Acne face mapping is the ancient Chinese tradition of mapping areas of a person’s face back to underlying health issues. I had come across it some time last year and thought it was interesting but wasn’t sure how accurate it was. However, my experience just yesterday and today made me a believer of face mapping or at least more inclined to think twice about where my breakouts are occurring. For the past several days I had been breaking out pretty bad on my neck and jawline and couldn’t figure out why. My skin is normally pretty sensitive to everything so I made sure to clean my makeup brushes, wash my sheets, analyze my makeup routine. But I couldn’t put my finger on anything. I also usually break out right before I get my period, which is normal with hormones, however this month was different and it was really bothering me. I then started to Google “breakouts on chin and neck”, “acne on neck”, etc. just to come up with some kind of solution to these super annoying pimples! I then came across some articles on face mapping and remembered learning about this previously and decided to learn more.
According to acne face mapping, breakouts on the neck are related to your body fighting off some kind of infection or illness. But I didn’t feel sick! I read a couple of articles about this topic last night and then as fate would have it, woke up this morning with a major sore throat and cold. Not only is it so much fun getting sick…not!! Now I have to deal with getting acne before that to tell me I’m about to get sick… wonderful. But I can appreciate the beauty and the science behind how our skin often reflects underlying health conditions that we may not be aware of. To learn more about the different areas and their underlying causes for acne see the face map below!
The information here is just info that I’ve collected in my research online so be sure to consult with your doctor for any recommendations on diet changes, skin issues, and other concerns!
1 and 2 (Forehead Area): Acne here is related to the digestive tract. Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins and eat less processed foods.
3 (Between the brows): Related to the liver. When experiencing acne here, try to consume less alcohol to give your liver a break! Exercise 30 minutes every day and get plenty of rest to recharge your liver.
4 and 5 (Temples and around the eyes): Related to your kidneys. Drink plenty of water to avoid dark under-eye circles and be sure to keep your cosmetics and makeup brushes clean for proper hygiene!
6 (Nose): Related to the heart. If you experience a lot of acne on your nose, be sure to visit your doctor to get your blood pressure checked and look at your Vitamin B levels. Eat less salt and consume more fruits and veggies for a well rounded diet to promote greater heart health.
7 and 8 (Ears): Related to the kidneys as well. Again the key to great health is to drink plenty of water! Stay hydrated.
9 and 10 (Cheeks): Related to the respiratory system. If you’re experiencing acne in these areas, the cause could be a variety of reasons including but not limited to smoking, allergies, pollution, etc. Smoking is a major no no for proper skincare, in addition to your overall health. Also make sure to clean off your cellphone frequently and change your pillowcases often. I found that since my skin is really sensitive I have to use laundry detergent with no dyes and perfumes or else my face and body will breakout and become irritated from my sheets and clothes.
11 and 12 (Jawline): Related to your hormones. Although these breakouts cannot always be avoided (usually occur during ovulation) you can reduce the impact by drinking plenty of water, eating healthy, and 7-8 hours of sleep each night. If breakouts are getting worse in this area, I would consult with your doctor to look into your hormones. I know getting on birth control helped with regulating my hormones and controlling my acne so that is an option as well.
14 (Neck): And finally the annoying neck breakouts I’ve been experiencing. These are related to an illness and your body fighting off bacteria. The advice for these breakouts is to get plenty of rest and I recommend taking your vitamins especially vitamin C and drinking lots of water with lemon.
I find this knowledge really helpful when battling acne. I know it can be really frustrating sometimes and I often just want to cover it up with acne gels and concealer and more but it’s important to remember that acne starts from the insight out. Our health greatly affects the quality of our skin and if you want clear beautiful skin, it requires a holistic beauty, diet, and exercise routine.