Believe it or not, your facial skin will tell you A LOT about your overall health. The term Facial Mapping correlates the location of your skin concerns to a corresponding internal organ and an underlying health issue. 

According to face mapping, acne and facial blemishes develop in specific zones because of internal issues, which may include high blood pressure, dehydration, and digestive wellbeing, or even as a complaint from another organ in the body, such as the ‘angry’ liver. 

So let’s dive into what your acne spots may be trying to tell you. Keep in mind this is not scientifically backed, but thanks to modern research techniques, we can make assessments on why and how acne happens.

Your Hairline. Forehead acne is mainly caused by hair and hair care products. If your hair is unwashed, the oil deposits on the forehead and clogs the pores there. 

Your Cheeks. This area is mainly attributed by your lifestyle.  Dirty bed sheets and pillowcases also store bacteria that may affect the skin on your cheeks, so washing them more often may help alleviate spots. Your cellphone can also be a huge concern as it is the location where it rests as you talk on the phone. Research has shown that even though 95% of people said they washed their hands with soap, 92% of phones and 82% of hands had bacteria on them.

Your Nose. There are two different types of nose acne: vulgaris and rosacea. Acne vulgaris is more common and related to blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cysts. It is also likely to appear on other parts of the body. This is caused by clogged pores from an overproduction of sebum and trapped bacteria. Digestive troubles are often associated with acne on the tip of the nose, which is why it’s worth doing an elimination test.

Your Chin and Jawline. Blemishes that appear on the lower third of the face, the chin and jawline, are known as hormonal acne. Women are more likely to get breakouts in this area than men. This is due to an increase in male hormones – androgens – that stimulate the oil glands. 

On the flip side of that is evaluating the kind of breakout you’re having because all acne is NOT created equal. 

It’s hard to figure out just exactly what is going on with your skin. Those small raised bumps - could it be fungal acne or whiteheads? What is that and what really is the difference?

Whiteheads are a closed comedone aka. a closed pore that has sebum trapped under a thin layer of skin. When the oil mingles with dead skin and the pore is not open, this can cause a small white bump (aka those pesky whiteheads!) on your skin. You can identify whiteheads because they are ‘poppable’, which means they are extractable. The most common reason why you might experience whiteheads is due to excessive sebum production. This happens when dead skin cells build on top of the pores and blocks the oil from being released resulting in whiteheads. Another cause for whiteheads might be that your skin is too dry or that you are using a product that is heavier or greasier than what your skin needs.

Milia is when skin protein is trapped under your skin. It isn’t related to your pores or sebum, but is actually a keratin overgrowth issue! This might sound scary, but this condition is actually not harmful to your skin. It often happens around the most delicate parts of your skin such as the eye area. It’s usually pretty easy to spot because it has a pearly, white sphere appearance.

Now fungal acne, is the most harmful. It is a yeast overgrowth or infection. Fungal acne can be pretty tricky to self diagnose, but it is usually associated with itchiness! These bumps are often seen in a cluster and are typically uniform in size.

The yeast that causes fungal acne often grows in a warm, humid climate. Because this yeast enjoys an occlusive environment, fungal acne can be exacerbated by sweat and sebum. Although all of these skin conditions might look similar at first glance, we hope this guide helps you identify what you might be experiencing and how to treat it.

If you’re having trouble identifying your skin concerns and how to treat it, visit our website and take our new Skin Quiz. In a short questionnaire it will walk you through your skin history so that it can identify products that would work well for you.