Is it true that a “cortisol face” arises from regular stress?

In social networks, the mention of the “cortisol face” is often found-certain external changes in people who are constantly experiencing a high level of cortisol due to daily stress. We decided to check if there is such a relationship.

The hashtags #Cortisollevels and #HOWTOREDUCECORTISOL have already been used 140 million times, and Google reported an increase in the topic by 400% for the past year alone. Articles on the influence of cortisol on appearance published Life.ru, Radio "Komsomolskaya Pravda" And the magazine The Girl. Some publications in detail write about the dangers of a high level of cortisol, while others Report Readers: ““ cortisol face ”is not a medical term at all, but an Internet train, around which there are too many distortions and charlatanism like treatment with bone broth.” Nevertheless, both of them publish tips on how to get rid of negative effects.

Under the "cortisol face" in social networks I mean specific appearance, which is especially expressed In the morning before the departure of makeup. This is primarily edema, especially in the lower third of the face (an area of ​​Brylya) and cheekbones, redness, rashes, dark circles under the eyes. Also with an increased level of cortisol Bind decrease in libido, bloating, the formation of fat deposits. To solve the problem, the authors of publications offer to start avoiding stress in any way, as well as use special pillows for sleeping, facial massages, abandon caffeine, take 10,000 steps per day and take a variety of dietary supplements.

The term "cortisol face" has become especially popular After the appearance of the American comedy actress Amy Schumer in a number of television programs in the late 2023 - early 2024. Then users of social networks drew attention to the starring and reddened face of the star and diagnosed her: “cortisol face”. At first Schumer Related I wrote to these comments with irony on February 5 on her Instagram*: “Thank you for such close attention to my face. I enjoy your thoughts and feedback about my appearance, like all other women, for more than 20 years. ” She also reminded the subscribers that she was suffering from endometriosis (previously because of him she was removed the uterus) and now faced hormonal problems, but in general her health is in order. However, on February 24, Schumer toldthat criticism on social networks prompted her to see a doctor and she was diagnosed with Kushing’s syndrome, which causes her facial swelling and redness of the skin.

Full name pathologies - Itsenko syndrome - Kushinka, or hypercorticism syndrome. It characterizes the condition of the body at an increased level of cortisol. Too much hormone Maybe To be due to the use of glucocorticoid drugs (for example, in the treatment of bronchial asthma and rheumatoid arthritis), or it forms the body itself due to the pathologies of the adrenal glands, the pituitary gland or hypothalamus. It turns out that the main reason for its occurrence is by no means daily experiences about work, relationships with a partner, family and other problems. In addition to Itsenko - Kushing's syndrome, there is still a state similar in manifestations and name - Kushing's disease. This is the name of a pathology in which a benign tumor located in the pituitary gland emits too much adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which, in turn, increases the secretion of cortisol from the adrenal glands.

However, both Itsenko - Kusching and Kushing's disease meets rarely. The first is diagnosed in 40–70 out of 1 million every year, the second pathology accounts for more than 70% of cases of adults and about 60–70% of cases in children and adolescents. Both pathologies are reversible, usually the treatment period is from two to 18 months. If medicines caused the syndrome, doctors will propose to adjust the therapy of the underlying disease, and if the tumor led to it, then they will consider either surgical removal, or chemotherapy, or irradiation. In addition, there is a ketoconazole drug that slows down the production of cortisol and allows you to solve the problem, then reduce the severity of the pathology. 

At the same time, changes in the contour of the face and its color are not the only and not the most dangerous symptom. Patients with Izenko’s syndrome - Kushing and with Kushing’s disease suffer from hypertension, the formation of a special fat deposit in the back of the neck (called by the people by a widow hump), poorly healing wounds, excessive hair growth on the face, neck, breast, stomach and hips, and, on the contrary, decreased libido or erectile dysphunction. They may have purple stretch marks in the abdomen, blurred vision, dizziness, muscle weakness and increased fatigue. The most formidable disease accompanying this pathology is Type II diabetes. Although the treatment is diverse and very effective, without it, both Itsenko -Kushinka and Kusching disease can lead to death.

