Acne is an incredibly frustrating skin condition. Not just because it steals your confidence, but because treating it can feel like solving a mystery.
Despite endless advice, many people never manage to understand their skin and the root causes of their acne so they can treat it successfully.
What if there was a way to get to the root cause of your acne simply by looking in the mirror?
There is, and it’s called Chinese face mapping.
Read on to learn why Chinese face mapping is the secret first step to healing your acne and how you can use it to improve your skin quality today.
What Is Chinese Face Mapping?
Chinese face mapping is an ancient practice developed by scholars of Chinese medicine. Because the body’s various organ systems are linked through an energetic web, we can read outside body signs to gain information about our internal organs.
The face is one of those areas that we can read for clues. Each organ system has a linked zone of the face. When an organ system is out of balance, the signs of that imbalance will show up in that specific region.
If you are struggling with acne, you can use this Chinese face map to identify the affected organs. Then, make the necessary changes to your diet, lifestyle, or habits to support the organ system and restore your balance – and your beautiful skin!
Want to learn more about the basics of face mapping? Read our general Face Mapping Blog here.
Decode Your Acne: The 6 Facial Zones and What They Mean
Below are the six key facial zones of Chinese face mapping and what it means if you have recurrent acne in these areas. You may have more than one area, so consider the similarities between the two, or focus on the area with the most severe breakouts.
1. Forehead: Liver and Gallbladder
Too much processed food is burdening your digestive tract.
Breakouts on the forehead and above the brows typically mean the gallbladder and liver are overwhelmed with digestive “sludge” – that is, toxins, grease, additives, and hard-to-digest foods.
If you have breakouts on your forehead, it’s time for a diet detox. You don’t have to go all-in with a strict cleanse, but switching to whole food and ditching the junk food will make a huge difference. It’s also a good idea to reduce your sugar intake and avoid dairy foods like cheese, milk, and ice cream.
Instead, enjoy more fresh produce and eat more cleansing foods like bitter greens and citrus fruits. And don’t forget to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drinking more water will help your digestive organs and skin flush out the toxins and build-up that cause breakouts.
Wellnest Denver Acne Tip:
Instead of coffee or soda, sip on peppermint tea throughout the day.
2. Between the Brows: Liver
Your liver needs a detox.
Breakouts between the two eyebrows (the glabella) are most likely related to an overwhelmed liver system. When the liver has to work too hard to do its job properly, inflammation and build-up occur, and the skin is often the first place to show the signs.
The fix is similar to breakouts on the forehead – eat less processed foods and more fresh foods. You’ll want to cut back on rich foods that clog up the liver system, like butter, cheese, oily foods, fried foods, and meat. Avoid eating late at night.
Breakouts in this area can also mean the liver is under stress – physical or mental. In addition to eating lots of fresh produce and drinking more water, be sure to make time for rest, meditation, and exercise. Studies show that regular stress-relief techniques like exercise can significantly reduce stress and prevent acne flare-ups.
Wellnest Denver Acne Tip:
Exercise moderately (enough to break a sweat) at least three times a week to relieve stress, improve detoxification, and promote healthier skin. Be sure to rinse off afterward to prevent sweat from drying on the skin and blocking your pores.
3. Nose: Lungs, Heart, Chest
Your respiratory system is blocked or overwhelmed.
In Chinese medicine, the Lung system is directly related to the skin. Therefore, we always consider Lung health when treating acne or other skin issues. But when acne shows up on or around the nose, we must address the respiratory system.
Blockages in the respiratory system are usually due to environmental toxins like pollution, poor indoor air quality, or smoking. Alternatively, they could be a sign of poor circulation, such as a lack of exercise, high stress, or high blood pressure.
Fight breakouts on the nose by cleaning up your environment and making time to move. Reduce your exposure to air pollution, eliminate dust and debris from your home, change your air filters, and replace any conventional air fresheners with natural scents.
Cleaning your home should get your heart pumping, but be sure to make time for activity each day for good circulation.
