What Your Acne is Trying to Tell You About Your Health

Have you heard of face mapping? It stems back to ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic practices and is all about linking the location of acne breakouts to potential health issues. It essentially views the face as a map, with each section of the face being connected to a different organ/part of the body. 

Research in this field is limited, with some experts shunning the concept because they believe that excess oil production is the primary cause of acne breakouts, rather than anything deeper. While there’s no denying that sebum production is a major acne trigger, you also shouldn’t ignore the fact that your acne could potentially be trying to tell you something about your health. Plus, even if you don’t have any health issues that you weren’t aware of, studying your acne in this way can still really help you to pinpoint other triggers.

Ready to find out more about your health and your skin? Join Lionesse as we take a closer look at what some of the most common breakout locations can indicate. 

Acne on the Forehead

According to face mapping, acne on the forehead could mean one of two things. Firstly, poor digestion. Some believe that forehead pimples signify that the digestive system is struggling to break down certain foods, meaning that some dietary adjustments could be in order. 

Liver stress is also believed to be linked to forehead acne. With the liver being responsible for filtering toxins, placing this organ under stress could lead to a buildup of toxins that contribute to forehead acne.

At the same time, forehead acne is often simply down to excess oil production. The forehead, along with the rest of the t-zone, is known for having a higher concentration of sebaceous glands. This causes the t-zone to feel oilier than the rest of the face, hence the increase in clogged pores and breakouts.

Acne on the Temples and Hairline

With the temples and the hairline being a part of the forehead, breakouts in these areas signify, according to face mapping, potential issues with the digestive system or liver stress.

However, it’s also worth noting that pomade acne could be your problem. This term refers to pores that have been clogged by oily ingredients in hair products. Be it your leave-in conditioner, hairspray, or anything else, if any waxy ingredients come into contact with your skin, which commonly happens around the hairline and temples, breakouts often occur.

Acne on the Chin and Jawline

With traditional face mapping, the lower third of the face is linked to the reproductive system. Many experts believe that if you’re experiencing acne breakouts on your chin or jawline, then this could indicate hormonal fluctuations. 

While there isn’t any research that actually confirms this, there’s no disputing the fact that hormonal fluctuations can stimulate the sebaceous glands, leaving the skin oilier and more prone to breakouts. This is why studies show that the majority of females with acne notice their breakouts worsening just before menstruation. 

Acne on the Nose

The nose is linked to the lungs and the heart in traditional face mapping. This means that blackheads and other forms of acne on your nose could suggest respiratory or cardiovascular issues.

However, before you start to panic, you should also consider how the skin on the nose differs from that of the rest of your face. In this area, the pores are larger. This makes it easier for sebum and debris to find themselves trapped, resulting in acne breakouts.

Acne on the Cheeks

Traditionally, the cheeks are linked to the stomach. This means that your acne breakouts could be associated with any stomach problems you’re having.

With that said, the cheeks are also very prone to acne mechanica. This is acne that occurs due to friction, meaning that your skin is rubbing against something too much. Everything from your pillowcase to your cellphone comes into contact with your cheeks for hours each day, which can trigger acne mechanica.

Clearing Up Your Complexion

While it’s definitely worth having potential health problems checked out by a doctor, what do you do if you’re absolutely healthy but are still experiencing breakouts? Here are the steps to take to clear up your complexion once and for all:

Keep Excess Oil at Bay

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More often than not, acne is caused when the pores become clogged with excess oil and other debris. If you’re able to prevent those blockages from happening, this will go a long way in keeping the appearance of breakouts at bay.

How can you do this? It starts with cleansing your face twice a day. Pick a sulfate-free cleanser so as to not irritate or inflame your skin, just like the Lionesse White Pearl Facial Cleanser. Don’t be tempted to cleanse more than twice a day though – this will only damage your skin barrier and make your acne worse.

Regularly exfoliating is also important. This will remove any sebum that has started to seep into your pores, before they’re able to form blockages. Again, keep things gentle – the Lionesse White Pearl Facial Peeling would be ideal. 

