If your moon face is caused by corticosteroids, it will resolve when you stop taking the medication (which should only be done under the guidance of your prescriber). If it's caused by a health condition, your face should gradually return to normal with proper treatment of the condition.
Hydration: Hydrating with water may help reduce a swollen or puffy face. Time: If swelling is caused by stress, lack of sleep, or too much alcohol, managing stress and making sensible lifestyle changes can help the swelling decrease over time.
If prednisone or another corticosteroid is causing the condition, your healthcare provider may reduce your dosage. Taking a lower dosage may reduce the appearance of moon face over time. Your provider may recommend taking another steroid or stopping the steroid use altogether.
“Cortisol face” isn't an official diagnosis
It's a combination of fat accumulation and soft issue swelling, associated with thinning of the skin. All of this can lead to a more round-looking, puffy face with pinker cheeks.
Another way to control fluid retention is to make sure you eat enough potassium rich foods, about 4,700 milligrams daily. Potassium helps to decrease sodium levels and also increases urine production which helps flush out extra fluids. Lean protein can also help promote weigh loss for patients on prednisone.
Constant bloating
When we're stressed, excess cortisol increases salt levels and causes the body to hold on to more water than it needs. Reduced blood flow to the digestive system also interferes with bowel motility, which creates bacterial imbalances in the gut.
These symptoms usually go away once a person stops treatment. A lower dosage of steroids may also reduce the symptoms. Although moon face can affect a person's self-esteem, it is important to take steroid medication as a doctor has prescribed it.
Take deep breaths. Several studies reveal the benefits of deep-breathing exercises for at least five minutes, three to five times a day. Research shows that it helps to lower cortisol levels, ease anxiety and depression, and improve memory. To get started, try using a deep-breathing app like Insight Timer or Calm.
A typical adrenal or cortisol cocktail recipe includes orange juice, sea salt, and coconut water. These ingredients cover the nutrients (vitamin C, sodium, and potassium) considered essential for adrenal health and hydration.
Magnesium may help to control the chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) in the brain, resulting in a calming effect on the body. Magnesium may help to manage your stress response system and cortisol levels.
Practice mindfulness and relaxation: Spending just 15 minutes a day practicing relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises can help reduce stress and lower cortisol levels. Deep breathing is known to activate the vagus nerve, dampening the fight or flight response and thus lowering cortisol.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 is especially helpful for your immune system, hormones, heart health, and energy. According to one study, 8 weeks of omega-3 supplementation may reduce morning cortisol levels and symptoms of emotional exhaustion. While fish oil pills often have some omega-3, they may also contain omega-6.
Cortisol belly simply looks like abdominal fat, and there is no way to identify it by appearance. More important than its appearance is what cortisol belly can do to your health. Visceral fat is considered particularly dangerous because of its location near vital organs and its metabolic activity.
Made of a mixture of orange juice, coconut water, cream of tartar, and salt, many say they help with fatigue, weight loss, stress relief, and “adrenal fatigue.” But there are no known health benefits of adrenal cocktails—which are sometimes called cortisol cocktails because the adrenal glands secrete cortisol—according ...
Drink More Water
Sometimes the solution to puffiness or swelling is more water. When you're dehydrated, your body's cells and tissues absorb water and hold onto it.
Apply gentle pressure just beneath your ears. “Position your index and middle fingers in the soft indentation behind your jawbone,” says Vargas. “Using gentle but firm pressure, rub your fingers down, then loop back in a J motion.
If your moon face is caused by corticosteroids, it will resolve when you stop taking the medication (which should only be done under the guidance of your prescriber). If it's caused by a health condition, your face should gradually return to normal with proper treatment of the condition.