Do You Have "Cortisol Face" Or Just A Naturally Round Face?

TikTok has been on a cortisol kick. It started months ago with low-cortisol workouts that aimed to be as low-key and stress-free as possible. Right now it’s all about “cortisol face” — a topic with over 133 million views on the app. The term refers to cortisol, aka the stress hormone, and how it might be responsible for facial puffiness.

In a viral video posted June 27, creator @itsbrookeelle said, “I think I had the worst case of cortisol face ever.” She moves aside in her TikTok to reveal a picture of herself with a rounder face. “Excuse me, who is that?” she asks while pointing at her now-chiseled facial features. “That’s not me. Where’s my jawline?”

Brooke went on to say that, at the time, she was exercising six days a week and stressing about school. After changing her workout and managing her mental health, she noticed that her facial puffiness completely changed. In her comments one person said, “Tell me how to lower my stress then, please” while another wrote, “Yeah, I have severe cortisol face the last two years. I want it to go away. I have to regulate my nervous system.”

Creator @witnesswellness also revealed the way her face changed once she lowered her stress and started taking supplements. Her viral video, posted May 9, shows her cortisol face before and after — and there is a noticeable difference. In her comments one person wrote, “I had that too! It’s better now that I started taking magnesium and vitamin D.” Another chimed in to say, “The moment I stopped stressing [...] all the puffiness went down.”

Is Cortisol Face Real?

According to Dr. Hannah Kopelman, a dermatologist at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery and host of the weekly podcast called Derm Club, cortisol face is very real. “Excess cortisol — the hormone released in response to stress — really can lead to facial puffiness,” she tells Bustle. “This is because cortisol can cause fluid retention, which may result in a rounder, puffier face.”

Cortisol comes from your adrenal glands located by your kidneys. It starts pumping when you’re in fight-or-flight mode to help you get away from danger. “It also plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation, and controlling the sleep-wake cycle,” she says.

While it’s a necessary hormone, puffiness and other side effects might crop up if you’re chronically stressed from work demands, intense exercise routines, lack of sleep, or a poor diet. These factors can keep you in a chronic state of overwhelm, and they can impact the way you look and feel. Kopelman also points to Cushing’s syndrome, a condition caused by an over-production of cortisol, that can lead to a red, round face, as well as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other symtpoms.

It’s a good idea to get checked by a doctor if you notice changes in your body or if you’re worried about your health, but there are things you can do on your own to feel better, too.

How Can You Fix Cortisol Face?

While there are quite a few ways to reduce your cortisol levels and get rid of inflammation, lowering your stress is at the top of the list.

“Techniques such as mindfulness meditation, yoga, regular exercise, and adequate sleep can all help manage stress and lower cortisol levels, leading to a more balanced and less puffy appearance,” she says. “By managing stress, you prevent the body from producing excess cortisol, thereby reducing fluid retention.”

Adding a few supplements into the mix can be helpful, too, though you should always ask your doctor first before trying anything new.

• Ashwagandha: Adaptogen that’s known for its ability to reduce stress and lower cortisol levels.
• Vitamin D: Plays a role in stress reduction and also helps reduce inflammation.
• Magnesium: Mineral that’s been shown to reduce anxiety and improve sleep.
• L-theanine: Amino acid that plays a role in lowering cortisol levels in your body.
• Rhodiola rosea: Herb that may help suppress cortisol.
• Phosphatidylserine: Phospholipid that reduces cortisol levels and improves mood and cognitive function.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in fish oil, these acids help lower cortisol levels by reducing inflammation and improving your overall stress response.

The Takeaway

On TikTok many people have pointed out that your face shape can change as you get older, while others worry the “cortisol face” trend is just another way to nit-pick your appearance. Cortisol face isn’t the same thing as having a naturally round face or a less-than-defined jawline, and that’s why Kopelman calls this trend is a “double-edged sword.”

“On one hand, it raises awareness about the effects of stress on the body, which is important,” she says. “Understanding the impact of stress on your health can encourage you to seek healthier lifestyles and stress management techniques.”

On the other hand, it’s important not to zero in on perceived imperfections, and especially ones that are trending on Tiktok. “Also, self-diagnosis and treatment based on social media trends can be misleading and potentially harmful,” she says. “It's always best to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice and treatment.”

Studies referenced:

Akpınar, Ş. (2022). Is Vitamin D Important in Anxiety or Depression? What Is the Truth? Curr Nutr Rep. doi: 10.1007/s13668-022-00441-0.

Hidese, S. (2019). Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. doi: 10.3390/nu11102362.

Madison, AA. (2021). Omega-3 supplementation and stress reactivity of cellular aging biomarkers: an ancillary substudy of a randomized, controlled trial in midlife adults. Mol Psychiatry. doi: 10.1038/s41380-021-01077-2.

O'Byrne, NA. (2021). Sleep and Circadian Regulation of Cortisol: A Short Review. Curr Opin Endocr Metab Res. doi: 10.1016/j.coemr.2021.03.011.

Olsson, EM. (2009). A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the standardised extract shr-5 of the roots of Rhodiola rosea in the treatment of subjects with stress-related fatigue. Planta Med. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1088346.

Thau, L. (2023). Physiology, Cortisol. [Updated 2023 Aug 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538239/.

Source:

Dr. Hannah Kopelman, dermatologist at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery