Face Mapping: Hormones and Your Chin

Welcome to the last post in our series about face mapping.

In case you’re late to the party, face mapping comes from the ancient Chinese practice of “face reading,” in which the face was believed to hold clues as to a person’s personality, health, and fortune. Back before blood tests and imaging scans were available, doctors relied on looking, touching, and seeing what was in front of them to help make a diagnosis.

We haven’t adopted the entire practice yet here in the Western world, but we have become fascinated with the idea that skin problems on the face may be connected to other issues throughout the rest of the body. We are more aware now that the skin is the body’s largest organ, and is greatly affected by diet, stress, exercise, air pollution, and even our emotional well-being.

With that in mind, we’ve turned to face mapping to help us find clues as to what may be causing our acne breakouts, redness, inflammation, and other skin issues.

The Chinese divided the face up into sections they believed were connected to other areas of the body. As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, the forehead is connected to the digestive system, and the nose to the cardiovascular system.

Knowing these connections gives us the ability to tackle our skin issues from different angles. Yes, we may need to change what products we’re using, or how often we’re cleansing or exfoliating, but we may also need to bring our blood pressure down, for instance, or consume more probiotics to ease digestion.

In this post, we’re going to focus on acne on chin and jawline. When pimples, blackheads, redness, and rashes show up here, what does that mean?

Clues Surrounding Chin and Jawline Acne & Redness

According to Chinese face mapping, the chin and jawline are connected to your hormones, reproductive organs, and if we’re talking about the middle of the chin, digestive issues.

So if you’re suffering from breakouts here, possible causes could include:

• Natural hormonal changes: Puberty, that time of the month, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, or other times in your life when hormones naturally go nuts.
• Other hormonal changes: Illnesses or other conditions can also cause a hormonal imbalance. Factors may include an unhealthy diet, thyroid issues, overweight or obesity, stress, insulin resistance, digestive problems, and even lack of sleep.
• Problems with reproductive organs: These could include uterine fibroids, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and the like.
• Digestive issues: Your digestive system has slowed down, or is too overwhelmed with fatty foods and alcohol.

6 Ways to Help Chin Acne & Redness

First, check with your doctor. Hormonal imbalances can cause a number of symptoms that can affect your daily life, so you want to be sure that you’re not suffering from a slow thyroid, for instance, or another more serious condition that requires medical attention.

Once you get the medical clear, don’t forget to review the obvious causes of chin acne. Are you someone that likes to hold your chin in your palm? If so, that could be your problem right there, as our fingers have oils and bacteria on them that can transfer to the face.

Check on other things as well—your skin care products (using the correct skin care products for your skin type), your makeup brushes (make sure they’re clean), and your exfoliating products (avoid those with harsh scrubs or other harsh ingredients that cause micro-tears in the skin).

If you’re acing your skin care, it’s time to try these other steps:

1. Exercise Regularly

Exercise—as long as you don’t overdo it—helps balance your hormones. Studies have found that it can help increase testosterone in men with low testosterone and helped stabilize energy-regulating hormones in both men and women.

We’re talking the 30-40 minute type of exercise, such as a nice jog or walk or biking trip. Exercising too hard, to the point of exhaustion, can actually have the opposite effect, so think moderate, daily exercise.

2. Manage Stress

Stress throws hormones out of whack. According to a 2011 study, stress can lead to changes in levels of a number of hormones, and if it goes on too long, can actually lead to hormonal disorders such as adrenal crises and thyroid problems.

We also know that stress can pump hormones into our systems that encourage overeating and obesity. To reduce chin acne and inflammation, incorporate stress management into your daily life. Find a way to relax for at least 30 minutes. Some options: massage, yoga, tai chi, meditation, journaling, time with friends, pet therapy, etc.

3. Get Enough Sleep

Lack of sleep, like stress, can throw your hormones way off. Studies have shown that it messes with hunger and satiety hormones, which causes you to crave more fatty, sugary foods. A recent study found that lack of sleep affects levels of the hormone melatonin, which in turn, can affect insulin levels — perhaps leading to type 2 diabetes.

An earlier 2009 study reported that lack of sleep affects a number of hormones, increasing the stress hormone cortisol, increasing the hunger hormone ghrelin, and decreasing the satiety hormone leptin, along with other changes. Bottom line—get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night to help keep your hormones steady.

4. Detox Your System

Pimples right in the middle of the chin could signal digestive issues or a buildup of internal toxins. Try drinking more water and herbal tea, eat more foods rich in probiotics (like yogurt, miso, kombucha, and kefir.).

5. Naturally Balance Your Hormones

The following tips can help maintain hormonal health and balance:

• eat more foods rich in healthy omega-3 fats, which are vital for hormone health
• make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D and magnesium—both are needed for proper hormone function
• consider cutting back on caffeine—if you’re having trouble with chin acne, it could mean you’re sensitive to it, and too much can aggravate hormonal imbalance
• maintain a healthy weight—overweight and obesity are associated with hormonal imbalances

6. Avoid Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals

Recent research has found that some chemicals in our everyday products—like phthalates in plastics, for instance — can affect the hormones in our bodies. “Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)” can mimic our own hormones, interfere with their normal function, and actually eliminate natural hormones in the body.

Over time, these chemicals can cause developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in humans.

Some other examples of endocrine disruptors include bisphenol-A (BPA) found in the lining of aluminum cans and in plastic bottles; pesticides; PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) used in electrical equipment; DEHP, used in the manufacture of food packaging; fire retardants; perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) used in non-stick cookware, and more.

Here are some tips for helping to avoid these chemicals:

• cook in glass or non-coated metal pans (or cast iron)
• avoid heating or storing foods in plastic containers
• choose organic produce and meats
• avoid chemical pesticides
• use green household cleansers
• ask about chemicals in your furniture and mattresses before buying
• choose personal care products from companies that use natural and safe ingredients

Do you struggle with chin acne and redness? 

If you would like to learn more on face mapping and the different parts of the face that are connected to different organs in the body, read our other posts:

Face Mapping: An Introduction

Face Mapping: the Digestive System and Your Forehead

Face Mapping: the Liver and Between the Brows

Face Mapping: the Respiratory System and Your Cheeks

Face Mapping: Heart, Blood Pressure and Your Nose

Sources

WedMD- Does Working Out Affect Testosterone Levels?

NCBI – Stress and hormones

Medical News Today – Type 2 diabetes: Study explains link to sleep hormone melatonin

NCBI – Role of Sleep and Sleep Loss in Hormonal Release and Metabolism

Say Why Do I – Spot positions, Acne locations and Chinese face mapping

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – Endocrine Disruptors