Clay face masks, like the Lionesse Black Onyx Mask, can be helpful too. Clay binds itself to sebum, making it easier to remove that oil from your skin. With this mask being a thermal mask, it’s even more effective at clearing and reviving the complexion.

Keep Your Hair Away From Your Face

If your acne breakouts are down to hair products, or even just natural oil from your hair, ending up on your skin, the best way to put a stop to this is to keep your hair away from your face. 

If you have bangs, you may want to switch up your hairstyle for a while to see if this helps to reduce breakouts around your hairline and forehead. Even if you don’t have bangs, make an effort to style your locks in a way that prevents them from touching your skin. Pay attention to your hair while you sleep too – a silk wrap around your mane will not only keep your strands away from your face but will do your hair the world of good too! 

Reduce Friction on Your Skin

If acne mechanica is your problem, then this means figuring out a way to reduce the amount of friction that your skin experiences. 

Usually, the majority of this happens overnight, while your skin is in contact with your pillow. Switching to a silk or satin pillow can help in a big way. Silk and satin don’t create the same friction when your skin rubs against them. They will keep your skin feeling calm and happy each morning.

Your cell phone could also be a problem. Ideally, clean it each day to reduce the amount of bacteria that ends up on your skin each time your phone touches your face. If you talk on the phone a lot, use the speaker function so that you don’t need to hold your phone against your cheek for an extended period of time.

Use the Right Skincare Ingredients

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There are certain skincare ingredients that are revered for being superstars at tackling the appearance of acne. Vitamin A is one, with each form of the vitamin helping to prevent the appearance of clogged pores, inflammation, and breakouts. If you’ve never used the ingredient before, start with retinyl palmitate. It’s a gentler derivative but, like the others, has been proven to help with the look of acne. You’ll find it in several Lionesse products, including the Black Onyx Serum from our Black Onyx Collection. 

Witch hazel extract is another gentle ingredient worth considering. It shrinks the appearance of pores, meaning that they’re less likely to feel clogged and congested. In the Lionesse White Pearl Skin Toner, witch hazel extract is joined by aloe vera, a botanical that’s loved for soothing the feeling of inflammation. 

Keep Your Skin Hydrated

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Maintaining skin hydration levels is crucial if you want to see a clearer and brighter complexion. When your skin lacks water, it tries to compensate by producing even more oil. That’s the last thing that you need if you already have oily, acne-prone skin! 

To prevent this, ensure that your skincare routine contains plenty of hydrating ingredients. With the Lionesse Opal Sheer Collagen Serum, this is easy. It blends together a number of humectants – ingredients that quickly bind moisture to the skin. Use it regularly and it will keep your skin feeling quenched and less greasy. 

Don’t Stress So Much

Last but not least, let’s talk about stress. It’s something that everybody faces, although to different degrees. If you’re someone who experiences high stress levels on a regular basis, this could be what’s causing your acne breakouts. 

How are the two linked? Stress causes your body to release a hormone called cortisol. This then activates the skin’s sebaceous glands, stimulating them to produce more sebum. As you can imagine, this then means that clogged pores and breakouts become more prevalent. 

Stress also triggers inflammation in the body and skin. This, again, increases your chances of developing pimples. Inflammation can also lead to a number of other health issues, which is why stress is so damaging to both physical and mental health.

While preventing stress can be difficult, lowering your stress levels is definitely possible. There are many techniques out there that you can turn to. Everything from moderate exercise to spending time in nature to watching a funny movie has been proven to bring stress levels down. Figure out which stress-busting methods work for you and then turn to them whenever you can feel that your stress levels are starting to rise.

Summary

There’s definitely an intriguing link between the location of acne breakouts and the potential health issues that you may be experiencing. However, keep in mind that many experts refute these connections. There isn’t much research to back up traditional face mapping either. While the concept is definitely worth exploring, make sure that you’re also dealing with your acne using topical methods, including those that we’ve shared above.

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