Face Mapping & Acne
Face mapping is an ancient practice rooted in Ayurveda teaching and Chinese medicine that treats your face as a map to pinpoint underlying issues in other parts of your body. While face mapping is more on the side of holistic belief than science, let’s take a look at what face mapping has to say about teen-prone breakouts. There are slight variations in face mapping but what I have mapped out seems to be true for me.
Zone 1: Above brows
Digestive System: According to Chinese medicine, the area above your brows is linked to your gallbladder and liver. If get breakouts here, try eating less processed or junk food and reduce the amount of fat and/or dairy in your diet. Breakouts in this area might mean you may need to hydrate more and improve your diet. Drink more water, add more fruits and veggies into your meals.
Zone 2: Between brows
Liver: The liver is working too hard to remove toxins from what is being eaten, such as eating too much meat or dairy. Cut down on rich foods, meat, butter, cheese, and late-night snacks. Select fruits and vegetables. Get more exercise and more sleep helping your body detox!
Note: Breakouts Zone 1 & 2 might mean a food allergy.
Zone 3: Nose
Respiratory, Heart & Lungs: Your nose, not surprisingly, is connected to your lungs and heart. Indoor and outdoor air pollution, bad circulation, and high blood pressure can all play havoc with this area of the face. To combat breakouts in this area, exercise more and find ways to de-stress. We're never too young to take care of our heart — exercise and eat heart healthy.
Zone 4: Cheeks
Chinese medicine is really big on left and right. Breaking out on the left side of your face is linked to your digestive system, specifically, the left cheek is more connected to your liver. Eat what Chinese medicine practitioners refer to as “cooling foods”—think winter melon, cucumber, green beans.
The right side cheek is more connected to your lungs. Exercise more! The right cheek is also more sugar-focused. If you’re breaking out on your right cheek, cut back on junk food and sugar.
Zone 5: Mouth Area
Digestion, especially liver: If you suffer from breakouts around your mouth area, once again, your diet could be to blame. The area around your mouth is associated with your digestive organs, like your intestines and liver. Constipation is a common cause of acne in this area, and establishing regular bowel movements is an important part of Chinese Medicinal treatment. Cut back on spicy foods and fried foods, while eating more fiber, fruits, and veggies.
Zone 6: Chin
Chinese medicine looks at right/left and the center of the chin differently.
Let’s start with breakouts on the right/left sides of the chin. Did these show up around that time of the month? Chin pimples on right and/or left side often come around because of changes in your hormones. In the days before your period, try to pay extra attention to your skin care. Consider eating foods that help regulate your natural hormonal cycles, like foods with omega-3’s.
The center chin is linked to your small intestines so breakouts in this area might mean your eating too much fat and sweet foods causing a build of toxins in your gut. Eat more whole foods like fruit and veggies and drink more water to improve your digestive health. Food allergies might show up here as well.
I find what I eat triggers my acne break-outs. Face mapping points to the specific area and what I need to do. If you want to learn more, below are a bunch of sources.
Good to Know for your teen-prone skin!
xoxo
Fiona