our Face: A Window Into Your Health
Your Face: A Window Into Your Health
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It’s been said that the eyes are a window to the soul. Your
face is also a window—by looking closely at your facial features,
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Reviewed by Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD on Friday, August 18, 2017
Your Face: A Window Into
Your Health
This tool does not provide medical advice.
Looking Into the Mirror
It’s been said that the
eyes are a window to the soul. Your face is also a window—by looking closely at
your facial features, you can read details of your own health. Sometimes
looking into the mirror may show something surprising, even unsettling. But how
can you know whether a facial change is cause for concern or something
harmless?
This article is designed
to cover some of the many health symptoms that can show up on your face. You
will learn about moles, facial paralysis, and bloodshot eyes. You will discover
what it means when new hair sprouts where it hadn’t been before, and also when
familiar hair falls out. So read on to find out what your face may be saying
about your health.
Yellow Skin, Yellow Eyes
If
you’ve discovered that your eyes and skin have taken on a yellow hue, it could
be a dangerous sign. Jaundice in babies who are less than 38 weeks old is
typically harmless and quite common. But when it appears in adults, you will
want the advice of a doctor.
Jaundice
can indicate a viral infection like mononucleosis or hepatitis. If the
infection is short-term, it is usually accompanied by other signs like fever,
chills, and other flu-like symptoms. Jaundice can also signal problems with
your pancreas, gallbladder, or liver. These include gallstones and
pancreatitis. It may also be a sign of alcohol abuse. Because so many problems
can cause your skin and eyes to yellow, you will need the careful examination
of a doctor to get the root of the problem.
Spot a Mole?
Moles are spots or
raised bumps of pigment on your skin. They are usually harmless, but unusual
moles can indicate skin cancer. How do you know if your mole is unusual?
Remember ABCDE:
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Asymmetrical: Is the
shape irregular when comparing one side to the other? If you drew a line down
the center, do both sides match? If not, it could be cause for concern.
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Borders: Are the edges
jagged or do they seem to “bleed” into the surrounding skin? Are the edges
notched or scalloped?
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Color: Does the mole
have a variety of colors, rather than just one? Cancers can present as various
colors, including tan, brown, black, white, red, or even blue. Benign moles are
usually a single shade.
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Diameter: Is the
diameter of the mole bigger than the tip of a pencil eraser? Larger moles may
indicate cancer.
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Evolving: Does the spot
evolve or change over time? Changes may include color, shape, size, or when a
bump begins to crust, itch, or bleed. These all may indicate cancer.
If the spot on your face
causes concern, show it to a doctor.
Sores—Where Are They?
Sometimes
a sore is just a sore. But if it appears around the lips and mouth it could be
a cold sore, which is caused by the herpes type 1 virus. Cold sores are very
common. Worldwide, two out of every three adults under age 50 is believed to
have them. And once they’re there, they will appear from time to time
throughout life.
The
symptoms of oral herpes are usually mild. However for anyone whose immune
system is weak, the symptoms can be more severe and can come on more
frequently. There is currently no cure for cold sores.
Are Your Lips Cracked?
Cracked
and chapped lips are common under certain conditions. A cold winter can bring
them on, as can a dry environment like a desert. It can also be a sign of
something more serious, though. Sometimes cracked lips indicate dehydration,
which can cause dizziness, fatigue, and in extreme cases unconsciousness and
even death.
Cracked
lips can also indicate an allergic reaction to medication. If you also have
red, inflamed sores in the corners of your mouth as well, your chapped lips
could be telling you that you have a condition called angular cheilitis, which
can be caused by an infection. At other times it may be a sign of eczema,
particularly for those who wear dentures.
What a Butterfly Rash Means
Most
rashes come and go, and are typically not very serious. However a butterfly
rash is something different. Butterfly rashes cover both cheeks, forming the
shape of a butterfly.
If
you spot a rash like this in the mirror, you may have lupus. Lupus is an
autoimmune disease. It causes the immune system to attack healthy body tissue.
People with lupus often experience stiff and achy joints, fever, and fingers
that turn blue when it’s cold. If you have a butterfly rash you will want a
doctor’s examination.
Where Did That Hair Come From?
It’s
not unusual to find hair in strange places as we get older. Older men tend to
find new hair growing in and around their ears, nose, and eyebrows. Aging women
may find their facial hair growing coarser, particularly around the lips and on
the chin. Although it may be disquieting, this hair growth is considered
normal.
However
when a young woman begins to develop facial hair, it can sometimes be a sign of
a larger problem. Sometimes new facial hair growth is a sign of polycystic
ovaries, a common condition that affects about 20% of women. It makes pregnancy
more difficult and has been linked with a higher risk for high cholesterol and
type 2 diabetes. That’s why young women who notice new hair growth should visit
a doctor. With treatment, most women with polycystic ovary syndrome can get
pregnant.
Do Your Eyelids Droop?
When you look in the
mirror, have you noticed your eyelids droop over your eyes a bit? Sometimes
this happens to only one eye, and sometimes it is more than a bit—it can even
cover the pupil, causing vision problems.
Doctors call the
condition ptosis. Some people are born with it. For others, it may be caused by
an injury, or as a normal effect of aging. In rare cases, droopy eyelids can
indicate a disease or tumor is impacting the muscle that lifts your eyelids.
Ptosis can be treated
with surgery as an outpatient procedure. As with any surgery, there are risks
and complications that can arise, so be sure to discuss these in detail with
your doctor first.
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When Half of Your Face Stops Moving
You
probably don’t need a mirror to notice this one. Anytime you can’t move some
part of your body, you should seek medical care immediately.
That
said, if you have no other symptoms, a motionless half-face is most likely
Bell’s palsy. The good news is that this condition is temporary. Mild cases can
last for as little as two weeks. Complete recovery is typical after three to
six months.
Bell’s
palsy occurs when the nerves that travel through the skull, behind the ear, and
to the face become inflamed, compressed, or swollen. This condition can be
mild, causing minor weakness, or severe, causing full paralysis. There’s one
nerve for each side of the face, which explains why only one side is affected.
The condition is thought to be caused by a viral infection. People with
diabetes or upper respiratory infections (think colds and flus) are more likely
to get Bell’s palsy.
A Paralyzed Face Could
Mean Something Worse
Without other symptoms,
having half your face paralyzed usually means Bell’s palsy. But if you also
notice weakness and numbness in your arms and legs, dizziness, double vision,
slurred speech, or difficulty swallowing, you may have had a stroke.
A stroke results when
the blood that flows to your brain is disrupted by either a blocked or burst
blood vessel. A stroke is a serious medical emergency. The sooner you can get
help and an accurate diagnosis, the better. If a stroke caused by a blood clot
is treated within the first three hours, emergency workers can administer a
shot called tPA (also known as Alteplase) that can save your life and reduce
your chances of problems over the long haul. For this reason, time is of the
essence—lost time can lead to permanent brain damage.
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Yellow Bumps Under Your Eyelids?
Look
closely at your eyelids, and you may discover small, raised, yellow bumps on or
near them. If you notice these bumps, you’ve found lumps of cholesterol
deposits known as xanthelasmata (also xanthoma). Those most likely to acquire
these small lumps are women in their 30s and 40s.
These
yellow bumps are harmless, though they may be unsightly. They can be removed,
but surgery can leave scarring, and they often reoccur. Because this is a
cosmetic surgery, it may not be covered by your insurance.
About
half the time, xanthomas indicate high cholesterol. Even if your cholesterol
levels are within normal range, these eyelid lumps may indicate a higher than
normal risk for atherosclerosis—the hardening of the arteries that contribute
to heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems.
Bags Under Your Eyes
Puffy
eyes can make you look tired. That actually makes sense, because one of the
causes of bags under your eyes is exhaustion. But there are other causes for
puffy eyes as well, including a diet high in sodium, not getting enough water,
and hormonal changes. Chronic allergies can cause this problem too, and should
especially be suspected if your eyes are red and watery. Baggy eyes can often
be improved by correcting these problems.
