Have you been wondering why you get your acne? I accidentally stumbled across some awesome information last night about face reading, and how you can determine the cause of your acne by looking at what part of your face you get blemishes on. Take a look at this picture:
Source: http://www.marysherbs.com/heal/heal-f-rP.htm
You know, it took me a while to realize that this picture was mainly for girls ..duh! So boys I’m going to have to keep looking for one for you. But in the meantime you can look at the areas on your face that are not gender related 
I LOVE this face reading stuff because it confirms my theory on hormonal acne for women and the areas they get blemishes on their face. In my case it’s obvious that my acne is brought on from the reproductive area (I get cysts along my jawline) and the uterus (I break out on my chin a lot!). So what I have to do is work really hard on balancing my hormones for those areas. I’m going to start taking the contraceptive pill soon and after finding this resource I’m even more confident that the pill will completely clear all my acne in these areas.
Has this resource helped you in learning why you get your acne?
Fran
49 responses ↓
Hi Fran,
This is indeed a great resource for people to explore why acne is showing up in certain parts of their faces. However, I just wanted to note that Chinese medicine doesn’t define the organs of the body in the same way as Western medicine.
If someone breaks out in the area between their eyebrows for instance, it doesn’t really mean that there is something wrong with their spleen.
At the risk of sounding self-serving(!), I’d invite people to read my book, “The Wisdom of Your Face”, which tells you the emotional reasons for where acne is appearing, and how reading your own face can help you design a happier healthier life!
Thanks,
Jean Haner
I just discovered your website and I love it. So helpful. This image was just confirming a lot for me. I am on the pill but I still breakout before my periods and during around the parts associated with the uterus, the ovaries, etc. I have also a lot of symptoms that look a lot like PCOS but all the test are negatives. It is a good thing but at the same time really frustrating. I wonder why I keep having pimples even if I am on the pill.
It is interesting thought to learn about the liver. Maybe I should try to clean my system.
I take a contraceptive and have found that it definitely helped calm the inflammation pretty much immediately after I started taking it. I also notice it’s quelled more severe PMT symptoms (ie., less cramping, shorter periods).
I have breakouts on my cheeks (indicating my lungs are toxic), but not my chest (also a lung area)…hmm. I’m just too oily all over I think…but this chart is interesting nonetheless.
Dominique – it depends how many pimples you get. If it’s just a couple a month then that’s completely normal. You might find that something in your diet or stress etc causes the spots. My little sister is the same.
If they’re big breakouts then talk to your doctor about possibly changing the pill you’re on, because some pills can make acne worse or not even affect the skin at all.
Lindsay – I’ll have to check with Jean (first post) but I think a big one for the lungs is heart energy. When my relationship split up and I got a broken heart, my herbalist said I had a lot of heavy energy in my chest, throat and head (and I could feel it). I’m sure this is one of the reasons why my acne got so bad, because that energy wasn’t there before.
Have you tried not using a moisturizer to try and combat your oily skin? Unfortunately I don’t know much about oily skin types because my skin is so dry!
Ooh, thanks for posting this! I think Dermalogica had something like this on their website once, but I haven’t been able to find a diagram like it again.
My skin has been really clear lately thanks to my natural routine and better diet, but I just got 2 new pimples. One is directly in the “fallopian tubes” spot (ovulation) — lol.
wow, really helpful even though I am a guy this shows me why I just break out in some parts of my face like my cheeks so the root problem would be my lungs? what can I do ?
I used to break out a lot on my forhead but not anymore I guess my diet has helped me clean my intestine and liver.
Hi Hernan, the lung area can also relate to the heart, so I think the best thing for you is to de-stress as much as possible, and work on being happy
yeah thats what my dermatologist said, that most of my acne is caused by stress, probably because this is my senior year and I have to turn in many homeworks and do tests but I will try to sleep a lot (at least 8 hours) and do my homework as soon as, and being happy too! thanks Fran
Have you found one for boys? If not what would you say is the problem for us when we break out on our chin area?
