What Your Face is Trying to Tell You

Chinese Medicine and Facial Diagnosis

Author: Blake Estape L.Ac.

In a previous article I wrote about Bell’s Palsy and how acupuncture can help reduce pain and restore muscle function. The brief entry explained how natural modalities help via neuropeptide release and manipulation of vasculature.

It’s nice to know that something works of course, but in my practice I’ve found that people appreciate it much more if they understand an issue. Most of the time it’s about listening to what your body is trying to tell you.

The face has always held an important role in life. It’s how we present ourselves to the world. Our critical sense organs gather information for the rest of our body to use. Likewise, to those who pay attention, the face can say a lot about the person.

What to look for when looking in a mirror.

Practitioners of Chinese medicine are trained in four basic diagnostic methods: Inspection, Palpation, Inquiry and Olfaction. Let’s discuss inspection, after all it’s often the first way we interact with others.

When inspecting the face you may find great variation in tone, elasticity, inflammation and more. The Chinese believe this is because each area of the face corresponds to a different organ system – an extension of the principle of holism.

Redness

This is an indication of inflammation, what we would describe as ‘heat’. These conditions are ordinarily due to some excess; intoxicants, fatty or oily foods, heightened emotions, etc. Treatment involves discontinuing irritants and bringing down inflammation.

Pallor/Cyanosis

A pale hue or blue tinge can either mean deficiency or internalized cold. Internal coldness – for instance, consumption of too many cold raw foods – engenders stagnation. Peristalsis slows and waste products aren’t efficiently eliminated. It could also mean blood deficiency, as in cases of anemia, or weakness of the lungs. In these cases steps must be taken to strengthen the deficiency or stop behaviors that tax body systems.

Red or Purple Spots

These are mostly seen on the tongue, but they can also appear elsewhere. This is an indication of blood stagnation; the proper flow of fluids through the body is being somehow arrested. Causes vary depending on lifestyle, age and other factors, but treatments typically involve supporting circulation.

Dryness

Like pallor, this can be a sign of blood deficiency. The Chinese believe blood is an essential fluid that is involved in nourishing the skin. Patches of dry, scaly skin can be an indication of underlying blood dysfunction of the corresponding organ. Supporting the creation and distribution of good quality blood will help resolve the issue.

Puffiness

Fluid accumulation in the face depends on concurrent symptoms. If the face is pale and puffy, then the lungs are implicated and strengthening them can drain fluid. If there is redness and puffiness with more rigid flesh, this means the stomach and liver are culprits and clearing inflammation in these systems will provide relief.

What about acne?

Let’s apply what we discussed above. Acne usually presents as redness and irritation of the skin, which indicates heat. The first step has to be examining diet and eliminating anything that may be contributing to this preponderance of inflammation.

Avoid:

·         Spice

·         Oily or fatty foods

·         Alcohol

·         Tobacco

·         Coffee

·         Sugar

·         Garlic

·         Onion

·         Cinnamon

Once this is done treatments focus on the organ system in question. For example, acne in the cheeks with red and oily skin indicates heat in the stomach. Herbs to cool it down would be prescribed.

Can it help wrinkles?

Absolutely. Lifestyle factors play a role in quality of skin, but muscle tone and wrinkle distribution is also heavily influenced by one’s emotional state. Resting expression is automatic, and over years this becomes written on the skin. Preventative steps can be taken early to avoid things like frown lines, but even if they set in acupuncture can help. By causing a small amount of damage to tissue, the needles are able to tighten muscle tone and distribute naturally produced collagen to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Now that you know what to look for, you can begin to head off issues before they become too severe. However it’s best to plan any changes with the help of your practitioner – they can navigate the complexities of holistic treatment and help create measured corrections.

If you’d like to learn more, schedule your free consultation to learn about how acupuncture can help with your unique situation.