Wellnest Denver Acne Tip:
Clear the air – and your lungs and skin – with a natural aromatherapy spray. This DIY room spray with eucalyptus and lemon helps to open the lung’s airways and encourage healthy circulation. When used safely on the skin, eucalyptus oil can also help to relieve congested pores and cleanse the area.
4. Cheeks: Stomach and Liver
Your digestive system or liver system is inflamed.
Sensing a trend?! In Chinese medicine and many other holistic medical practices, issues like acne are often rooted in digestive trouble.
When our diet is well-rounded and clean, and our digestion is working well, our skin is nourished and free from buildup or breakouts. On the other hand, when we eat foods that cause inflammation, it quickly shows up on our faces.
Acne on the cheeks is usually hot in nature, meaning that there is inflammation in the digestive tract or the liver. How can you know which is affected most?
If your breakouts only occur on the left side, the digestive system is stressed. Eat cleansing, cooling foods like melons, apples, bitter greens, cucumbers, green beans, artichokes, and other fresh foods.
If your acne is more prominent on the right cheek, then it’s your liver that needs some cooling TLC. In addition to eating more cooling, hydrating foods, be sure to move your body and blow off steam throughout the week.
Acne on the right cheek can also indicate too much sugar in your system. So, take a break from the sweets.
Wellnest Denver Acne Tip:
Use the cooling, antioxidant benefits of green tea to clear up cheek acne. Drink 1-2 glasses of green tea daily. You can also use green tea as a toner or facial mist to help fight breakouts from the outside.
5. Mouth: Large Intestine
Slow digestion is causing breakouts.
The face map zone around your mouth is related to the intestines. When poor diet, stress, or dehydration affects your regular digestion, breakouts can easily pop up around the lips and mouth.
If you tend to have less frequent bowel movements or even struggle with constipation, your slow digestion could be at the root of acne. When you are constipated, the waste and toxic materials that need to leave the body linger for too long. Toxins build up and circulate in the system. In trying to reduce your toxic load, the body releases those toxins another way – through the skin.
The key to clearer skin is to get your bowels moving more regularly and completely each day. Make sure you stay hydrated and eat lots of fiber-rich foods, including veggies and whole grains.
Is the acne around your mouth particularly red or inflamed? This could be a sign that you are eating too many “hot-natured” foods that are causing inflammation in the gut and skin. Cut back on hot-natured foods like spices, chili, fried foods, refined sugar, and processed foods.
Wellnest Denver Acne Tip:
Do a daily digestion-boosting belly massage for constipation to clear out old material and clear toxins from your gut and skin.
6. Chin and Jaw: Reproductive/Endocrine, Small Intestine
Your hormones are out of balance.
Chin acne is most often related to hormonal imbalance. As such, it usually occurs in women but can show up in men as well.
For women with acne, pimples on the sides of the chin and jaw can fluctuate with your menstrual cycle. Depending on which hormones are out of balance, they may show up around ovulation or during the premenstrual phase.
Maintain a healthy diet, regular exercise schedule, mindfulness practice, and healthy skincare routine to give your body the best chance of balanced hormones and clear skin.
As with nearly any area on the face, acne on the chin and jawline could also be related to diet and poor digestion. When in doubt, clean up your diet and drink more water!
Wellnest Denver Acne Tip:
Balancing hormones can be a tricky business. It’s best to reach out to a holistic skincare expert to get the best advice based on your unique situation. In the meantime, try balancing your hormones with a cycle-based diet or seed cycling.
Clear Your Acne at Wellnest Denver Acupuncture
Acne is a complicated condition, but you can overcome it with a smart skin strategy and a whole-body approach.
At Wellnest Denver, we’ve helped dozens of people like you eliminate their skin conditions and feel confident again. We start by understanding the root causes of your acne with advanced Chinese face mapping and other holistic diagnostic methods.
Then, we create an effective, natural treatment plan with acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet, and lifestyle recommendations to help your skin – and internal body – return to balance and heal as fast and completely as possible.
You don’t have to be confused by your skin any longer. Schedule your consultation to find out how Wellnest Denver can help you reveal clear and healthy acne-free skin!