For boys, what would cause breakouts on our chin area? And what helps get rid of breakouts there?
Unfortunately Kevin I have not found one for boys! I am reading a book at the moment on face reading so I’ll be posting an article about that soon.
Hi I get very mild (little little bumps but many) acne only on my forehead, and blackheads around my upper lip. So all this would suggest something wrong in my diet? Anyways I know I don’t eat enough calories but I don’t eat many sugars, fats, etc.(vegan). I guess im just wondering what it means haha
Hi Stef, do you have a very oily forehead? I find that often forehead acne can be a result of oily skin. This can also be the case if you have a heap of little bumps, this can actually be small whiteheads which is oil trapped under the skin.
I recommend that you use an exfoliant on your skin to help those little bumps to go away. Both a surface and deep pore exfoliant would be a good idea. They will also help remove the blackheads on your upper lip.
As for the images, it’s not that black and white. It may not be problems with your diet, it may be more emotional stuff that hangs around your intestinal and stomach areas. Usually vegans are really healthy so maybe it’s not that direct an interpretation.
Hi yeah my forehead is semi oily the rest of my face is normal though. Which exfoliants do you recommend? Also I know this is a hormonal imbalance since I’m 17 and less than a year before I had perfect skin, heh. Thanks so much by the way and love your site!
Hi Stef, well balancing that oil production on your forehead will be a good start.
The simplest exfoliant is to add baking-soda into your cleanser. Do this 2-3 times a week. Or you can use a gentle exfoliant premade product if you have a preference.
A salicylic acid product will help clear your small whiteheads. It works by exfoliating deep within the pore. I use Paula’s Choice BHA, but you could use any product with salicylic acid really. Paula’s claims to be at the correct pH for it to work properly, but I haven’t tested other products to see if it’s true.
hello,
i think this is very helpful,
but do you have any tips on how cleanse the toxin or whatever is wrong in your body?
Hi Fran,
I’ve heard about this before but looking through this really opened up my eyes.
could you help me to find out how to clear up acnes in the area of ovaries, uterus n reproductive?
btw, i just met my dermatologist and she gave me cream which she claims to be safe (contain topical retinoid). however, i am still confuse whether to take it or not since i am planning for pregnancy asap.
thanks
Hi mine are in my ovaries and uterus, what would you suggest i do for them?
lie & mandy- these areas mean your acne is hormonal.
Lie- it’s likely you’ve got acne because your hormones are all over the place because you’re pregnant. Your hormones and your skin will probably just balance back out again afrer you’ve had the baby
Mandy- The best way to work on hormones is through diet, supplements and regular relaxation.
Courtney- A holistic approach is always best! So follow the steps in the mini-course, and be mindful when you’re taking supplements or visiting a naturopath on what areas you need working on the most.
Hi Fran,
I love your videos. I always thought that acne on the forehead was caused by stress. Is this true? Does stress cause acne?
Hi Sarah, yep stress does cause acne. There’s a whole lesson about stress in the mini-course.
Acne on the forehead however can also be due to oily skin.
Hi Fran, first of all I’d like to say Waw this is amazing ! I feel kinda relieved being not the only one acne guy there. According to this link,
http://www.healthmad.com/Alternative/Diagnosis-of-Health-by-Observing-Your-Face-and-Hand.63515
the organs are very differently situated on the face.. I feel quite confused I’ve found lots of contradictory pictures, how can I decide which is the most accurate ??? chinese got so many pictures with different organ positions…
Ricky, it’s actually way more complicated than I thought when I wrote this article. The best book I’ve ever read about face reading is by Jean who wrote this first comment on this article. You can buy her book or even get a consultation with her here: http://wisdomofyourface.com
Oooo im confused
!!
