"Face Mapping"--What Your Dark Circles + Acne Are Trying to Tell You

That pimple on your forehead--what does it mean? According to dermatologists who specialize in the ancient art of face mapping, it could tell you more about your health than you know.

Alex Gariano over at U Look Haute shared a fascinating look at "face mapping"--the art of unlocking the mysteries of problematic skin. Hailing from ancient Chinese medicine, Gariano writes, "face mapping is a type of skin analysis that explains why and how certain areas of your face are connected to other parts of your body. ...Think of your blemishes as X’s on a map that is your face. Different zones correspond to different problems. With this 'map' as your guide, you can address the underlying causes of blemishes and correctly determine how to prevent them from recurring."

So, what are your breakouts, dull spots and dark circles trying to tell you? Here's a quick guide from Gariano:

Zone 1 & 3: Bladder & Digestive System — Improve your diet and drink more water.
Zone 2: Liver — Try cutting back on alcohol, heavy food or dairy. This area can also indicate a food allergy.
Zone 4 & 10: Kidneys — Make sure you’re keeping yourself hydrated with water and cut back on liquids that dehydrate you. This means nix the soda, coffee and/or alcohol.
Zone 5 & 9: Respiratory system — Those who smoke or have allergies tend to have acne here.
Zone 6 & 8: Kidneys — Dark circles are usually a result of dehydration. Drink up!
Zone 7: Heart — Check your blood pressure and make sure you’re not using makeup that irritates your skin.
Zone 12: Stomach — Consider a detox or adding more fiber to your diet to help with digestion.
Zone 11 & 13: Hormones — Stress and hormonal changes can sometimes be alleviated with more water and a few extra servings of dark, leafy greens but if breakouts in this area persistent, make an appointment with your doctor to look into a possible hormonal imbalance. Additionally, breakouts in this area also indicate when you are ovulating (and which side).
Zone 14: Illness — Can be a sign of your body fighting bacteria to avoid illness. Take a breather and drink plenty of fluids. 

Of course, not everyone believes in face mapping--and the mainstream medical community would likely disagree that your face can predict anything about your overall health--I still find this pretty fascinating (if not just a little bit interesting and fun!). And, I had mega dark circles this morning, so I'm going to stay extra hydrated today!