chair of the dermatology department at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He explains that it plays an important role in many functions of the body, including regulating metabolism, managing immunity and stress responses, and maintaining blood pressure.
“We can’t survive without adequate amounts of cortisol,” Friedman says. However, too much of it is a “bad thing”.
Your doctor can check your cortisol levels by testing your blood, urine, and saliva.
What is Cushing’s syndrome?
According to Dr. Maria Freseliu, director of the Pituitary Center at Oregon Health & Science University, there are two types of Cushing’s syndrome: extrinsic (the result of factors outside the body) and intrinsic (the result of factors inside the body). That’s what it means.
Exogenous Cushing’s syndrome usually occurs as a result of steroid treatment, especially glucocorticoid drugs such as cortisone and prednisone. These can increase cortisol levels in the body.
This is much more common than intrinsic Cushing’s syndrome, which is caused by pituitary tumors or adrenal gland disease.
While daily stress can contribute to weight gain, Friedman says it’s unlikely to lead to weight gain “to the extent that we see in medical syndromes like Cushing’s syndrome.”
“Cushing’s syndrome is rare,” says Dr. Freseliou, who estimates that the number of cases of endogenous Cushing’s syndrome worldwide is four to five per million people per year.
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Is cortisol face real?
Kind of, but not in the way it’s commonly discussed on TikTok. As Jaisinghani says, it’s not a medical term.
Weight gain in the face and neck is a common symptom of Cushing’s syndrome, but that alone is not enough for a diagnosis, Freseliu says. “The clinical diagnosis of Cushing’s disease is very difficult,” she explains. Freseliu says he looks for “multiple symptoms” when determining whether a patient has the disease.
Other symptoms of Cushing’s disease include pink or purple stretch marks on the stomach, high blood pressure, thin skin that bleeds easily, a lump of fat between the shoulders, and limbs that remain thin on the face and torso. This includes weight gain.
How do we regulate cortisol levels?
The risk of developing Cushing’s syndrome is relatively low. But Jaisinghani says people can manage their stress and cortisol levels by taking care of their overall health. She suggests “maintaining a nutritious diet, getting enough, quality sleep, staying well hydrated, and incorporating stress reduction strategies.”
If you are diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome, treatment varies. In exogenous cases, it’s important not to stop or reduce the use of glucocorticoid drugs without medical supervision, Freseliu cautions. “Stopping steroids too soon can lead to adrenal crisis,” she explains.
For endogenous Cushing’s disease, patients may take drugs or undergo surgery or radiation therapy to remove the tumor. These treatments are usually successful. “We can now bring remission to almost everyone,” Freseliu says.
If you think your cortisol levels are high, don’t look to TikTok for answers. “If you’re concerned about your cortisol levels, it’s important to talk to your doctor,” Jaisinghani says.
