“One of the places through which your body rids itself of toxins, illness, and stresses is its largest organ — the skin.” Lindsey Blondin, lead esthetician at George the Salon Chicago tells Teen Vogue.
Your skin is a guide to your internal health, and great skin starts from the inside-out. Hormones, poor hygiene, diet, stress or an underlying issue with an internal organ are all factors that could trigger breakouts at a spot. Here’s where face mapping comes into play.
Face mapping is a process of dividing your face into sections and finding the connections between the areas of your face and your internal body systems and organs. It is also known as face reflexology.
According to ancient Ayurvedic and Chinese practices, the location of your acne may have something to do with what’s happening inside your body.
Chinese medicinal practices believe that a weakness or toxicity in a certain organ or gland in your body can result in acne showing up in certain areas of your skin.
Ayurvedic teaching connects a point on your face to your organ or body part. So you get to know what to treat internally with visible results.
Your facial anatomy determines the type of skin in a area. The skin around your eyelids is ten times thinner than the skin on the rest of your face. So facial mapping is essential in taking care of your skin.
Breakout Zones
Look carefully at where you’re breaking out. We’ve given you the possible cause for breakouts in various facial areas. You can use this as a guide to do some detective work on your acne.
Pimples on forehead. The breakouts on your forehead mean you need to hydrate. You may have some problems with your digestive system and may have a hard time breaking down some food. It may also indicate a food allergy.
“Forehead-specific acne may also indicate liver problems, stress, or an irregular sleep schedule,” Amanda Doyle, MD, a dermatologist at the Russak Dermatology Clinic in New York City tells Health Magazine.
Suggestions:
Try using digestive enzymes like bromelain and papaya. Hydrate your body. Freshly squeezed lemon water early in the morning flushes your digestive system. Bitter herbs might also be helpful to improve digestion.
Be careful with your diet and avoid allergic foods. If you are suffering from blemishes on your forehead, try upping your antioxidant levels with green tea. Eat more alkaline foods such as dark green veggies and get plenty of fiber.
If you suspect liver problems, try some dandelion tea and include turmeric, onion, and garlic in your diet. Make sure you get 8 hours of sleep each night. Reduce the number of processed foods and fat in your diet. Practice meditation to keep your stress levels low. If you consistently breakout, it may be worth visiting your doctor.
Pimples between brows. If you have regular breakouts between your brows, your diet and lifestyle might be taxing your liver. Greasy and fatty foods may be the reason you develop pimples between your brows.
Suggestions:
Avoid too much alcohol, fatty or greasy foods and reduce dairy intake. Studies have shown that your body’s metabolism starts to slow in the evening. If you have late dinner, it will lead to a toxic buildup in your system.
So try to move your evening meal before 9 pm. Some experts recommend even eating before 7.p.m. Love your liver by maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. Eat green leafy veggies, avoid drugs, and smoking.
Breakouts on your cheeks. Acne on your cheek could be a sign of high sugar consumption. The cell phones are notorious carriers of germs; even they can cause acne. The screen accumulates oil and makeup if you press it against your face.
The pimples showing up on your cheek could be the result of the time you spent in the city, met polluted air or had to sit in the traffic for hours. Unfortunately, the air in your home can be just bad as well.
You may experience breakouts on your cheeks if you’re a smoker or suffer from any allergies. Pimples on the lower part of your cheeks may suggest dental issues like gingivitis or poor dental hygiene.
Suggestions:
Always maintain good dental hygiene. Reduce sugary snacks, fizzy drinks and make sure to get enough calcium in your diet. Get regular checkups with your dentist. Never wait until you have a dental problem to make an appointment.
Improve the air quality in your home by placing indoor plants. Examples include spider plant, Golden Pathos, snake plant, peace lily and English Ivy. Clean your smartphone regularly with a disinfectant. Wipe often to prevent transferring germs to your skin. Gently wash your skin before bed to remove all the contaminants.Try to change your pillowcase at least once a week. Eat foods that support healthy lungs such as kale, sprouts, and pumpkin.
Acne breakouts on your chin. If you regularly breakout on your jaw or chin, then it means that your hormones are out of whack. The excess male hormone androgen that also includes testosterone leads to hormonal acne. These hormones can overstimulate your oil glands and clog up the pore, and the acne bacteria start to flourish.
Breakout around the time of your menstrual cycle, menopause, pregnancy or puberty, among other stages indicate hormonal acne. For instance, you’ll tend to have pimples on your chin, just before your periods. These pimples will disappear once your menstrual flow is over.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypothalamic amenorrhea, too much caffeine, nervousness, poor sleeping habits may all-cause pimples on your chin.
Suggestions:
Consider eating foods that regulate your natural hormonal cycles. Make sure you’re not resting your chin in your hands when bored or tired. This action transfers oils from your fingers onto your chin which can cause pimples.
Massage and relax your abdomen if you have issues with your small intestine because it might be the reason for chin acne. Chin breakouts may indicate a buildup of toxins.
Try to incorporate more fiber into your diet. Check your toothpaste and lip makeup to make sure they do not encourage breakouts. Ingredients such as fluoride and sodium lauryl sulfate might irritate and produce pimples.