:)
I get lots of acne on my forehead but i really don’t have oily skin (?)
and i also get them around my lips on the chin .. ?
what’s that mean?! thanks!!
also… (sorry to be annoying!)
lol!
I get some spots in my eyebrows and sometimes they can be MAJORILY painful .. but it’s like, i cant really put anything on them because i once tried putting BP on it… BIIIIIIIIG mistake… they bleached
Do you perhaps have anything to suggest for that … or at least any way of avoiding them!? thank youuuuu xx
Kerry- All of your questions are answered in my free acne cure mini-course and in the acne blog archives (http://www.highonhealth.org/acne/).
Or you can join my coaching program for personal support:
http://www.highonhealth.org/coaching/
hey fran,
i am an 18 year old male, and i recently started smoking cigarettes and cigars on occasion, i noticed that in the diagram LUNG is in the under eye area….which got me thinking….until recently i NEVER got acne under my eyes….like ever, but now i have some in that area, so is there a direct correlation between the two????? THANKS!!!
The face image is an interesting theory… I break out predominately on my chin also and I use to get severe hormonal acne and a few mild to moderate spots in between periods. Going on the pill for 2 years only seem to mildly help my acne (but mildly was better than nothing). It never really completely kept me acne free though.
I went to see a naturopath and she told me to go off the pill (said it wasnt good for my general health – read “The Pill: are you sure it’s for you? by Alexandra Pope and Jane Bennett)
I have been off the pill for a month and my skin has been the clearest its been in ages (though not perfect due to scars).
The changes I’ve made are:
drinking alot of water & green tea.
1) going off the pill
2) severely changed my diet cutting out dairy and wheat
3) eating vegetables, lean meat and fish, fruits – no carbs & no junk. I try to keep my diet 90% raw and eat meat only 1 -2 times a week.
4) taking zinc supplement
5) taking chaste tree to help my hormones & flaxseed in smoothies
6) taking 3 x fish oil 7) taking 1 ultrabiotic
Forgot to mention I was told by the Naturopath to not take citric fruits for 2 months to see if it makes a difference (so no oranges and mandarins). No idea why she didnt explain the science to it.
Its been 4 weeks now and I’ve only broken out twice and not the huge red acne that I normally get in the past (touch wood), but the small ones that heal in 2-3 days with tea tree oil. Hopefully I can keep this up and my skin won’t go crazy in the coming months…
Hi fran,
Ive recently had my 1st acne breakout and its really very depressing. But I have a lot of things going on for me at the moment so im not too certain of the cause.
These things include:
A mild eating disorder (meaning my diet is very similar daily and i find it hard to change, and thisin turn has caused some effects of my body such as constipation and starnge period patterns) , stress, inability to sleep well which all probably have an effect on my skin.
But, from this picture, it looks as though my problems are down to intestine toxic, uterus and overies.
So now im unsure of the factors, and how to put it right. I wondered if there are any tips and that you could give me to make me less confused and help with my skin?
Thank you.
HI Emma, don’t worry about looking at this picture because it’s really obvious without it why you’re getting a breakout, especially considering it’s your first one.
You’ve got to start eating better, constipation is one of the most common causes of acne. Have you talked to anyone about your eating disorder? At the very least go to the health store and buy the best multi-vitamin they have, preferably something that’s a whole food and organic (NewChapters is fantastic if it’s available). That will provide your body with the vitamins and minerals that it needs.
The best foods to eat to get rid of constipation are fresh fruits and vegetables (preferably not cooked). And try eating brown bread instead of white, and brown rice instead of white rice.
At the very least, FIRST THING when you get up in the morning, drink a couple of huge glasses of water to help your body to get things moving (to encourage a bowel movement really). If you like the flavor, squeeze some lemon juice in there too.
The stress and inability to sleep will also be contributing to your skin problems, but just work on one thing at a time and see if it makes a difference. I’m willing to bet that once you get rid of your constipation then most of your skin will clear up.
