{"id":960746,"date":"2026-07-26T16:59:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T16:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/960746\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T16:59:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T16:59:17","slug":"ferritin-face-the-mineral-deficiency-messing-with-your-looks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/960746\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Ferritin face,’ the mineral deficiency messing with your looks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wrinkles, dark under-eye circles, and dull skin? They could be signs of something more than skin deep.<\/p>\n

From \u201cmonster\u201d sheds<\/a> to the prehistoric \u201ccaveman\u201d ritual<\/a>, nicknames for skin issues and care routines run the gamut.<\/p>\n

But \u201cferritin face,\u201d the latest viral trend, could be signaling low levels of an essential mineral that doesn\u2019t always show up in blood tests.<\/p>\n

\"A\u201cFerritin face\u201d is the latest social media skin nickname, referring to wrinkles, dull or pale skin and dark, under-eye circles. maxbelchenko \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

A common problem for 1 in 3 adults, iron deficiency<\/a> can happen in two ways \u2014 either there\u2019s sufficient iron stored up in the body but insufficient availability, or there\u2019s a severe reduction of iron stored up.<\/p>\n

The latter has been making the rounds on social media<\/a>, with people dubbing their pale, washed-out skin, dull lips and dark under-eye circles as \u201cferritin face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI looked literally half dead,\u201d\u00a0one woman posted<\/a>\u00a0about the effect of her ferritin level on her face, while another wrote<\/a>, \u201cLow iron is looking like this even after 10 hours of sleep and being asked if you\u2019re ok 24\/7.\u201d<\/p>\n

While not a medical diagnosis, \u201cferritin face\u201d could be a sign of low iron storage, or low ferritin levels<\/a>, a reflection how much iron your body has in storage.<\/p>\n

Low iron levels<\/a> can show up in a multitude of ways, including fatigue, cold extremities, chest pain, loss of appetite, shortness of breath and more.<\/p>\n

A lower-than-normal level of ferritin could also result in increased hair shedding, brittle nails, cracked heels and other symptoms similar to iron deficiency.<\/p>\n

\"WhiteSigns of \u201cferritin face\u201d could be signaling a bigger issue of low ferritin levels, or a low storage of iron in the body. doucefleur \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

Iron deficiency also affects more women, with a 2024 report from\u00a0JAMA\u00a0Open Network<\/a>\u00a0finding that 34% of women ages 18 to 50 are iron deficient.<\/p>\n

Dr. Tania Elliot, a board-certified internal medicine specialist, pointed out in an Instagram video that many women may be experiencing changes in their appearance without realizing they have low ferritin for two reasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne, you have to ask to have a ferritin level checked because most doctors don\u2019t usually do it,\u201d Elliot said in the video<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd two, your ferritin level can look like it\u2019s in the \u2018normal\u2019 reference range and not be flagged by your doctor, even when it\u2019s still causing these symptoms,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Ferritin levels usually fall between 20 to 200 nanograms per milliliter for women and 20 to 500 nanograms per milliliter for men.<\/p>\n

A ferritin test is typically ordered if a complete blood count shows low hemoglobin levels, if there are low iron symptoms or if you\u2019re at risk for iron deficiency due to pregnancy, heavy menstrual bleeding or certain health conditions.<\/p>\n

Iron is a building block for hemoglobin, a protein in blood required for the production of the red blood cells that deliver oxygen throughout our bodies.<\/p>\n

This mineral is also necessary for healthy skeletal and cardiac muscle function, hair growth and making brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin.<\/p>\n

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