At the same time, this pathology is so rare that it is quite arrogant to suspect it from numerous users of social networks on the basis of their appearance. Even if we assume that absolutely every patient with Itsenko-Kushger syndrome is an active Tiktok user (where the trend for the diagnosis of “cortisol face” is most popular), then out of the entire 2.5 million audience The social networks of such people will be only 100,000 - 175,000, that is, several thousandths of a percent.

Constantly a high level of stress in this case, rather, rather harmful: It is associated with diseases of the heart, hypertension, obesity and metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes and arthritis, dependence on alcohol, nicotine, prescription drugs, behavioral dependence (for example, on the Internet, food or gambling), mood disorders and alarming disorders. With a constantly high level of stress, a person can suffer from insomnia or drowsiness, chronic fatigue, thinking problems and experience changes in emotions. In general, alcohol abuse, along with sleep impairment and addiction on food, can lead to edema of the face, and reddening the skin, and to rashes. But in this case, stress causes certain violations, and they, in turn, lead to a change in appearance.

Specialists are skeptical of the idea of ​​everyday stress as the reason for the “cortisol face”. Functional medicine and co -founder of the American Clinic Murthy Health Vidja Mud. Explains: “Although the chronic high level of cortisol can lead to facial edema, this is usually observed with more serious endocrine disorders, and not with everyday stress that most people experience. In most cases, daily stress does not increase the level of cortisol to the level necessary for such dramatic physical changes. ” Stafford Laitman, professor of medicine of Bristol University, Adds: “Cortisol is mainly distinguished in anticipation of the daily needs of the body. Every morning cortisol "wakes up" the brain. Its level begins to grow about 3 a.m. to wake us around 7:30 in the morning. During the rest of the day, the level of cortisol is gradually decreasing. ” Joel Kopelman, Doctor of Medicine, Facial Plastic Surgeon Summarizes: “As a plastic face surgeon, I see that the“ cortisol face ”is not as widespread as Tiktok can make you believe.”

However, other experts pay attention to the fact that regular stress and increased cortisol level are accompanied by changes in the state of the body and in human behavior. In the scientific literature, such a relationship called Pseudosindrome of Kusching. At the same time, the medical condition in patients manifests signs, symptoms and abnormal levels of hormones, characteristic of the real Kushing syndrome, however, without disturbances in the hypothalamus, pituitary gland or adrenal glands. The cause of such changes can be stress after surgery or serious illness, chronic alcoholism or alcohol cancellation syndrome, severe depressive disorder or poorly controlled diabetes. The pseudosindr of Kushing, caused by the abuse of alcohol, is especially well described, and how Mark Experts, it can develop after a relatively short -term addiction to strong drinks, and not many years of addiction. The stress, to which a quarrel with a partner or, for example, problems at work, is often “poured” with alcohol - and this, in turn, leads to changes in appearance. Or because of the problems at work, a person is nervous, sleeps poorly, eats more than usual or adds an unusual amount of sweet to his diet (“sees stress”), and then encounters changes in the appearance that will occur against the background of increased cortisol production. However, it is not worth blaming in everything cortisol - lack of sleep for any other reason or unhealthy nutrition in themselves negatively affects the appearance.

Some recommendations about how to get rid of the “cortisol face” are logical: for example, to establish a dream schedule, not to forget about physical activity, to eat in a balanced. Other tips either do not have proven effectiveness, or even dangerous. For example, "verified" already sorted out that 10,000 steps per day - by no means a universal recommendation. And dietary supplements that do not pass proper control in manufacture, can Do not contain the declared substance or even cause hospitalization.

Thus, although constant stress is rather harmful to the body and can lead to health problems, most often it is not able to spoil the appearance of the face as the beauty bloggers describe. In general, the high level of cortisol, due to Itsenko -Kushurgus or Kushing’s disease, can cause edema, redness, and rashes, but this pathology is rare. Even if we assume that absolutely all those suffering from pathology are active Tiktok users, their number is small, only a few thousandths of a percent of the entire audience of the social network.

Image on the cover: Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

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