One of the telltale signs of bulimia is the appearance of swollen cheeks – colloquially known as “chipmunk cheeks” – on the sides of the face. Caused by the enlargement of the parotid glands (one of the salivary glands), the medical term for this phenomenon is sialadenosis.
When a person has been engaging in self-induced vomiting regularly and they suddenly stop engaging in the behaviour, their salivary glands in front of their ears (cheeks) may begin to swell. This makes their cheeks look swollen.
Puffy face
People with bulimia nervosa may develop swollen parotid glands because of their repeated purging. These glands are just in front of the ears and may cause swelling in the face.
Face swelling is one of the bulimia effects sufferers find most distressing: sometimes described as 'bulimia face,' the swelling can make people feel their face 'looks fat'. What is taking place is the body's reaction to self-induced vomiting and the dehydration it causes.
"Bulimia face."Swollen salivary glands from too much throwing up can make your face and neck look puffy.
Certain treatments can help including over the counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or tylenol along with heating pads. Medications to stimulate saliva production (sialoguges) can also help alleviate any symptoms.
Excessive tooth erosion is one way your dentist could tell if a patient may be bulimic. Frequent vomiting can lead to sensitive teeth, dry mouth and red, cracked lips. All signs that your dentist is trained to recognize as side effects of bulimia.
The puffy appearance is directly tied to irritation, which is directly tied to purging behavior. Even so, it may take several weeks for irritation and swelling to go down after someone stops regularly purging. So the best—and, truly, the only—way to treat swollen cheeks is to seek treatment for bulimia nervosa.
Broken Blood Vessels
When you vomit, you can break the tiny blood vessels in your face. This causes red marks to appear. You may even notice tiny red lines coming off the spots. It is even possible for this to appear on the whites of your eyes.
FACT: Research has shown that vomiting cannot get rid of all the calories ingested, even when done immediately after eating. A vomit can only remove up to about half of the calories eaten - which means that, realistically, between half to two thirds of what is eaten is absorbed by the body.
Overdoing it on carbs and salty foods can cause your body to hold in extra fluid, which makes you look and feel bloated. "Most changes in the face are from water retention," explained Cynthia Sass, RD, Health's contributing nutrition editor.
The telltale oral signs of eating disorders include: Dry mouth and enlarged salivary glands. Cracked, dry lips and mouth sores.
Self-induced vomiting may contribute to the puffiness in the face or “bulimia face.” After a long duration of constant purging, suddenly stopping would lead to a person displaying bulimia face. Swollen cheeks are created by swelling in the salivary glands and appear a few weeks after a person stops purging.
Acne and Bulimia
For one, most people with bulimia binge foods filled with sugars and sweets, which can lead to fluctuations in hormones and sebum production.
The binge-purge cycles can happen from many times a day to several times a week. Often, people with bulimia keep a normal or above normal body weight. This lets them hide their problem for years. Many people with bulimia don't seek help until they reach the ages of 30 or 50.
If your primary care provider suspects you have bulimia, he or she will typically: Talk to you about your eating habits, weight-loss methods and physical symptoms. Do a physical exam. Request blood and urine tests.
While it might seem tempting to brush your teeth immediately after vomiting, we don't recommend it. That's because throwing up leaves stomach acid in your mouth, and when you brush immediately after, you are actually rubbing that highly destructive acid into your teeth.
Bulimia bloat refers to the distended belly that commonly occurs in people who are struggling with or in recovery from bulimia nervosa (BN). Bulimia bloat is usually caused by excess gas in the digestive tract and constipation and can be very painful.
Proteins draw water into blood vessels, but when a person is malnourished there are reduced blood protein levels. This can cause water to leak from blood vessels and collect in the surrounding tissues, causing anorexia face swelling.
Common results of bulimia are swollen eyes and cheeks, caused by pressure as you lean over to make yourself sick.