Maybe you’ve put on a few pounds “all in your face.” Or
maybe you’ve lost weight, but your face hasn’t gotten the memo. What’s
behind the round cheeks and chubby chin?
“Generally speaking, when we gain or lose weight, we are not
increasing or decreasing the number of fat cells, called adipocytes,”
says Stephen S. Park, M.D., F.A.C.S., president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
“Instead, the cells themselves are enlarging or shrinking. That is why
some people will report always having a problem area, regardless of
weight. They have more fat cells in that area than other people do.”
What’s more, other born-with-them characteristics, such as
your bone structure and the size of structures nestled in your face
(like your saliva glands), can make a face look fuller, says Park. And
while there’s nothing you can do to change your genetics or spot-reduce
fat, there are some ways you can help thin out a ballooning face:
1. Fight Water Retention
“Excess alcohol, sugar, and salt intake are all linked to fuller faces,” says medical weight-loss expert Sue Decotiis,
M.D. They can all cause your body’s tissues—including those in your
face—to hold onto water. Cut down on your consumption of these
face-bloaters, and up your intake of water. When you are dehydrated,
your body is more apt to retain any water flowing through it.
2. Treat Any Food Intolerances
People with food allergies or intolerances such as gluten sensitivity
and irritable bowel syndrome often complain of fuller faces, she says.
Bloating is a common symptom that something’s not right with your
digestive process. According to the International Foundation for
Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, it’s unclear why IBS (which
affects up to 15 percent of U.S. adults) causes bloating, but gas within
the gut appears to have nothing to do with it.
3. Your Hormones Are Surging
If your face swells during “that time of the month,” you may benefit
from talking to your gyno about steadying your hormones. Right before
your period strikes, your body experiences a spike in the hormone
progesterone, which is to thank for most PMS symptoms, including facial
swelling, says Decotiis. If you’re also experiencing hot flashes and
your periods are irregular, you may be entering into perimenopause,
which leads up to menopause and can last for years. Think that’s an
older woman’s problem? Think again. In some women, perimenopause starts
as early as their mid-thirties.
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