10 Signs Of Health Problems That Your Face Can Reveal

The face is not just a mirror to the soul, but to the body as well. The face clearly reveals what is going on within your body. Let us look at 10 signs of health problems that your face can reveal.

Even a tiny pimple can at times signal towards a much deeper health issue like dietary deficiency, allergy, hormonal changes or any other health problem. Here’s a list of the 10 signs of health problems that your face can reveal.

Androgens are hormones made by the adrenal and gonads glands.⁽¹⁾ In women, unwanted facial hair signal towards a hormonal imbalance triggered by overproduction of androgens in the body.^{(2, 3, 4)} Also polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), especially when accompanied by irregular or missing menstrual cycles, can cause unwanted facial hair. Unwanted facial hair is one of the important signs of health problems that your face can reveal; and hence, must be evaluated for right diagnosis and treatment.

Acne is definitely one of the top 10 signs of health problems that your face can reveal. Though the cause often varies, acne breakouts are often related to hormonal problems and a high glycemic index diet.⁽⁵⁾ By decreasing excess sugar intake, white flour, processed foods, and increasing the intake of whole grains and vegetables, one can effectively get rid of the pimples. Dairy is also associated with increased sebum production in the skin and so can also be held responsible for acne outbreaks.⁽⁶⁾

Patches of red or white bumps are often wrongly assumed to be tiny pimples, but these are actually keratosis pilaris.⁽⁷⁾ Yet another sign of health problems that your face reveals to you; i.e., Keratosis pilaris, which is a dermal condition that occurs due to deficiency of essential fatty acids, zinc or vitamin A in the body. The pimple bumps also appear on the thighs, buttocks and back of the arms. Omega 3 fatty acids-rich foods, like wild salmon, zinc-rich rich kidney beans, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds, and vitamin A-rich green leafy veggies and sweet potatoes may help to reduce this problem.

Dark circles are a popular sign of health problems that your face can reveal. When it comes to dark under-eye circles, one should not always hold lack of sleep responsible for this problem. Even consuming foods, which the body finds toxic and unhealthy, can trigger the appearance of these allergic shiners. People facing this issue should avoid consuming the common food allergens, like eggs, dairy and gluten for some days and see if the dark circles reduce.⁽⁸⁾ If they get positive results, an allergy test may be helpful and must be done as advised by the physician.

Dry skin is one of the top 10 health problems that your face can reveal. Although skin dryness is often associated with dehydration, is also common in eczema, dermatitis and other health conditions. So, along with drinking more of water and other liquids, one should also increase their intake of foods rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids to boost their skin’s ability to retain moisture.⁽⁹⁾ Inadequate intake of vitamins is necessary either in the natural form or as supplements, which can be taken with physician’s advice.

Cracked lips are one of the signs of health problems that your face can reveal. Inadequate dietary intake of niacin or zinc can lead to perpetually cracked lips.⁽¹⁰⁾ Vegetarians and vegans most often suffer from this issue because their diet lacks niacin and zinc enriched animal products, like fish, liver and chicken. These individuals must include more of plant-based sources of zinc like pumpkin seeds and chickpeas, and niacin rich foods like mushroom and peanuts in their diet.

Pale skin or skin pallor is another important sign of health problems that your face can reveal. Pale skin can mean that the person is suffering from anemia.^{(11, 12)} Anemia is caused by the deficiency of vitamin B6, B12, folate or iron in the body.^{(13, 14)} Generally, people having a vegan diet, taking certain medications like metformin or antacids or have impaired digestion and absorption, develop anemia. By testing blood for anemia and nutritional deficiencies, the physician can easily detect this health problem revealed by your face. Anemia patients should consume more of beans, dark green leafy vegetables and chicken to cure their problem naturally.

Blisters and cracks at the corner of mouth are one of the 10 signs of health problems that your face can reveal. They can indicate dietary problems or iron and vitamin B deficiencies, especially B2 and B12, in the body.⁽¹⁵⁾ One can cure the problem naturally by boosting their intake of iron and vitamin B-rich foods like beans, dark green leafy vegetables and chicken. To ensure the maximum absorption of these nutrients in the body, one should also add fiber-rich vegetables and legumes, and enzyme-containing foods like papaya, to their diet.

One of the interesting signs of health problems that your face can reveal is the thinning of eyebrows. Rapid thinning of the eyebrows, especially the outer 3rd sections is indicative of imbalanced hormone levels and an underactive thyroid.^{(16, 17)} Some other signs of an underactive thyroid are weight gain, dry skin, fatigue and constipation.^{(18, 19, 20, 21)} One should contact a doctor when experiencing this problem and take proper treatment to manage their condition.

Wrinkles are also one of the 10 signs of health problems that your face can reveal. Although wrinkles are a part of the natural process of aging, their early presence on your face can mean premature aging. While we cannot prevent the signs of aging like wrinkles from appearing, their onset can surely be delayed. Poor intake of vitamin C leads to premature wrinkles.^{(22, 23)} Along with being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C also promotes the formation of collagen.^{(24, 25)} So, one should consume more of vitamin C rich foods like strawberries, papaya, broccoli, bell peppers and pineapple to keep this sign of aging at bay. Further, having collagen supplements can also prove useful in decreasing skin dryness and wrinkles.

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