Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition that affects millions of women of reproductive age. Because symptoms can vary so much, PCOS is often difficult to diagnose and usually requires multiple tests and evaluations. But here’s the good news—you don’t need to wait for an official diagnosis to start making changes that support your hormones! Simple lifestyle strategies can help you take control of your symptoms and start feeling better today.
One PCOS symptom that often flies under the radar? PCOS face shape. Yes, Cyster—if you’ve noticed changes in your facial features, it could be linked to your hormones! But that’s not all—PCOS can also be behind weight gain, bloating, digestive problems, a weakened immune system, excessive hair growth. And here’s the thing: many of these symptoms stem from the same root cause that contributes to PCOS face shape.
Let’s break it all down and get to the real reasons behind these changes—so you can start seeing improvements from the inside out!
What Causes PCOS Face Shape?
Because PCOS is a hormonal disorder, it affects your entire body—including your face. Hormonal imbalances can impact facial fat distribution and inflammation, sometimes leading to changes known as ‘moon face.’
What is PCOS Moon Face?
“Moon face” refers to some common facial features seen in women with PCOS. Often, Cysters have rounder, fuller cheeks, puffy eyelids, double chins, and even excess facial hair growth (hirsutism). Of course, the way PCOS may affect your physical appearance isn’t the most important reason to fix your PCOS face shape. However, these facial features can be a sign of an underlying problem that is probably contributing to a lot of your other chronic symptoms and the problem could be increasing your risk of common PCOS long-term complications like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. All in all, it’s a good idea to discover what’s the root cause of your moon face to support your PCOS healing journey.
How Does PCOS Change Your Face Shape?
PCOS can change your face shape, as well as the rest of the body, due to its effect on inflammation, hormone imbalance, and insulin resistance.
Inflammation
First of all, inflammation can cause bloating and facial swelling. Chronic inflammation is when your immune system is overactive and attacks healthy cells. This state causes our bodies to retain fluid and bloat! Inflammation can also contribute to insulin resistance, which is another culprit of PCOS moon face.
Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance occurs when your cells don’t process glucose (AKA sugar) properly. Instead of using it for energy, your body stores it as fat—contributing to weight gain and elevated blood sugar levels. Over time, this can also affect where fat is stored, including your face, leading to noticeable changes in facial shape.
But that’s not all—insulin resistance can also prolong inflammation and contribute to hormonal imbalances, which may worsen other PCOS symptoms like bloating, acne, and excess hair growth. Addressing insulin resistance is key to balancing hormones and reducing these effects!
Hormonal Imbalances
Hormonal imbalances are a big contributor to PCOS moon face. Progesterone is a necessary hormone for digestion, and at low levels, our bodies have a tendency to retain water. Women with PCOS are often deficient in progesterone, leading to fertility and menstrual problems. (One of the main signs of low progesterone is irregular periods or no periods.) Progesterone, though, as we’ve just discussed can impact physical appearances, too!
Progesterone isn’t the only hormone playing a role in PCOS facial feature changes. Excess male hormones (androgens) in a Cyster’s body can worsen insulin resistance, further prompting weight gain. But, high androgen levels can also cause excess facial or body hair growth, leading to unwanted dark, coarse hair on the face. It can also lead to male pattern hair loss!
Though appearance isn’t the most important part of your healing journey, for many Cysters, getting their body back is essential to feeling empowered, confident, and joyful again. The changes in your body are signs of bigger troubles within, so let’s take some time to discuss how to lower inflammation, increase insulin sensitivity, and balance excess androgens and other hormones. Here’s what you can do to reduce PCOS moon face:
How To Reduce PCOS Moon Face
Reduce stress.
Reducing stress is super helpful when trying to reduce PCOS moon face because stress is one of the biggest contributors to weight gain. Of course, the food we eat is a big part of it, but stress can worsen insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances! That means even when you’re eating well and exercising, you may not see change until you find ways to relieve stress.
You can relieve stress with PCOS by spending time in nature, getting better sleep, cutting back on commitments, doing slow-weighted workouts, engaging in a hobby, and lots more! Figure out what helps you relax, and this can help with weight gain and bloating!
Drink more water.
Staying hydrated is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to reduce fluid retention—especially in the face! When your body senses dehydration, it holds onto excess water, leading to puffiness and swelling. Drinking enough water helps flush out excess sodium and toxins, reducing bloating and inflammation.
Hydration also plays a key role in liver function, which is essential for hormone balance. Your liver helps process excess androgens and estrogen, so supporting it with proper hydration can aid in reducing hormonal imbalances that contribute to facial swelling, acne, and weight gain.
