Understand your Acne with TCM face mapping
Welcome to a truly holistic point of view of your skin…
You’ve probably heard of Chinese Face Mapping (known as Mien Shiang which means “face reading”) and questioned if it’s an old wife’s tale or is used in clinical practice today.
I used to think face mapping was both outdated and inaccurate until I studied my skin over the past three years. I noticed when I had a stomach bug I would break out on the apples of my cheeks, when I was stressed or my SIBO flared up I would break out on my forehead, when I was hormonal or started taking a supplement to support my hormones I would break out across my chin and jaw. Even when my Acne was across my entire face, I felt my whole system was under stress and this turned out to be very true.
I realised I couldn’t deny the accuracy of this ancient tool.
In Chinese holistic medicine they use multiple parts of our bodies as a physical diagnostic tool such as the face, ear, pulse and tongue, it’s used to help diagnose ill health by representing organs, areas or Chinese diagnostic patterns within our bodies.
The hardest part with my skin journey was definitely just trying to figure out where my Acne was coming from and I know so many of you all feels the same. From dermatologist to doctors just trying to piece together the never-ending Acne puzzle.
In the end my face was pointing me in the right direction all along!
An Ancient Guide To The Face
UPPER BACK & CHEST
SPLEEN & STOMACH
Emotion: Overthinking & Brooding
Oily Skin
Apple of the cheek breakouts
Mouth breakouts
Strong Appetite
Halitosis
Sluggish digestion
Bloating
Thick tongue coating
CHIN
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
Emotion: Fear
Kidney / hormone imbalance
Gynecological issues
Often flares around menstruation and/or ovulation
Raised Androgens / PCOS / Insulin issues
CHEEKS
LUNGS
Emotion: Grief, Sadness, not letting go
Environmental toxins
Smoking
Shallow breathing
Dirty Pillows / Phone
May also experience flushing
APPLES OF THE CHEEK
STOMACH
Emotion: Brooding
Stomach problems
Too much sugar
Oily skin
Breakouts on chest
Strong appetite
Hailtosis
Poor digestion
Brain fog
Thick tongue coating
FOREHEAD
BLADDER & SMALL INTESTINE
Emotion: Anxiety / agitation
Tendency to UTI’s
Bladder discomfort
SIBO
Chronic digestive problems
Fungal overgrowths
Chronic dehydration
Need for nervous system support
NECK
LUNGS & LARGE INTESTINE
Emotion: Grief, sadness, not letting go
Break outs down the side of the mouth
Have strong smelling stools
Constipation / diarrhea
Dry or sore throat
History of skin issues
SIDES OF MOUTH
LARGE INTESTINE
Emotion: Grief, sadness, not letting go
Irregular bowels
Hormonal and/or menstrual irregularity
Intestinal Pathogens
GI issues
JAWLINE & HAIRLINE
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
Emotion: Fear
Kidney / hormone imbalance
Gynecological issues
Often flares around menstruation and/or ovulation
Raised Androgens / PCOS / Insulin issues
TEMPLES & EYEBROWS
LIVER & GALLBLADDER
Emotion: Anger & rage
Liver detoxification issues
Worse for alcohol. sugar and spicy food
Poor fat digestion (too little or too much)
Tendency to PMS
Mood swings
Sleep problems / Insomnia
Eye issues
Menstrual cycle irregularity
With love,
