Skin Mapping 101

June 20, 2019

Your skin is often a reflection of your health. A blemish may be a sign of an imbalance, whether it is related to nutrition, hormones, genetics, or environmental factors. Skin is the body’s largest organ, and it communicates with the internal organs, ultimately dictating what shows (or doesn’t!) on our faces.

How can you use skin mapping to improve your health?

Skin mapping (or "face mapping") is a technique originally used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. The idea is that your face is a mirror of your health. The various areas (“zones”) of the face correlate to specific organs and reveal their condition. Face mapping guides you to look beyond the surface and treat the underlying cause of a skin condition:

1) The FOREHEAD is a window to the liver and gallbladder. Excessive fat consumption and/or too much alcohol may cause breakouts in this area. Balance your system by minimizing rich foods and alcoholic beverages and drinking plenty of herbal tea and fresh water. Milk thistle and burdock root are often used to help support liver and gallbladder health

2) BETWEEN THE EYEBROWS - The space between your eyebrows is also known as the “third eye.” It is said to be connected to your stomach and liver. Poor digestion and toxic buildup can lead to blemishes here. Try an elimination diet to rule out allergies/intolerances and consider doing a cleanse. Reducing caffeine, alcohol, and sugar to help improve digestive health.

3) UNDER THE EYES - The area under your eyes represents the condition of your stomach, kidneys, and liver. If you are experiencing puffiness or dark circles under your eyes, consider reducing or removing alcohol, caffeine, and sugar from your diet. Drink plenty of water and detoxifying tea. Quality sleep is key as well!

4) TEMPLES AND BROW LINE - Temples & brow line correlate to the kidneys. Issues in this region may indicate dehydration and/or overworked kidneys. Low back pain typically goes hand-in-hand with these symptoms. Try drinking more water and including superfoods in your diet, such as kale, spinach, berries, and algae!

5) BRIDGE OF NOSE AND UPPER AREA OF CHEEKS - The bridge of your nose + upper area of your cheeks is connected to the heart. Rashes (like rosacea) often appear in this area. Focus on replacing unhealthy saturated fats with healthy fats, especially ones loaded with omega fatty acids to boost your HDL (good cholesterol) and reduce your LDL (bad cholesterol). Try including more raw nuts, avocado, salmon, flaxseeds, and chia seeds into your diet!

6) MIDDLE REGION OF THE CHEEKS - The middle region of the cheeks is considered to be connected to the stomach and lungs. This area of the face is prone to rosacea as well as breakouts and hyper pigmentation. Experiment with eliminating common allergens like wheat and dairy. Try alkalizing your body by eating lots of green vegetables while reducing acid-forming foods like alcohol, caffeine, and sugar.

7) LOWER CHEEKS AND NOSE - The lower cheeks and nose reveal what's happening with the liver and stomach. This area is prone to wrinkles and breakouts and can typically be blamed on food intolerances and toxic buildup. Try cleaning up your diet by adding in some cleansing vegetable juice! Experiment to see what type of eating approach is sustainable, works for you and optimizes your baseline.

8) MOUTH REGION - The mouth region is thought to be connected to the stomach. Consider any food sensitivities and toxic buildup! You might want to try a gentle detox or an elimination diet and incorporate more green vegetables and fiber into your meals.

9) JAWLINE - The jawline is considered to be connected to the ovaries and colon. Breakouts here can be triggered by hormonal stress. A regular menstrual cycle can help keep hormones and circulation healthy. During menstruation, women should try including more greens and hydrating foods. A balanced, low-glycemic diet of lean protein, fruits, veggies and healthy fats is ideal. Quality sleep also helps as well as keeping stress levels under control. Try incorporating 10 minutes of meditation into your morning routine or practicing yoga at least once a week.

10) LYMPH NODES - The lymph nodes tell us a lot about stress levels and can sometimes determine if the body is trying to fight off sickness. Our glands get swollen when they are fighting off an illness - a good sign that our bodies are working hard to process out the bad bacteria. If your glands are irritated or swollen, take some time to rest and chill out by practicing self-care. Try getting extra rest, eating a balanced diet, practicing yoga, breathing exercises and meditation. Focusing on self-care can help reduce the emotional and physical stress that interferes with your body's natural healing process.