Reduce pressure on your jawline especially if you want to avoid acne mechanics. This condition occurs by exerting much pressure on your jawline.
Pimples within your T- Zone. The forehead, nose and down to the chin region forms your T zone. It is a bit slicker because it has more oil glands than the rest of your face. That makes it prone to blackheads and whiteheads.
The other reason could be particle matters, and liquid particles suspended in the air, penetrates your complexion triggering red zits. Noxious gases called ground-level ozone cause a chemical reaction with your skin’s natural oils.
They change their consistency from a liquid to a wax which in turn ushers in whiteheads.
Climate could also play a role in your breakouts. Hot, muggy climates, spur the production of oil, which is a breeding ground for P. acnes bacteria. If you’re a dry climate dweller, your surrounding air sucks out moisture, causing dry cells to flake and gunk up the pore walls, leading to breakouts.
Suggestions:
If humidity is your trigger, use an oil-free moisturizer. Get yourself a nice humidifier if you live in a dry climate. If you reside in a polluted area, clean your skin with a cleaning brush. It removes more soot and ash. According to Chinese medicine, your nose links up with your heart. An inflamed nose is an indication of high blood pressure, and acne is a form of inflammation.
If you’re a person who drinks energy drinks throughout the day, then cut back. Eat less salt, more fruit, and veggies and maintain a healthy weight. Eat slow energy releasing foods such as oats and nuts. Reduce your alcohol intake.
Breakout near the edges of your face. If you break along the hairline, near the ears, or in the cheek area, it can fall into the hormonal acne category. But experts say that exogenous factors can also play a part. Hair products contain oils and chemicals that can clog or irritate your pores.
Acne along the ears can be quite painful. According to ancient medicinal systems, your ears are linked to your kidneys which mean breakouts in your ear area link to kidney and elimination health.
Suggestions:
Try to incorporate more natural products into your beauty routine. Avoid wearing dirty workout bands, earmuffs, and hats, because they can also transport bacteria to the edges of your face. So, wash your gear regularly.
Drink up to eight glasses of water each day. Cut back on food with high salt content. Try caffeine-free coffee and tea. Legumes and Cranberry juice are perfect for promoting healthy kidneys.
What Kind Of Pimples Do You Get?
Blackheads and clogged pores. Blackheads are small bumps that become visible on your skin, due to clogged hair follicles. Blackheads appear when a clog or plug develops in the opening of the hair follicle. The appearance of blackheads signifies a congested liver. Try a short detox diet. Avoid MSG, artificial sweeteners, salt, alcohol and fast food and drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins.
Cystic acne. It happens when your clogged pore gets infected with the acne bacteria. The infection goes deep into your skin creating a red tender bump that’s full of puss. It may hurt or itch. If the cyst bursts, it spreads the infection causing more breakouts.
All skin types may suffer due to cystic acne. It may be related to hormonal issues such as PMS, menopause, childbirth, pre-menopause, and breastfeeding. You may also get cystic acne if you suffer from digestive problems. So, include more probiotics in your diet.
Cosmetic acne. When you use comedogenic skin or hair care products, the product accumulates in your pore and blocks it. Hair oils, heavy moisturizers, makeup, eye cream are all causes of cosmetic acne. If the ingredients in your beauty product irritate your skin, it may throw a fit and break out into rashes.
These breakouts are mild and occur in patches on chin, nose, and forehead. You may find small bumps and whiteheads in your eye area. It means your eye cream could be too heavy. If you find acne and bumpiness all over your face and neck area, it could be due to your moisturizer or makeup. If you identify the source and remove it, cosmetic acne will disappear gradually.
Breakouts due to stress. Stress acne shows out of the blue. These are rash like lumps predominantly located on your forehead. It may also be a sign of dehydration. Stress makes your hormonal breakouts more severe.
A Stanford University research study found that college students had acne flare-ups during exams. The students reported they felt more stressed during their exams. The researchers found acne severity correlated highly with increasing stress. So, if you’re worried about something, don’t stress yourself, better learn to practice meditation and unwind.
Puberty acne. Puberty acne can range from mild to very severe. Your skin will be oily with red pimples sitting on its surface. In severe cases, there can be large cystic acne or pustules. It’s more common for boys to suffer from this type of acne than girls. These breakouts link up with hormonal changes and low zinc levels which cause slow healing.
Practicing good hygiene and medications containing salicylic acid and benzoyl chloride may help to reduce acne lesions.
The Timing Of Pimple Breakout
If you’re finding pimples on your face in the morning, then you must wash your face every night. Poor digestion may also lead to breakouts.
Afternoon breakouts could be due to hormones or ingredients in your makeup or moisturizer. Ingredients like mineral oil, propylene glycol, and dimethicone increase the number of your pimples.
You may start breaking out in the evening due to pollution and air contaminants. So, wash your skin after a busy workday and apply fresh moisturizer.
Conclusion
Face mapping can be a useful starting point for pinpointing the cause of your pimples. But experts say that it’s not foolproof. If your acne doesn’t improve within a couple of weeks, then better visit your doctor.
Be known that some over the counter acne medication are not safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Face mapping is by no means a definitive answer to your war on acne; it is a good start. Do not forget that your hygiene, hormones, diet, and genes play a part in causing acne.