If
addressing these causes doesn’t help, there are several home remedies available
for bags under your eyes. One standby is to soak tea bags in hot water for
about three minutes, then leave them for a few minutes to cool before placing
them over your closed eyes while lying down. You can also put the bags in the
fridge after they soak if you prefer a cool treatment. Cucumber slices work
too. Both black tea and cucumbers are astringent, meaning they constrict blood
vessels, so letting them rest on your eyelids for about five or ten minutes can
help reduce eye puffiness.
Brown, Patchy Skin
When
you look into the mirror, do you see brown or brownish-gray patches on your
cheeks, nose, or forehead? This could be melasma, also called chloasma, a
common skin condition that is far more common in women than in men. In fact,
about 90% of people with this condition are women. People with darker skin and
those who live in sunny environments are also more likely to have melasma.
The
exact cause of melasma is unknown, but it seems to have some connection to
hormones. That’s because taking hormonal medications—including birth
control—makes melasma more likely. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable,
earning this condition the nickname “the mask of pregnancy.”
Although
you may not like the way it looks, melasma is harmless. It’s non-cancerous and
won’t develop into skin cancer. The patches usually go away on their own after
pregnancy or after ending birth control, but not always. Sunscreen helps.
Treatments are available, including a medicine called hydroquinone, which
lightens the skin. Other medicines may be used at the recommendation of a
dermatologist, as well as other procedures, including chemical peels and
microdermabrasion.
Losing the Hair on Your Face
Patches
of lost facial hair come from alopecia areata, a common autoimmune condition.
An estimated 6.8 million Americans experience this skin condition, which leads
to total scalp hair loss or hair loss all over the body about 5% of the time.
Alopecia
areata is not contagious. It is caused by your body’s immune system attacking
hair follicles. It often starts in childhood but can occur at any age, and both
men and women are vulnerable. The good news is that the hair often grows back.
The bad news is that the hair loss may come back as well. Dermatologists can
help with a variety of treatments, so if you are bothered by alopecia areata
there may be methods available that can help yo
Dark Circles Under Your Eyes
Dark
circles beneath your eyes can make you look sad, tired, or even hungover—but
they’re nothing to worry about from a medical standpoint. They can affect any
face, any gender, any age. And their causes are many. Sometimes it’s allergies.
Sometimes it’s your skin thinning. Sometimes it’s stress. Sometimes the dark
circles are simply your natural pigmentation, while in some cases the dark
areas are a trick of the light caused by the shape of your lower eyelid.
Just
as dark circles have many different causes, there are also many different
treatments. Dermatologists can employ skin-lightening medications, and there
are cosmetic procedures
Seeing Bloodshot Eyes?
Are
you noticing deep, red veins in the whites of your eyes? Bloodshot eyes can be
anything from a minor burst blood vessel to something serious like acute
glaucoma.
If
your eyes are painless, bloodshot eyes are usually one of two things. It could
be a burst blood vessel, which can be caused by something as insignificant as
coughing. This will look especially nasty if you’re taking aspirin, which
reduces your blood-clotting ability and will emphasize the redness. It could
also be conjunctivitis, which is an inflammation of the thin tissue layer that
surrounds your eyeball. Both of these conditions could get better on their own,
though conjunctivitis may require antibiotics or other treatments.
If
your eye is in pain and you see red, though, you could be facing a more serious
condition. Iritis occurs when the iris (the colorful area around your pupil)
becomes inflamed. This tends to respond well to steroid treatments. Sometimes
an infection will cause a corneal ulcer, which can also make your eyes
sensitive to light. This condition is more common in people who wear contact
lenses or who often get cold sores. A scratched eye can cause pain, too.
Perhaps
the most serious condition is acute glaucoma, which can also make your vision
blurry or cloudy and may make you feel sick as well. Acute glaucoma can blind
you, so this condition needs to be medically treated right away.
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