✨ Pro tip: Swap sugar-sweetened beverages for filtered water, herbal teas, or lemon water to keep inflammation low and hydration high!
Consume less salt and processed foods.
We all know that salt is the worst when it comes to swelling. Processed foods aren’t any better! So, cutting back on these two things can do a lot for PCOS face shape. Specifically, having salt and processed food in moderation can help reduce water retention, improve insulin sensitivity, decrease inflammation, and balance hormones. Yes, all that! The way we eat can have a big impact on our PCOS symptoms, including moon face!
Maintain a balanced diet overall.
That being said, a balanced diet is key to healing your PCOS and living symptom-free. The goal is to make food our best friend and not our worst enemy with PCOS. Remember, we can still have delicious food and our favorite meals with PCOS-friendly modifications. There are sooo many delicious meal options and ingredient alternatives/substitutions that’ll satisfy your cravings, relieve symptoms, and help you lose weight.
I recommend trying an anti-inflammatory gluten- and dairy-free diet for 30 days to see how you feel. Many Cysters find this approach helpful because gluten and dairy can trigger inflammation, worsen insulin resistance, and disrupt hormone balance—all key drivers of PCOS symptoms. Gluten may contribute to gut inflammation, which can lead to leaky gut and heightened immune responses, making PCOS symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and cravings worse. Dairy contains hormones and insulin-spiking proteins that can increase testosterone levels, leading to acne, weight gain, and excess facial hair growth.
Exercise regularly.
Exercise is also great for your overall PCOS healing goals! Focusing on slow-weighted workouts or other meditative exercises can help reduce stress, lower insulin resistance, lower inflammation, balance hormones, and, of course, promote PCOS weight loss! All these things can help shape your face and get rid of PCOS moon face.
Like I said, not all exercises are made for PCOS. High-intensity workouts that get your heart rate up and pump your body full of cortisol and adrenaline probably won’t help you reach your goals! You can learn more about PCOS exercises here and make sure you download The Cysterhood app for all the best PCOS-friendly workout plans!
Get better sleep.
So many of our body’s physiological processes take place while we’re asleep. That means, when we don’t get enough good quality sleep, our body can’t carry out the essential functions necessary to ditch PCOS face shape. That means if you prioritize better sleep hygiene to get those 7-9 hours of great sleep, you can see improvements in all the root issues of PCOS face shape, including insulin resistance, inflammation, and hormone imbalance. With this tip, you can literally reach your goals in your sleep. Doesn’t get much better than that!
Take Ovasitol and a multivitamin.
Even with a well-balanced PCOS-friendly diet, getting all the essential vitamins and minerals can be challenging—and that’s a big deal because nutrient deficiencies are common in women with PCOS and can contribute to inflammation, insulin resistance, and even moon face. Your body needs the right nutrients to support hormone balance, reduce inflammation, and optimize metabolism—which is why supplementing can make a huge difference!
Ovasitol is one of my favorite PCOS supplements because it helps regulate insulin resistance and hormone imbalances, two of the biggest culprits behind stubborn PCOS symptoms (including facial bloating and puffiness). Learn more about it in this episode of A Cyster and Her Mister podcast!
A high-quality multivitamin, like Ovafit’s MetaMulti, is another must-have! It’s packed with dozens of essential nutrients that many women with PCOS are deficient in—giving your body the full-spectrum support it needs to function at its best. When your body gets the nutrients it needs, you’ll start noticing changes in your energy, skin, bloating, and more!
Talk to your doctor.
If you’re struggling with PCOS symptoms, talking to a doctor is an important step. But I know how discouraging it can be when you leave an appointment with more questions than answers. Many of us have been given quick-fix solutions without real guidance on why our bodies are struggling in the first place.
That’s why it’s so important to keep searching for the right healthcare provider—someone who listens, understands PCOS, and works with you to find a treatment plan that feels right for you. They may suggest birth control, metformin, spironolactone, or other prescriptions, and while these can be helpful for some, make sure to do your own research, ask questions, and weigh the pros and cons before making your decision.
At the end of the day, you are your best health advocate—and you deserve to feel heard, supported, and empowered in your PCOS journey.
PCOS face shape happens due to hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and insulin resistance.
Once you get a PCOS diagnosis, treatment for PCOS can feel limited . . . meanwhile, the symptoms of PCOS can be overwhelming. But, don’t worry! There are so many ways to naturally reverse your PCOS and live symptom-free with PCOS! You can reverse everything from moon face and PCOS acne to heavy periods and weight gain.
Here at PCOS Weight Loss I’m all about helping you find relief from all your symptoms by presenting you all the options you may not have known were possible. To take your PCOS journey to the next level, download The Cysterhood app, join our community, and let’s do this thing together!
