Is Your Face Puffy or Do You Have 'Cortisol Face'? Here's What an Expert Has to Say

Cortisol has become a buzzword on social media over the past few years, and right alongside that, we have "cortisol face." Also known as a "moon face," the term describes a swollen or puffy face caused by elevated cortisol levels. Thanks to the spread of the term on social media, many people have been panicking and self-diagnosing themselves with cortisol face. But is this really something we should be worrying about? To get our facts straight, we spoke with naturopathic specialist Dr. Saru Bala to learn more about what cortisol face actually is, its potential causes and how common it is. What is cortisol? Cortisol, often called the "stress hormone," is a hormone the adrenal glands produce that influences nearly every organ and tissue in your body. According to the Cleveland Clinic, cortisol plays a role in the following: Inflammation suppression : Short-term cortisol release reduces inflammation, but chronic high levels can impair immune function. : Short-term cortisol release re ... Read full article.