The endocrinologist spoke about the dangers of elevated cortisol

Increased cortisol levels may be caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland (Itsenko-Cushing's disease) or neoplasms of other organs, such as the lungs, pancreas, or adrenal glands, and prolonged use of glucocorticosteroid medications. Natalia Pavlovich, an endocrinologist at Invitro Severo-Zap, told Izvestia about this on July 17.

"There is a wave of beauty videos on social media about how to change your "cortisol face", that is, get rid of puffiness, bags under the eyes and puffiness. Bloggers consider the increased level of cortisol in the blood to be the culprit of these troubles, and offer a whole arsenal of remedies to reduce it: from massages to taking dietary supplements. But the term "cortisol face" is not used in medicine," she noted.

To describe the characteristic changes in appearance associated with elevated cortisol levels in the blood, the term "moon-shaped face" is used, in which adipose tissue accumulates excessively on the cheeks and temporal areas, which gives it a roundness, the expert added.

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The specialist clarified that most often the term "cortisol face" refers to morning puffiness of the face, and cortisol has nothing to do with it at all. Such edema can occur due to fluid retention in the body after a party with an abundance of drinks, eating a lot of fatty and salty dishes, especially the night before, lack of sleep and physical activity, in women - on the eve of menstruation.

The appearance of such edema on the face, the endocrinologist added, is due to natural causes. They usually go away on their own some time after waking up.

Pavlovich warned: if facial swelling persists, worsens, and is accompanied by other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, weakness, rapid heartbeat, decreased exercise tolerance, hypertension, abdominal enlargement, and heaviness in the right side, then you should definitely consult a doctor. According to her, they can be associated with diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver, hypothyroidism and allergies.

On July 4, Natalia Mikhailova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, dermatovenerologist, told Izvestia about the phenomenon of a cortisol face. According to her, the term "cortisol face" describes the characteristic skin changes caused by chronic stress and elevated levels of the hormone cortisol.