Do you have 'cortisol face' or is that just your face?

Looking for a new thing to obsess over? Great! Welcome. Please take an adrenal smoothie and find a seat while we introduce you to the internet's latest fixation: 'cortisol face'.

Yes! If you're a lady who frequents social media, you'll know that cortisol is, in fact, the word of the month. It's everywhere you look right now and everyone is very concerned about 'fixing' it and I just... I really need to talk about it. Immediately.

From 'low cortisol workouts' to 'cortisol challenges' and 'cortisol supplements', if you're anything like me you have suddenly become hyper-aware of cortisol and the fact that you need to keep your stress levels low so you're not getting around with a 'moon face'.

Allow me to explain. 

Watch: Speaking of skin, here's Amanda Ramsay about skin over 50. Post continues below.

According to the internet, apparently high levels of cortisol can result in a symptom dubbed 'cortisol face' — a topic on TikTok with over 133 million views.

The term refers to puffiness and inflammation in the face because of high levels of stress. 

For example, in one viral clip, content creator @itsbrookeelle shared her 'before' photo with her followers, saying: "I think I had the worst case of cortisol face ever." 

"Excuse me, who is that?" she asks while pointing at her then-round face. "That’s not me. Where’s my jawline?"

Have a peek below. 

@itsbrookeelle I literally dont even recognize myself WHAT 🫠 #cortisolface #cortisol #cortisollevels #cortisolimbalance #glowup #howtoglowup #faceglowup #faceslimming #facetransformation #lensbuddy ♬ original sound - Brooke Elle

Thoughts? Feelings? 

You gotta admit, she does look very different. Her facial features look undoubtedly sharper. More chiselled. Less puffy.

So, can stress levels really impact your face and give you rounder features and a heavier jawline? And if so, how can you get rid of it?

Walk with me.

What is cortisol face?

Let's start with what cortisol actually... is... shall we? Feels necessary.

Biology caps on, please. Put simply, cortisol is a stress hormone and it is produced by your two adrenal glands (FYI: these sit on top of each kidney). It's the kind of stuff that starts pumping through your veins when you're in fight-or-flight mode. Which, for me, is when I have to answer my phone or talk to more than two people at once.

In any case, when you're stressed, cortisol is released into your bloodstream and it can have a variety of different effects on the body — and they're not all bad! Goodness, cortisol isn't a bad guy. Just a little misunderstood, it seems.

Because while having a little bit of it getting around is a very important thing for a healthy and functioning body (regulating metabolism, telling you when to sleep, etc.) too much of it can apparently cause some ~issues~.

Some of these symptoms can show up on the skin and inflammation and swelling — hence the cute and very endearing term, 'cortisol face'.

Is it a real thing?

In 2024, you gotta take most of these fluffy terms floating around TikTok with a pinch of salt, because there's an awful lot of BS out there. Ooft, you wouldn't believe how much. (Lots). 

However, there is a wee bit of truth in this one. According to experts, high levels of cortisol can actually lead to inflammation of the face because of the impact of fluid retention. 

Chronic stress, whether the result of a high-pressure job, financial worries or relationships, can keep your body in that 'fight-or-flight' mode and the effects of it can show up on your face.

Image: TikTok/@stephflockhart.

Importantly, there's also an *actual* condition caused by an over-production of cortisol — it's called Cushing's syndrome. 

According to Mayo Clinic, some of the main symptoms include facial redness, roundness of the face, pink or purple stretch marks and a fatty hump between the shoulders. (If any of this sounds familiar, it's important to see a doctor).

However, it's also important to note that not all signs of a puffy, bloated face mean you're suffering from high levels of cortisol. Just because you have a round face doesn't mean you need a diagnosis and treatment.

As dermatologist Dr Psomadakis explained to the New York Times, "I think the ‘cortisol face’ trend is trying to explain a perceived cosmetic issue, like a round face, and trying to medicalise it, in order to be able to take control of fixing it."  

"All the symptoms that people are describing, I can medically explain through a constellation of factors — as opposed to just one."

How do you fix it?

Along with people sharing before and after photos of their faces, the internet has now become hell-bent on getting rid of facial puffiness — and in turn, 'cortisol face'. 

For example, in a recent TikTok video, wellness influencer Mandana Zhargami shared her routine for reducing high levels of stress and combating a puffy face. 

"I did a lot of research on how to fix this naturally," she told her followers, before touching on "remedies such as "hormone-balance tea" and switching to low-impact exercises like yoga as opposed to weight lifting. 

See below:

@mandanazarghami 3 natural ways to get rid of that cortisol face✨ #health #wellness #healthtips #cortisollevels #insulinresistance #creatorsearchinsights #bloating #glowuptips ♬ original sound - Mandana

One comment read: "You're not ugly, and you don't have cortisol face. Don't listen to people on social media." 

Hear, hear.

It's important to note that your cortisol levels fluctuate regularly and the body literally controls all of these levels for us. That's its *actual* job. The same thing goes for things like lymphatic drainage. Because here's the thing: removing 'toxins' from your skin is physiologically impossible. Just ask science.

While lowering your stress levels is always a good thing (absolutely no one wants to live in fight-or-flight mode, ever), when it comes to all of those special teas, supplements and crazy diets for 'lowering cortisol' levels, we'd recommend steering clear and seeing a doctor if you have any worries.

What do you think of the buzz around 'cortisol face'? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: TikTok/@stephflockhart.