Following a couple of talk show interviews that got people talking about her appearance online—more so than usual, that is—Amy Schumer has spoken out about her "puffier than normal" face. Schumer is currently promoting the second season of her Hulu show Life & Beth, but after visiting The Tonight Show and Good Morning America, some social media users began to question the way the comedian looks, specifically that her face appeared noticeably different.
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As noted by BuzzFeed News, a tweet from user @JebraFaushay went viral on X (formerly Twitter): "I’m going to need all surgeons and doctors to weigh in here. Serious question, what happened to Amy’s face? Is it normally this size?"
In response, people commented their theories about Schumer’s appearance, including that she could have Cushing syndrome—which is when the body contains too much cortisol—or be taking steroids like prednisone or dexamethasone to treat an ailment. According to the Mayo Clinic, one of many possible side effects of these steroids is "full or round face, neck, or trunk."
Others commented on Schumer's weight and made fatphobic comments. At the same time, many users defended Schumer. This included Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, who posted on X, “Maybe just let her live. Why do people feel the need to judge people’s physical appearance? You have no idea what’s going on in her life so any comment here is pure speculation, unnecessary and hurtful."
Another X user, @thisistheevan, wrote, "I feel like we shouldn’t be commenting on/hypothesizing on other peoples bodies."
In a Feb. 15 Instagram post, Schumer responded to the gossip about her appearance. Alongside a promotional image for Life & Beth, the 42-year-old wrote, "Binge both full seasons of @lifeandbethhulu and thank you so much for everyone’s input about my face! I’ve enjoyed feedback and deliberation about my appearance as all women do for almost 20 years. And you’re right it is puffier than normal right now."
Schumer went on to explain that she has endometriosis, a diagnosis that she has opened up about before. "There are some medical and hormonal things going on in my world right now but I’m okay," she wrote.
The Mayo Clinic explains that endometriosis "is an often-painful condition in which tissue that is similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus." The condition can be particularly painful during menstrual periods, and symptoms can include pelvic pain, pain with sex, pain with urination or bowel movements, infertility, and more.
The World Health Organization states that "endometriosis affects roughly 10% (190 million) of reproductive age women and girls globally."
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While Schumer spoke about having endometriosis in response to the speculation, she continued in her post, "I also believe a woman doesn’t need any excuse for her physical appearance and owes no explanation. But I wanted to take the opportunity to advocate for self love and acceptance of the skin you’re in. Like every other women/person some days I feel confident and good as hell and others I want to put a bag over my head. But I feel strong and beautiful and so proud of this tv show I created. Wrote. Starred in and directed. Maybe just maybe we can focus on that for a little."
To treat her endometriosis, Schumer underwent a hysterectomy and an appendectomy in 2021. Speaking on the series The Checkup with Dr. David Agus in 2022, she talked about her experience with the disorder.
"I've been in so much pain, you know, my whole life—not just the week of my period," she said (via CBS News). She also called endometriosis a "lonely disease."
