According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, your overall health is mapped onto your face. Skin issues or changes in your face that are not responding to topical treatment may be the sign of other health conditions.
The Face-Body Connection
The practice of face-reading is similar to reflexology and acupuncture/acupressure. These modalities map body systems onto a smaller region of the body. In general, the areas of the face correspond to larger body systems as follows:
- Cheeks reflect lung function and health
- Eyebrow region reflects liver function and health
- Lips and mouth reflect digestive function and health
In addition to the area of the face affected, skin color can also help determine internal issues. For example, redness correlates to circulation and the presence of inflammation. Darkened skin, especially around the lips and eyes, may indicate poor kidney and/or spleen function.
Other Facial Expressions of Poor Health
While Chinese face reading is often very subtle, requiring careful examination of skin tone, some health conditions present very obvious changes in your facial appearance. Your eyes, for example, may clearly indicate disruptions in normal body functions, like:
- Protruding eyeballs (bug eyes) hyperthyroidism
- Red, puffy eyes allergy
The location of acne pustules can also indicate specific health issues:
- Chin/jaw indicates nutrition/diet problems
- T-zone (brows and bridge of nose) indicates stress
- Cheeks indicate respiratory and environmental problems (check the cleanliness of your pillowcases and cell phone!)
Other facial indicators of internal health conditions include excessively dry skin (a symptom of hypothyroidism and vitamin deficiencies) and excess hair growth (a sign of various hormone imbalances).
Is the Problem Internal or External?
Not every skin imperfection is the sign of organ system dysfunction or failure. Before scheduling an appointment with your doctor because of local irritations or conditions, do what you know should improve skin health, such as:
- Twice daily cleansing with a soap-free formula
- Sleeping seven to eight hours each night
- Reducing sugar, fat and salt consumption
- Drinking plenty of water
If skin issues persist after two weeks, then call your general practitioner or dermatologist. If other signs and symptoms start, you may need to seek medical assistance sooner."
