A woman in her early 30s stares into her camera on TikTok, asking the internet: "Is it just me or am I the ugliest person alive?" The caption reads "POV: Girls in their luteal phase." The video has racked up 2.4 million views and hundreds of comments, with one woman writing, "This is literally me," and another adding, "I'm angry at how accurate this is."
Welcome to the 'luteal uglies' - the delightful cocktail of appearance and mood changes that women say strike during the second half of their menstrual cycle, right before the period arrives. And yes, it's a real thing, according to Dr Louise Newson, a GP and women's hormones specialist. When oestrogen takes a nosedive, she explains, it messes with your skin, collagen, and general vibe: "A lot of people find their skin becomes drier, their complexion not so bright, they might have acne and spots... They might get bloating and breasts can change shape."
Elena Spaven, 25, feels "extremely bloated" during this phase. "My skin feels dull and textured and just looks more tired in general, and my chest feels heavier and sore." Dr Helen O'Neill, an associate professor in reproductive and molecular genetics at University College London, breaks down the mechanics: falling oestrogen and rising progesterone ramp up oil production in the skin, while the body holds onto fluids, giving you a puffier face, bloating, and tender, swollen breasts. Because why not?
Elena, who works in hospitality and as an actress in London, says she feels lethargic and "completely unmotivated" during her luteal phase. "I feel like my brain is working in slow motion, I tend to become clumsy and way more forgetful," she says. "I don't want to socialise as much and I feel low." Newson notes that while women are finally talking about this, many still don't know what to do about it. "These women are genuinely suffering and it's affecting their ability to work, function, socialise and just exist," she says. And the response to their concerns can be infuriating: "Would you say to a man 'Oh your testosterone is down, just don't go to the gym, have a duvet day?' It's unacceptable that women have to put up with it."
Your relationships can also take a hit, as freelance journalist Henrietta, 30, knows all too well. "If I find myself wanting to get irritated with my wonderful, hilarious, chilled out partner there's an extremely high chance I haven't had my coffee, haven't eaten or that I am in my luteal phase." It affects friendships too: "With my friends, I tend to either overshare and regret it, or isolate myself from them and regret it." She also experiences "despair and distress," feeling useless or having "intense flashbacks to embarrassing or upsetting experiences," plus blurry vision, struggling to recall "basic words," and feeling unfocused - which can be embarrassing at work. When her period arrives, she feels relief.
Newson says the luteal phase isn't something women can just "snap out of," and they're often wrongly made to feel their symptoms are normal or that they're overly emotional. People dismiss it as "just PMS," says 36-year-old Charlotte Dodds, a business owner and mum-of-two whose symptoms include bloating, spots, and lack of concentration. She runs Baking Bosses, a community helping people build baking businesses from home, but "when you're self-employed, like I am, your calendar can't just stop because your hormones are changing."
Elena only learned about the luteal phase through social media at 24, which highlights the "so little education that women receive about the fundamental aspects of how their bodies work," says O'Neill. So women turn to TikTok for help. In one video with 2.4 million views, a young woman asks: "Ladies, what do you do during your luteal phase to feel better?! I honestly can't cope any more." The thousands of comments offer gems like "wear baggy clothes and avoid the mirror," "eat chocolate," "avoid my husband," and "watch television with a bottle of wine."
But that advice might actually be detrimental. So what helps? O'Neill says understanding it's a "predictable, temporary phase" is key. Nutrition matters - stay hydrated to reduce puffiness, ease off salty foods, cut alcohol, and keep moving. Newson adds that steering clear of processed foods and alcohol helps avoid increased inflammation. And if you're really struggling, see a health professional and advocate for yourself: "If people don't get what they think is acceptable in the first, second, third, appointment they should go and see someone else. These symptoms don't usually go on their own."