Comedian and actress Amy Schumer announced last year that she was diagnosed with the rare hormonal disorder, Cushing’s syndrome, which is characterized by excessive production of cortisol.
“A year ago, the internet really came for me,” Schumer told Alex Cooper on the Jan. 22 episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, sharing that after her Feb. 13, 2024, appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, people began commenting on her puffy face.
Schumer says she ignored the comments at first, but then “doctors were chiming in in the comments, and they were like, ‘No, no… something’s really up. Your face looks so crazy,'” she told Cooper.
Cushing’s syndrome occurs when the stress hormone, cortisol, remains in the body for too long. It can be caused by adrenal tumors, a rare genetic disorder or the prolonged use of steroids. It typically leads to weight gain, acne and facial swelling called a “moon face.”
Cushing’s syndrome is most likely to affect adults between the ages of 20 and 50, and it affects women more than men. It can also occur in children and includes symptoms like bruising easily, a hump on the upper back and severe tiredness.
“There are several things that give us a puffy face, and there’s no doubt that when we’re under stress, there are increased cortisol levels in our blood,” Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, a cosmetic dermatologist based in New York City, tells Flow Space. “This can affect everything from inflammatory diseases like arthritis or acne.”
While an excess level of cortisol can cause this puffiness, it may not be the only thing to blame.
“When we don’t sleep, don’t eat right or drink alcohol, what do we have? We have puffy faces,” explains Frank. “There are several things other than cortisol that can make us feel swollen and puffy: alcohol, a high sodium diet, not sleeping or general stress as a whole.
Schumer said at first she had no clue what could be causing her Cushing’s syndrome, but then realized she was getting steroid injections for scars from her breast reduction and Cesarean section.
She told Cooper that right before she began shooting her new Netflix comedy Kinda Pregnant, “I learned I had this condition, and that I had something called ‘moon face,’—and I’m starring in a movie and there’s a camera right in my face.”
“Everyone’s like, ‘You look great,’” she said, until one friend told her, “Your face is looking, like, a little bit insane.”
So, Schumer spoke with her doctors and learned the only way to get rid of her Cushing’s syndrome was for it to work its way out of her body. This included exercise and reducing her steroid injections until her body’s cortisol levels balanced out.
However, other people who have Cushing’s syndrome might find they need medications, surgery to remove a tumor in the pituitary gland, which could be causing their cortisol levels to spike, or radiation therapy.
“Decreasing cortisol levels is the simplest way to get rid of this unwanted puffiness,” Frank explains. “Eat well, sleep well, meditate, exercise; do things that decrease our stress.”
He emphasizes the importance of moving your body regularly.
“Exercise is one of the best ways to depuff and destress ourselves—and keep us looking and feeling our best. It’s a pro-aging basic,” he says.
If you have Cushing’s syndrome, the specific treatment plan will vary depending on each patient and the underlying cause. It is best to speak with your healthcare provider and determine what is best for you and your health.