Reviewed by Physician Kelvin Goh and Dr Angelica L Dumapit

How To Use Face Mapping To Improve Your Health

Published June 22, 2023| 5 min read

Do you have a pale complexion, dry skin, and acne? Face mapping uses these symptoms to determine the state of your internal health. Learn what your face says about your health here.

Face mapping can help tell you what’s going on inside parts of your body that you can’t see.

Are you breaking out, experiencing dryness, or looking pale in certain areas of the face? If so, face mapping can help.

In fact, this practice of facial analysis has been practiced in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries.

Read on to learn more about face mapping and how you can use it to help achieve a beautiful complexion and better overall health.

What Is Face Mapping?

Different parts of your face can be used to indicate the state of your organs and internal health.

“Face mapping stems from the TCM belief that a person’s skin reflects our inner health,” says TCM Physician Kelvin Goh. This 3,000-year-old practice views the face as a map with sections that correspond to the different organs of the body.

Studies in recent years have introduced new face mapping techniques, such as Dermalogica face mapping and acne face mapping. These tend to rely on dermatology rather than TCM wisdom, clarifies Physician Goh. “But they are still based on the idea that a blemish on your face indicates a deeper issue.”

In TCM, there are four methods for diagnosis: inspection, auscultation and olfaction, interrogation, and palpation. Face mapping falls under Inspection, where a TCM physician examines your facial areas, which correspond to different physiological functions.

“Our face is always a reflection of our state of inner health. Noticing the small signs that appear can allow us to take notice of our health and alter our daily routines or habits to achieve optimal health.“

TCM Physician Kelvin Goh

How Does Face Mapping Work?

According to Physician Goh, there are nine body constitutions that can be seen in your skin’s general condition (as shown below).

Balanced: Glowing and healthy skin
Yang Deficiency: Always looking pale
Yin Deficiency: Dry skin
Qi Deficiency: Loose, soft, and droopy skin
Qi Stagnation: Tendency to have pigmentation
Blood Stasis: Dark, scaly, and dry skin
Phlegm Dampness: Oily skin
Damp Heat: Acne-prone skin
Sensitive: Tendency to be allergic to the environment, objects, food or have eczema and hives

Understanding your constitution classification through facial features can help reveal what conditions you may be prone to. You can then take preventive steps to maintain overall health. But when skin issues in certain areas of the face arise, these symptoms can help you identify where an internal imbalance lies.

Forehead

Represents the digestive system, including both the bladder and small intestines.

Symptoms: “If one frequently suffers from acne on your forehead, it could be a sign of constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, or a urinary tract infection,” suggests Physician Goh.

On the front aspect of the lower leg, 4 fingers-breadth below the outer depression of the knee joint, one finger-breadth (middle finger) from the front crest of the tibia.

Treatment: Ways to combat these issues will be changing to a cleaner diet (like avoiding spicy and oily food), increasing water intake to flush out toxins, or seeking medical treatment. Massaging the zu san li (ST36) acupoint daily can also improve the digestive system and bowel movement.

Temples, eyebrows, eyes

This area of your face reflects the Liver.

“The Liver is your body’s natural detoxifier. Therefore, toxins from unhealthy foods, negative emotions, or lack of sleep can affect these areas of the face.”

TCM Physician Kelvin Goh

Symptoms: Acne between the eyebrows or on your temples may indicate trouble with the Liver.

On the top of the foot, in the depression proximal to the 1st metatarsal space.

Treatment: Physician Goh advises sleeping early before 11 pm (since this is the optimum time for detoxification), getting seven to eight hours of sleep a day, and avoiding smoking and alcohol. Reduce caffeine intake and exercise regularly by doing more cardio exercises to care for both physical and mental health. You can also massage the tai chong (LR3) acupoint to regulate Liver qi.

Nose

The nose represents the Heart and gut.

Symptoms: Acne around the nose may be tied to gut-related problems and inflammation of the small intestine.

“A red nose may indicate Heart-related issues like high blood pressure and inflammation.”

TCM Physician Kelvin Goh

Treatment: Try an anti-inflammatory diet. Eat fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, and skinless poultry and fish. You should also consume low-fat dairy products, non-tropical vegetable oils, nuts and legumes, and whole grains. Rest and rehydrate.

Cheeks

Your checks indicate the state of your Spleen, Lungs, stomach and respiratory system.

Symptoms: Redness of the cheeks could be a symptom of stomach inflammation, while breakouts might indicate allergies or sinus issues, explains Physician Goh. This can be due to pollution and smoking.

Treatment: Stop smoking and start exercising regularly. Change dietary habits by avoiding sugar and other fast foods. Get more fresh air and drink lots of water.

Mouth and chin

This area of your face represents the endocrine system.

Symptoms: “Usually hormones are raging, such as around the time of menstruation, and pimples may start popping up around your mouth or chins” says Physician Goh.

Treatment: Rest more, and avoid cold food like ice cream, cold drinks, and spicy food.

You can also try Bak Foong pills to nourish and regulate the body, especially if you’re experiencing Blood and Qi Deficiency. This can help alleviate mild symptoms associated with menstruation.

Have you tried face mapping before? Bookmark this article the next time you have skin issues to see what areas and treatments apply to you.