Symptoms and Causes of Moon Facies A high release of hormones, especially cortisol, is a cause of moon face. This is called hyperadrenocorticism or hypercortisolism. The adrenal glands, triangular-shaped glands that sit on top of the kidneys, release the cortisol.
Moon face, also known as moon facies, is not a medical diagnosis. It happens when excess body fat or fluid makes a person's face appear very round. One common cause of moon face is the use of certain medications, including the steroid prednisone. Other causes include Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, and weight gain.
Too much cortisol can cause some of the hallmark signs of Cushing syndrome — a fatty hump between your shoulders, a rounded face, and pink or purple stretch marks on your skin. Cushing syndrome can also result in high blood pressure, bone loss and, on occasion, type 2 diabetes.
The most common cause of moon face is said to be associated with Cushing's syndrome or prolonged steroid treatment (especially corticosteroids). It can also occur as a symptom of other health conditions, including hypothyroidism.
How Long Does Moon Face Last? Once you stop taking corticosteroids, extra weight, water retention, and the puffiness of moon face will begin to go away. It can take about a year, though, for your body and face to return to their pre-corticosteroid states.
With age, that fat loses volume, clumps up, and shifts downward, so features that were formerly round may sink, and skin that was smooth and tight gets loose and sags. Meanwhile other parts of the face gain fat, particularly the lower half, so we tend to get baggy around the chin and jowly in the neck.
Medications to control excessive production of cortisol at the adrenal gland include ketoconazole, mitotane (Lysodren) and metyrapone (Metopirone). Mifepristone (Korlym, Mifeprex) is approved for people with Cushing syndrome who have type 2 diabetes or glucose intolerance.
Cushing's syndrome can be caused by overuse of cortisol medication, as seen in the treatment of chronic asthma or rheumatoid arthritis (iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome), excess production of cortisol from a tumor in the adrenal gland or elsewhere in the body (ectopic Cushing's syndrome) or a tumor of the pituitary gland ...
Symptoms and Causes of Moon Facies
A high release of hormones, especially cortisol, is a cause of moon face. This is called hyperadrenocorticism or hypercortisolism. The adrenal glands, triangular-shaped glands that sit on top of the kidneys, release the cortisol.
In the transitional stage to menopause (known as perimenopause), bloating can occur as a result of hormonal changes. And while you may feel bloated all over, you may see it most on your face, where undereye bags look more pronounced.
Medical conditions: Some medical conditions, particularly hormonal imbalances, can cause facial swelling. Some other possible symptoms include fatigue, heat intolerance, dry skin, weight gain, and constipation.
Thyroid hormones help the body regulate its energy use. A puffy, swollen face is one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Remember magnesium will help lower cortisol, if you do not have adequate levels of magnesium your body cannot relax and remove excess cortisol. Start by taking some at diner and before bed.
Drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration also helps to keep cortisol levels lower.
Increased facial fat is typically due to weight gain. It may also be as a result of water retention, which can make the face appear puffy or swollen. Making changes to a person's diet and lifestyle can help support weight management and prevent excess facial fat.
That's because the swelling is a product of prednisone actually changing a person's fat distribution, which can cause someone to have more fat in their face, he explains. Using a roller over the area will massage the fat, but it won't make it go away permanently. But, although moon face is common, it's temporary.
Outlook (Prognosis) A simple goiter may disappear on its own, or may become larger. Over time, the thyroid gland may stop making enough thyroid hormone. This condition is called hypothyroidism.