Hi Fran, I absoulutley love your website it has helped me quite alot. Looking at the diagram I have Uterus, intestine toxic, liver toxic & lungs mild acne. I am so sick and tired of it. I have tried so many cleansers/scrubs over the counter products but can’t seem to find one that improves my condition. I eat very healthy as i’m a vego and exercise alot. My mum says its all coz i’m a teenager, but i’m sure i can do something about it! Can you help me ? What am I doing wrong or not doing? I guess i have a bit of stress on my mind because my mum is getting married again this year and my dad has kept his girlfriend a secret for sometime. PLease reply !
hi. it seems that i have acne on my cheeks because of my lungs. do you know a solution to this problem.
Hi Holly and H2O, following a holistic treatment plan for your acne is the best way to go. Have you signed up to the mini-course? It’s a great place to start.
Wow. (:
My spots have cleared up on the ‘liver spots’ but it’s pretty bad on the ovaries, uterus. Do you knows what I could do to get rid of them? My skin is slightly oily, but not very. I heard the contraceptive pill could help, but I’m not sure how to use it.
Thanks, Fran (:
Nici, that area is hormonal so you need to start looking into supplements and a low GI diet to balance out your hormones. Working on your stress levels is a good place to start too.
Hi Fran, I have takin your free mini-course on acne, it has worked for me, not all the way but I do see improvement! So thanks! Although I have a few questions to ask on why I still break out. I eat very well, I cut out all sugar, wheat and dairy. I just eat a few fruit, such as; avacodos, tomatoes, lemons, limes and apples. The reason I cut out so much fruit is I think I have candidas. (I have signs of candidas). Can a Natural and/or Holistic doctor treat candidas and cure it successfully? I break out around my mouth, cheeks and forhead. I was looking at the picture that is displayed, and thinking that my problems with my body are liver, lungs and hormones. I really want to go to a natural doctor, because I have tried everything, for treating acne. I have tried Birth control pills, Accutane, BP, acne free cleaners… everything.
Thank you Julie
I just stopped using a BP, cleanser. It cleaned up most of my acne, but left my skin dry. I feel like I have a lot of clogged pores. As of now I am using a gentle exfoliator made with jojoba beads by Noah’s Naturals. I feel like thats clogging my pores. I love using natural ingrediants, just like my Noah’s Natural cleanser, but I might try a salicylic acid cleanser just at night time, to un clog my pores.
So I guess what Im asking is, can a natural doctor help me with finding if I have candidas, and treating it. Also finding a way to balance my hormones
And what is a good cleaner to use on sentive, acne prone skin. Sorry that this was long. please help!
Julie- A natural doctor can certainly help with your Candida so give them a go. Since you’ve tried the BCP and accutane, it’s likely that your acne is caused by Candida.
I love the philosophy’s purity made simple cleanser ..it’s good for sensitive skin, but I’m still on the lookout for a natural product. I sell the African black soap but that’s only good for oily skin.
hi fran.
i have taken the free mini course.
i have cut out the foods that should be avoided.
im on a no sugar diet and the foods that should be avoided (no natural or refined)(but sometimes i take a tiny bite on fruits)(hehe)
im worried i might have candida so i cut out the natural sugars too.
i never been on antibiotics or use many products.
just use drugstore products(two products i used in my one year acne case)(im trying to change to natural products like the ones you recommended)
i barely use moisturizers.
i dont visit dermo or doctors. (dont have the money)
but im trying to get a allergy test.
its been almost a week.
and i dont see much diference but its slightly getting better.
im 15 and i have acne on my cheeks(sides of my cheeks too), forehead, chin, a bit on my nose and mouth. there inflammed. and i have blemishes too.
i dont have cystic or acne on my jawline(but im worried its starting to spread). i get breakouts i guess frequently. im trying to find the root of my acne to cure it. but im having trouble.
sorry to comment here and about this long post. thank you!
Is there a similar drawing for males? I do break out on my cheeks.
