Think of your face as a map and blemishes as X’s on that landscape. Spots in different zones correspond to different problems. So, with this “map” as your guide, you can address the underlying causes of blemishes and not only make the unsightly zits vanish but also treat the underlying health problem in time. Pretty awesome, right? Try it out! Here is how to decode breakouts in the basic areas:

Eat less processed or junk food, reduce the amount of fat in your diet, step up water intake and opt for cooling things like cucumber.

 

3: LIVER

Cut out the alcohol, greasy food and dairy. This is the zone where food allergies also show up first, so take a look at your ingredients. Besides all this, do 30 minutes of light exercise every day and get adequate sleep so your liver can rest.

 

Anything around the eyes (including dark circles) point to dehydration. Drink up!

 

Check your blood pressure and Vitamin B levels. Decrease the intake of spicy or pungent food, cut down on meat and get more fresh air. Besides this, look into ways to lower cholesterol, like replacing "bad fats" with "good fats" such as Omega 3s and 6s found in nuts, avocados, fish and flax seed. Also, since this area is chock-full of dilated pores, check that your makeup is not past its expiry date or is skin-clogging.

 

Again, drink up! And cut down on aerated drinks, coffee and alcohol as these will cause further dehydration.

 

9 & 10: RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Do you smoke? Have allergies? This is your problem area for both. If neither of these is the issue, don't let your body overheat, eat more cooling foods, cut down on sugar and get more fresh air. Also keep the body more alkaline by avoiding foods that make the body acidic (meat, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, sugar) and adding more alkalizing foods like green veggies and wheatgrass juice. Another thing that most forget - dirty cell phones and pillow cases are two of the top acne culprits and this area is what they affect the most!

 

This is the signature zone for stress and hormonal changes. And while both are sometimes unavoidable, you can decrease their effect by getting adequate sleep, drinking enough water, eating leafy veggies and keeping skin scrupulously clean. Another interesting point: breakouts in this area indicate when you are ovulating (and on which side).

 

Step up the fibre intake, reduce the toxin overload and drink herbal teas to help with digestion.

 

Zits here can be a sign that your body is fighting bacteria to avoid illness. Give it a break, take a yoga class, take a nap, take time to breathe deeply, drink plenty of water and know that everything always works out!

 

So the next time you break out or notice dark under-eye circles, look to your face map: your skin is probably trying to communicate on behalf of the internal organs. However, do remember that, as with all medical issues, it is always best to see your doctor or dermotologist for a proper prognosis. This is just a general guide to head you off in the right investigative direction – just becuase you break out between the brows doesn’t always mean you have a bad liver!