Fatty liver disease is becoming more common all over the world. This is mainly because more people are spending time sitting and gaining weight.
The condition happens when fat builds up in the liver. In the beginning, there are often no clear symptoms, which makes it easy to miss. But small changes in your face might give you early clues that something is not right with your liver.
There are two main kinds of fatty liver disease. One is caused by drinking too much alcohol, called alcohol-related fatty liver disease (AFLD).
The other is not related to alcohol and is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This one is more common and often linked to things like poor diet, obesity, and not getting enough exercise. Both types can slowly damage your liver.
If fatty liver disease is not treated, it can lead to more serious health problems. These include liver scarring (called fibrosis), liver failure (called cirrhosis), or even liver cancer. That’s why spotting signs early is important.
Even though changes in your face can’t confirm liver disease on their own, they can give early warning signs—especially when they appear along with other symptoms.
One of the most noticeable signs is jaundice. This turns the whites of your eyes and your skin yellow. It happens when the liver can’t get rid of a substance called bilirubin. A healthy liver usually clears bilirubin from the body.
But when the liver is not working properly, bilirubin builds up and causes this yellow color. If you notice yellow eyes or skin, it’s time to see a doctor.
Another sign to look for is tiny red lines on the face, especially on the cheeks or nose. These are called spider veins, or spider angiomas.
They look like small red webs under the skin. They happen when the liver has trouble managing hormones and blood flow. While spider veins can appear during pregnancy or in healthy people, having many of them without a known reason might mean liver problems.
Swelling or puffiness around your eyes can also be a clue. If the liver is not working well, it might not remove extra fluid from the body, causing puffiness. There are many reasons someone might have puffy eyes, like allergies or not sleeping well, but when it happens with other signs, it may be worth checking.
You might also notice parts of your skin getting lighter or darker. These changes can be caused by hormone or enzyme problems linked to liver issues. While skin color changes can happen for many reasons, they may help tell the full story if other signs are there too.
Other symptoms of fatty liver disease include feeling tired, losing weight without trying, or having pain on the right side of your upper belly. These signs can appear slowly, so don’t ignore them.
The good news is that fatty liver disease can often be reversed if caught early. Simple steps like eating better, being more active, avoiding alcohol, and losing weight can help. These changes can lower the amount of fat in your liver and help it work better.
If you notice any of these facial signs or other symptoms, it’s a good idea to see a doctor. A simple checkup can show how your liver is doing and what you can do to protect it. Taking care of your liver now can prevent bigger problems later.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about simple habit that could give you a healthy liver, and common diabetes drug that may reverse liver inflammation.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about simple blood test that could detect your risk of fatty liver disease, and results showing this green diet may strongly lower non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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