If you’re suffering from breakouts, the cause of your acne could be more than skin deep. In fact, according to Chinese medicine, the complexion may provide insight into a person’s internal health, with the different areas of the face corresponding to specific organs and functions of the body—a system referred to as face mapping.
“Many forms of diagnosis were born to help practitioners ascertain what was wrong with patients before the age of X-rays, MRIs and ultrasound technologies,” says Emmanuel Sargenti, a licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine and owner of Integrated Acupuncture in Westlake Village and West Los Angeles, California. “Face mapping is one of those diagnostic correspondence systems.”
Emmanuel gave us a rundown of the principal facial zones and the areas of the body that they parallel in Chinese medicine, so you can gain some insight into what your troublesome skin may be trying to tell you.
1. FOREHEAD
What’s Happening: According to Emmanuel, acne on the forehead could be an indication of issues in the stomach and gallbladder. “The stomach and gallbladder channels traverse certain areas of the forehead, so gallbladder issues of fat intake or stress and dietary stomach issues can lead to problems in this area,” he explains.
What You Can Do: Reducing your consumption of fat—particularly of those that are unnatural and/or saturated—and exercising to decrease stress may help get breakouts in this area under control.