Desireé Oostland
If you frequently experience a puffy face, it could be a sign of an underlying issue. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is a key indicator of stress and metabolic processes. Elevated cortisol levels can lead to noticeable swelling in the face, known as “cortisol face.” In some cases, the condition can be so severe that the face literally becomes circular.
While occasional spikes in cortisol are normal as part of the body’s stress response, consistently high levels can signal a more serious health problem and should be addressed.
How does it happen?
The reasons for high cortisol levels can vary: chronic, emotional or physical stress are the most common causes (because stressful situations activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis – HPA axis – which leads to the release of cortisol). Diseases such as Cushing’s syndrome, in which the body produces too much cortisol, can also be the trigger. However, genetic disorders, medication, dietary habits and hormonal imbalances can also drive up cortisol levels.
Dr Petra Algenstaedt, a preventive, nutritional and metabolic physician and medical director at the UKE Hamburg says: “As a hormone expert, many people present to me with weight gain and metabolic changes with the question of hormonal disorders as the cause of these changes”.
“One cause is increased cortisol production from the adrenal gland or an overproduction of ACTH, the hormone that is produced in the pituitary gland (pituitary gland) and regulates cortisol production in the adrenal gland,” the expert continues. High doses of cortisone can also lead to increased cortisol levels: “Prolonged intake of higher doses of cortisol or overproduction of cortisol from the adrenal gland or pituitary gland lead to so-called Cushing’s syndrome, a rare condition.”
What is a cortisol face?
But how does all this manifest itself on the face? “Elevated cortisol levels often lead to increased fat deposits in the cheeks, which changes the shape of the face”, says the doctor: “It is described as a full moon face”. According to her, a puffy face is caused by increased fat deposits can also lead to a bull neck in the shoulder and neck area. If an excessively high cortisol level is the result of too much stress that has not been triggered by illness, stress eating can also lead to weight gain in the face, which intensifies the cortisol face.
Cortisol is strongly linked to well-being and health
Additional indicators of excess cortisol lead to weight gain, or fat redistribution in the abdominal area. It is the so-called truncal obesity with abdominal girth increase and less fat distribution in the arm and leg area. Other physical symptoms can be attributed to the high cortisol levels. Especially if the excess cortisol persists over a longer period—months or years: “High blood pressure, increased body hair, acne, wound healing disorders and myopathies then often continue to develop.”