What happened to her face? Doctors’ fears for actor Amy Schumer after she appears puffy and swollen on The Tonight Show
Doctors have flocked to social media to express their concerns about the health of comedian Amy Schumer, following a recent television appearance in which her face appeared unusually swollen and swollen.
The Life & Beth star, 42, appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday.
After her closing, a clip of her discussing her love for Taylor Swift and Beyonce made the rounds on TikTok and X, formerly known as Twitter, with doctors asking the question to the audience: “What happened to Amy’s face?”
Doctors and viewers quickly assumed that Amy is taking steroids like prednisone and dexamethosone, which are used to treat inflammation.
Medical professionals also suggested that Amy could have an autoimmune disease, such as lupus or a hormonal imbalance, which can also cause swelling.
The actress has previously been open about her struggles with endometriosis, chronic pain and Lyme disease, all of which can lead to steroid use and facial swelling.
The actor has admitted to using cheek fillers in the past – a treatment known to cause bags under his eyes if done poorly.
Doctors and other medical experts raised concerns about Amy Schumer’s health after her face appeared swollen in an interview with Jimmy Fallon (right) on Wednesday.
The 42-year-old comedian was pictured arriving at the NBC television studios in New York on Wednesday
Dr. Jebra Faushay, a gender studies academic, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “I need all the surgeons and doctors to voice their opinions here. Serious question: What happened to Amy’s face? Is it normally this size?’
Sarah Absher, a registered nurse, responded, “Honestly, it looks like what’s called ‘moon face,’ a condition associated with long-term steroid use.”
Users pointed to the specific steroids prednisone and dexamethosone, which are used for conditions that cause inflammation, such as asthma, allergic reactions, inflammatory bowel disease and migraines.
These are different from anabolic steroids, which increase testosterone levels to improve athletic performance.
‘Moon face’ is a common side effect, causing the face to become round, full and puffy.
Medications like prednisone are meant to be taken for only a few days at a time because long-term use can cause adrenal insufficiency, also known as Addison’s disease. This ensures that the body does not produce enough of the stress hormone cortisol.
Lisa Clark, a nurse in Miami, also noted that Amy’s swelling could be due to a cortisol imbalance.
Even without the use of steroids, a cortisol imbalance can occur due to stress or tumors pressing on the adrenal glands or pituitary gland of the brain.
“I’ve also seen similar effects with lupus,” Ms. Clark said, nothing that would be difficult to know for sure without more details about Amy’s medical history.
In 2021, Amy posted a photo of herself in what appeared to be a doctor’s office, having her facial filler dissolved
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues and organs. According to the Mayo Clinic, side effects include fatigue, fever, joint pain, swelling, a butterfly-shaped rash on the face, skin lesions, shortness of breath, chest pain and dry eyes.
Prednisone is also often prescribed for lupus symptoms.
Additionally, some X users suggested that Amy might have Cushing’s syndrome, which means the body produces too much cortisol.
This leads to weight gain throughout the body, including the face, as well as acne and slow wound healing.
In addition to the social media speculation, Amy has been open about her struggles with several other conditions.
In 2022, she opened up about her battle with endometriosis, which occurs when tissue around the uterus grows and becomes trapped, causing debilitating pain and heavy bleeding, especially during menstrual cycles.
In a CBS News interview, Amy called it a “lonely, lonely disease.”
Many patients with endometriosis take medications to regulate their reproductive hormones, known as progestins.
According to Mount Sinai, taking these medications can lead to water retention, which can cause the face to swell.
In 2020, the actress also revealed that she had been diagnosed with Lyme disease transmitted by black-legged ticks that carry the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi or, more rarely, Borrelia mayonii.
Common symptoms of Lyme disease, according to the Mayo Clinic, include: bullseye-shaped rash, fever, headache, extreme fatigue, joint stiffness and muscle pain.
Additionally, the condition can cause swollen lymph nodes, which can make the cheeks look swollen.
And in 2021, Amy opened up about her experience with facial fillers, cosmetic injections that smooth lines and wrinkles.
A common side effect of this is facial swelling, and although she said the fillers had dissolved, it is possible she has undergone similar treatments again.
While some trolls took the opportunity to make fun of Amy, other fans expressed their support and well wishes for her.
A user named JC wrote, “That’s a steroid to treat disease. Let’s be kind and mind our own business.’
Dr. Tatiana Prowell, an oncologist in Maryland, said, “Let’s not do that. Instead, let’s stop normalizing commentary on women’s faces/bodies for sports.”
‘Let’s stop inviting doctors to speculate about the diagnosis of people whose history they don’t know. Let’s stop inviting trolls to fat people. Let’s be better.’
And Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn said: ‘Maybe just let her live. Why do people feel the need to judge people’s physical appearance? You have no idea what is going on in her life, so any comment here is pure speculation, unnecessary and hurtful.”