Health Tip of the Week, sponsored by Baton Rouge General: Do you have cortisol face?

Cortisol is a good thing. It’s a hormone the body produces in response to stress, as well as other key bodily functions, such as controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, and inflammation. Online “experts” claim that a puffy “cortisol face” is caused by high levels of cortisol brought on by stress. It’s true that if your body doesn’t produce the right amount of cortisol, there could be an issue. Cushing syndrome, for example, happens when the body produces too much cortisol, and one of its main symptoms is a round face. But this condition is rare and marked by chronic high levels of cortisol, so occasional instances of a puffy or more rounded face are much more likely to be tied to something less serious. Learn more about cortisol face.