What your skin says about your health

April 6, 2017

It is no secret that your skin is a reflection of your inner health.

People who sleep more, drink more water, and eat less greasy food tend to have clearer skin. Those who binge on alcohol and caffeine, lead stressful lives, and don’t exercise are more prone to break-outs.

For most of us, these blemishes may seem random – appearing on the cheek, chin, forehead or nose without a clear reason.

But to a trained dermatologist, each zone marks a clear representation of a certain health concern.

Indeed, skin professionals can use your face as a map to detect a plethora of issues – from dehydration, to stress, to breathing problems, to hormonal fluctuations, and more.

Here, we break down each zone, what it reveals, and how to treat it…

Skin professionals can use your face as a map to detect a plethora of issues – from dehydration, to stress, to breathing problems, to hormonal fluctuations, and more. Here, we break down each zone, what it reveals, and how to treat it…

FOREHEAD

BLADDER INTESTINES (digestive system, stress)

Blemishes or pimples on the forehead could be the result of sweat from greasy hair or forgetting to wipe off make-up.

However, if those don’t apply, your skin could be reacting to dietary issues.

The forehead is prone to react when the digestive system is struggling to break down food. This could be due to poor diet, a virus, or eating too quickly.

This area is also a red flag for dehydration and bladder issues.

Stress and lack of sleep can also aggravate your body, affecting your digestion and making you dehydrated – which in turn shows up on your forehead.

How to fix it:

Incorporate more enzyme-rich produce – including papaya, pineapple, avocado, olive oil, and mango – into your diet
Increase your water intake. Drink eight glasses of water a day, including one as soon as you wake up
Focus more intently on your sleep. Try to get a minimum of seven hours a night

Is Hollywood to blame for turning us against those who are…

Even HEALTHY weight gain in the years before conceiving…

How YOU can get Scarlett Johansson’s body: Actress’s…

T-ZONE

LIVER STOMACH (dehydration, too much alcohol, greasy foods)

A big night out is a sure-fire way to get bad skin between your eyebrows.

That area – the top of the T-zone – reacts sensitively to a build-up of toxins from alcohol, greasy food, and lack of hydration.

Alcohol can affect the acid in your stomach, driving toxins to other parts of your body.

Fast food also creates spots on your T-zone for multiple reasons. Firstly, the fats and oils used in cooking can lead to an imbalance in your stomach. Secondly, the sugars can affect your hormones and insulin resistance.

How to fix it:

Drink less alcohol
Cut out fatty and sugary foods

NOSE

HEART (blood pressure, poor circulation, salt intake)

The nose is prone to react to emotional stress and poor circulation.

Blackheads and pimples on the nose tend to stem from high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, too much stress, and consuming too much alcohol and bad fats.

Anxiety, grief, depression, and repressed anger are also triggers.

How to fix it:

Focus on your exercise regime. It’s essential to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise three days a week, according to the American Health Association. More exercise will aid circulation
Eat more ‘good fats’ and fewer ‘bad fats’. Skip processed meats and opt for avocadoes and peanut butter
Avoid spicy foods to lower inflammation levels
Eat fiber-rich foods to maintain healthy cholesterol levels

LIP AREA

HORMONES INTESTINES (hormonal imbalance, ovulation, menstrual cycle)

This region is prone to break out at different moments in your menstrual cycle, depending on your hormone balance.

For some women, this could be during their period, for others this could be around day 14 when they are ovulating.

Lip-area acne can also be a sign of a lack of fiber.

How to fix it:

If your case is extreme, speak to your doctor about the prospect of trying the contraceptive pill to change your hormone balance
Eat more fiber
Abdominal massage
Yoga to stimulate gentle circulation during your menstrual cycle

CHIN

STOMACH, KIDNEY, REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS (hormones, dehydration, greasy foods)

The chin is the ultimate zone for hormonal break-outs. It can hit during your teenage years, during your period, or even during physiological changes in your 20s and 30s.

But that’s not all: dehydration and greasy foods will also drive break-outs down here.

How to fix it:

Incorporate more enzyme-rich produce – including papaya, pineapple, avocado, olive oil, and mango – into your diet
Increase your water intake. Drink eight glasses of water a day, including one as soon as you wake up
If your case is extreme, speak to your doctor about the prospect of trying the contraceptive pill to change your hormone balance

EARS TEMPLES UNDER EYES

KIDNEYS (dehydration, stress, excess oil production)

If you get irritation in these regions, it could be due to lack of sleep and stress.

However, it is also strongly linked with your kidneys and your hydration levels.

How to fix it:

Increase your water intake. Drink eight glasses of water a day, including one as soon as you wake up
Focus more intently on your sleep. Try to get a minimum of seven hours a night

CHEEKS

LUNGS RESPIRATORY SYSTEM (allergies, smoking, pollution, dirt from pillows or phone)

The upper cheeks are linked to the sinuses. The lower cheeks are connected to the mouth.

The left cheek has a stronger connection with the liver, while the right has a strong connection with the lungs.

Bad skin in this area can be exacerbated by allergies, asthma, air pollution, cigarette smoke, and a lack of exercise.

Gum disease and too much sugar consumption can also be an issue, since the cheeks are linked to the mouth as well.

How to fix it:

Meditate
Try yoga
Lower your dairy and sugar intake
Eat more hydrating fruits like melons, cucumbers, strawberries, grapefruit, and tomatoes
Find a cleanser that works for you to eliminate bacteria
Gentle aerobic exercise

JAWLINE

HYGIENE STOMACH (dirt, greasy foods)

The jawline is the epicenter of breakouts stemming from greasy foods.

How to fix it:

Eat more ‘good fats’ and fewer ‘bad fats’. Skip processed meats and opt for avocadoes and peanut butter
Lower your dairy and sugar intake, and consume fewer processed foods
Eat more hydrating fruits like melons, cucumbers, strawberries, grapefruit, and tomatoes

NECK

THYROID (illness)

People who have an under-active thyroid have lower levels of progesterone, since there is less of the thyroid hormone to convert cholesterol into progesterone.

This causes breakouts, since progesterone is key in fighting acne.

How to fix it: