Ayurvedic Face Mapping

Do you ever wonder whether those breakouts that somehow always pop on the exact same spot on your face are due to factors other than you forget to wash your face a couple days ago? Do you have a stubborn zit that just won’t beat it?

There are simple ways to combat these skin problems…AYURVEDIC FACE MAPPING!🗺💆🏻 ( I actually wish I had known how to map my face since my early teens.)

Ayurveda is the 5,000-year-old sister science of yoga. Translated literally, the word “Ayurveda” means “science of life.”👩🏻‍🔬 Face mapping is an ancient Ayurvedic method that connects a point on your face to an organ or body part so you know what to treat internally with clear external results.It’s a theory that correlates the location of your breakout to a corresponding internal organ or issue–kind of like reflexology🙋🏻.

The easiest way to take care of your skin is from the inside!

Ayurveda uses “doshas” or energy types to characterize an individual. There are 3 doshas – Vatta, Pitta, Kapha.  We are all born with our own unique mix of these three doshas. When they are out of balance, it will show up on our skin, in our bodies, and through the amount of energy we have.

Vatta is represented by the elements of Air and Ether/Space.
Pitta is represented by Fire and Water.
Kapha is understood through the elements of Earth and Water.

Each dosha governs a different portion of the skin:

Vatta governs the top third – the forehead and the temples.
Pitta governs the middle third – the cheeks and the nose.
Kapha governs the bottom third – from the base of the ears and top of the lip down to the jaw and neck.

Face mapping the gorgeous, Adriana Lima.

VATTA

Vatta is associated with movement, restlessness and anxiety.

Its qualities are thin, dry and airy. You might notice that the forehead skin is relatively thin and taut compared to the rest of the face. It is also the place where worry or stress become visible.

Forehead acne aggravated by Vatta tends to present itself as blackheads. In general, the skin feels congested and bumpy, but the acne tends to be small and dry, not deep or pus-filled.

The two most common culprits are dehydration (too much air and dryness) and constipation (lack of movement and too much dryness). Vatta acne is also a common sign of stress, scatteredness, overwhelm or worry. It is usually not caused by oil as you would’ve thought, but from the opposite: systemic dehydration.

Dehydration is combatted in two ways – obviously, you should increase your water and fluid intake, as well as add vegetables and foods rich in fluid (especially soups) to the diet. Watermelon is a great fruit to combat dehydration as it contains about 92% of water!

Another tip: decrease dehydrating foods such as alcohol, coffee, sodas and salt. Consume lots of healthy fats! Oil is the other part of the equation. Healthy fats include Omega 3s, like fatty fish, flax, chia, avocado, grass-fed ghee, hemp seed and olive oils. I take an Omega 3 supplement every day to combat my forehead pimples.

If you are still constipated, drink more water and eat more fibre. The best way to combat Vatta stress is to do things that make you feel grounded and stable. Routine and ritual are huge. Exercise is essential.

Dark circles or bags under the eyes also fall within the Vatta Dosha. Weak kidneys, tired adrenal glands and food allergies that lead to sinus congestion may cause this. If you have “always” had dark circles under your eyes, check for food sensitivities and your adrenal health.

Horizontal forehead lines are an indication that you might be eating too much sugar or sugar and the wrong kinds of fats together. They also indicate a tendency to worry excessively.

Topically, gentle exfoliation, moisturization, and oil cleansing are all recommended to combat forehead pimples

BASICALLY: Eat less processed or junk food, reduce the amount of fat in your diet, step up water intake and opt for cooling things like cucumbers. 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.💦🏃🏻‍♀️🥒🍉

PITTA

Pitta is associated with fire, combat, aggressiveness, competitiveness and perfectionism.

Its qualities are hot, fiery and angry. This is why the cheeks and the nose are the most common places to find redness in the face. When we blush, it blooms first on our cheeks, then spreads. The nose is often the first place that inflammation and broken capillaries occur. Our cheeks and nose may also turn red with anger, which is a Pitta governed emotion. The liver, blood, stomach and small intestine are all controlled by Pitta.

Cheek and nose acne tends to be red, inflamed and painful. It may also appear as blackheads or milia* surrounding the eye or a  cluster around the nose and top lip.

Internally, you must support both the liver and the digestion. Eating cooling and healing foods is important. I would go with a nice cup of green tea.

Acne on the cheeks, especially if it is rash-like also likely caused by a food intolerance or insensitivity. The same goes for acne around the nose and upper lip. Take an objective look at your diet. ANYTHING could be the culprit. Are there any foods you eat very consistently and feel like you could not live without? 

To purify the blood, the liver must be in good health, so take care of that first. Make sure you are drinking lots of water and eating lots of good fats and fibre. I chuck a whole bunch of Chia seeds into my yoghurt or make a smoothie and add Chia seeds to it to get my dose of fibre.

Stay away from greasy, spicy, salty, processed foods!  Eating smaller, blander meals is recommended.

Milia* around the eye is an indicator of adrenal fatigue and underactive thyroid. REST and DESTRESS are your best bets here.

*Milia cysts are small, white bumps that typically appear on the nose and cheeks. These cysts are often found in a group.

Topically, you must be more gentle with this type of acne than any other. Soothing and lightly moisturizing products are key. No exfoliation or drying of any sort should be attempted. Aloe vera gel and anti-inflammatory plant hydrosols are your best bet.

BASICALLY: decrease the intake of spicy or pungent food, cut down on meat and get more fresh air. Other than this, look into ways to lower your cholesterol, like replacing “bad fats” with “good fats” such as Omegas 3 and 6 found in nuts, avocados, fish and flax seed. Since this area is chock-full of dilated pores, check that your makeup is not past its expiry date or is skin-clogging!  Another thing that most of us forget – dirty cell phones and pillow cases are two of the top acne culprits and this is the area that affects the most!🥜🌰🐟💄📱💊

KAPHA

Kapha is associated with slowness, steadiness and lethargy.

Its qualities are thick, viscous, and heavy.This is why the skin on the lower third of the face is thicker. When Kapha is balanced it aids the skin in retaining elasticity, youthfulness and hydration.

Lower cheek, chin and jaw acne tends to be deep, large, cystic and painful. OUCH! This type of acne is slow to resolve and reflects the slow and heavy qualities of Kapha. Even blackheads in this area tend to be more problematic and oily than those in the other sections of the face.

Looking at Kapha acne can also give you insight into what internal imbalance might be causing it. Fertility is governed by Kapha, which is why a lot of times cystic breakouts along the jaw, chin and lower cheeks can be traced to a hormonal imbalance or a health issue such as PCOS.

A diet rich in Kapha-aggravating foods may also be the cause. Kapha foods have heavy and sticky qualities to them. They include all sugars & flours, all creamy & damp foods including and especially dairy. Surprisingly Kapha aggravating foods also include yeasts and fermented foods including wine. Soy, shellfish and fruits (bananas especially) also aggravate Kapha!

Diets rich in Kapha foods can cause candida and candida overgrowth should also be considered a prime suspect in cystic chin and jaw acne.

Another clear indication of a  Kapha-aggravating diet being the cause is pus-filled lower cheek breakouts. Reduce dairy, sugar, carbs to combat this.

Finally, Kapha governs the lymphatic system. A big key to keeping the Earth and Water of Kapha in equilibrium is…motion. A beautiful analogy is to imagine mixing earth and water. If they go unstirred, the heavy sand sinks to the bottom and the water rises to the top. It is the constant stirring action that brings balance to this Dosha.

Our lymphatic fluid will quickly stagnate if we do not move. Unlike our blood, the lymph fluid is NOT pumped through the body – the only things will move it are exercise and gravity. If you are getting cystic pimples towards the back of the jaw and the base of the ears (where two large lymph nodes are located) exercise and movement is a must!

BASICALLY: The chin region is the signature zone for stress and hormonal changes. 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, apparently). Step up the fibre intake, reduce the toxin overload and drink herbal teas to help with digestion.

I hope you found this post helpful and may consider including face mapping as part of your skincare routine! Remember, you are what you eat!

Sources:
http://mosskincare.com/ayurvedic-face-mapping-part-1/
http://rachaelpontillo.com/ancient-science-ayurvedic-face-mapping-dr-keesha-ewers/
http://mosskincare.com/ayurvedic-face-mapping-part-1/

***Featured image of Adriana Lima is not property of justkamini.com