WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE AND FACE MAPPING

As you may know here at REVIVE we take a holistic approach to skin health focusing on nutrition and lifestyle to heal your skin from within, rather than on expensive external skincare treatments. The practice of looking inwards at our skin imbalances traces back thousands of years to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its unique technique known as face mapping.

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

TCM is a holistic healing system that revolves around the five elements: earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. These elements correspond to specific organs and flavours to form the basis of all TCMs diagnostics. The balance of yin and yang is also fundamental to TCM, it is used to guide dietary choices to promote optimal well-being.

Face Mapping a Window To Internal Health?

Face mapping allows us to understand the subtle messages our skin is revealing about our internal organ health. While not a diagnostic tool, it aids in pinpointing areas of the body that may be contributing to skin issues. Here is a breakdown of the 9 key locations: 

Small Intestine - Forehead

What? Breakouts in the centre of the forehead may signal issues with the small intestine

Causes? Disruption to out gut health can come from food sensitivities, stress or poor food choices, such as over consumption of saturated fats, caffeine & alcohol

Action - Support your small intestine by eating probiotic rich foods such as yoghurt or miso 

Bladder - Temples

What? Poor skin near the temples corresponds to the bladder

Causes? Over consumption of processed foods, caffeine & fizzy drinks

Action - Increasing your fibre intake and hydration can aid bladder health. Try swapping white rice for lentils, as well as eating a variety of water rich foods such as watermelon and cucumber. 

Heart - Nose & Above Eyebrows

What? Breaking out around the centre of your face reflects the state of the heart

Causes? Problems with blood pressure, cholesterol and stress 

Action - Support your heart health by consuming a colourful diet, packed with fruits and vegetables, that is low in saturated fat and high in fibre.

Liver - Between Eyebrows

What? Problems with the skin between the eyebrows indicates issues with the liver

Causes? Processed foods rich in oil & refined sugar

Action - The liver is an essential organ that filters the body, promote healthy running by including lean protein, antioxidant rich foods & leafy greens in your daily diet.

Kidneys - Underneath Eyes 

What? Dark circles or puffiness under the eyes indicate kidney issues 

Causes? Refined sugar, salt and lack of sleep 

Action - Hydration is key to reduce puffiness under the eyes and reduces the risk of kidney issues by keeping your urine diluted.

Stomach - Cheeks

What? Red, inflamed cheeks signal inflammation in the stomach 

Causes? Excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates, red & processed meat

Action - Swap white rice for brown rice, or white bread for whole grain, & limit red meat to no more than 3 portions a week 

Large Intestine - Lips & Around Mouth

What? Blemishes around the mouth area are associated with the large intestine 

Causes? Not thoroughly cleaning fruits & vegetables before consumption, spicy food & caffeine 

Action - Despite the use of pesticides our food can still become contaminated with bacteria, ensure to wash all fresh fruit & vegetables well before consumption. Also focus on a diet that is rich in fibre, water and leafy greens.

Lungs - Lower Cheeks & Jaw 

What? Issues with the respiratory system are indicated by breakouts along the lower cheeks 

Causes? The use of chemical home cleaning products and oily, fried foods

Action - Consider natural cleaning products or good ventilation during use of home cleaning products. As an alternative to oil frying consider use of an air fry or grilling foods. 

Reproductive System - Chin & Jaw

What? Irritation of the chin and jaw signify hormonal imbalances 

Causes? Significantly under or over eating disrupts the natural order of our hormones. However, poor diet is only one element that causes these to be out of balance there are many factors which contribute 

Action - To support keeping your hormones happy eat a balanced diet that is high in protein and healthy fats. 

In conclusion, we can use TCM & face mapping to help us understand the connection between our internal organs and breakout locations. If you would like to explore this relationship further please get in touch with REVIVEWITHJESS