Lee- Natural methods usually take longer than a week, and depending on your holistic routine, sometimes your skin can get a little worse before it gets better.
If you don’t seen any improvements in 4-5 weeks then consider visiting a naturopath or doctor, depending on the severity of your acne.
Bob- Unfortunately i didn’t find one for boys!
What if you get pimples on your back like near shoulders?
Stipay- sometimes it’s hormonal, sometimes it’s from sweating, but often it’s from holding tension in that area of your back.
Hi Fran!
in this article you say “I’m going to start taking the contraceptive pill soon and after finding this resource I’m even more confident that the pill will completely clear all my acne in these areas.”
….isn’t there another way?
I think many, MANY of us girls have this kind of acne- the hormonal kind.I’m off the pill now, this is my first days without it (Can’t take the sideaffects anymore).
I remember you said in a video that thats the reason you got off the pill aswell -coz the sideaffects was sooo much worse then when you were younger and took the pill.
So,did you find something else that really helps with this particular kind of acne, hormonal acne?
This article almousts sounds like you recommend the pill as a fix…confused
I am 12 years old and I have mild to moderate acne on my forehead around my nose and few on my chin. I live on a base in japan so I don’t have a lot of choices as far as over the counter products. I’ve never gone to see a dermatoagist. I have tried almost everything available and nothing seems to work. Please help Erin.
any info on taking chromium and zinc for acne?
DO NOT go on the pill to fix your acne!!!!
What ever you do, avoid the pill.
I made the same mistake of taking the pill to balance my hormones thinking it would clear my hormones.
It messed my body up beyond words, game me more acne (which forced me to use Aldactone) and made me extremely hairy.
Now i have to undo all the damage the pill has done by natural means.
Drinking soy milk has been a huge help, almost cleared my skin for the first time in my life (im 26 by the way) and im taking Fennel/Fenugreek herbs and ground Flaxseed to provide my body with extra oestrogens.
Im drug free for the first time in 10 years!
What ever you do, avoid the pill. Do your research by reading books on hormones, and you wont be sorry.
Fay – could you tell me what pills you used?How come soy milk helped you…? I did use the pill, but I’m off it now, its my first month without it *yeeey:))*
So this month my mood has been going up and down like crazy (I hope it won’t be like this forever…) but I still feel it was a good desicion to stop taking the pill.
Hi Happyface.
I was on Levlen ED, but over the past 10 years my doctors and specialists also experiemented Diane and a few other pills. They are all the same. If you look at their composition, they have synthetic oestrogen (Levlen has 30 micro grams) and progestrogen (150 micrograms).
My research lead to me discovering that synthetic oestrogen is made of horse urine and other horrible ingredients, and progesterogen is made by modifying natural progesterone.
Your body cannot deal with synthetic hormones, as they dont match human hormones.
Soy works because it has phytoestrogens, which are weak oestrogens that balance your hormones. So when you eat phytoestrogen rich foods, they will normalise your oestrogen (increase or decrease it as needed).
You can also take herbs like Fennel and Fenugreek, and Flaxseed (ground).
Also remember that the synthetic hormones from the pill are still in your system. They take 6 months to fully leave, so dont expect your body to recover over night.
I know women who have no oestrogen making mechanism (their uterus was taken out in surgery) who are not experiencing hot flushes or anything abnormal by taking a teaspoon of fennel per day.
Im sure if you change your diet, your mood will improve. You can’t overdose on phytoestrogens anyway, so start eating soy yogurt and milk etc.
Hi Fran! I really love your websites and blogs, I just discovered it recently. Anyway most of my breakouts are on my cheeks so it means that the root cause is my lungs. Could you suggest anything that could help my lungs? I don’t smoke but I sleep REALLY LATE like 12 in the evening or 1.30 AM could that be one cause of the problem with my lungs? Any diet you could suggest? Thanks.
Leave a Response