The Secrets of Reading Health and Life from Facial Features

It is said that a person’s fortunes and misfortunes—as well as their health and longevity—are reflected in the face. By noting the complexion of different areas, one can purportedly infer possible ailments. The following are ancient, traditional methods for assessing disease and lifespan through facial observation, offered for reference:

• How to tell if a person has heart problems? Furrowed brows and a thin nasal bridge, with a dark, bluish complexion, are said to indicate heart pain and emotional distress.
• How to tell if a person has liver issues? Red eyes and prominent neck veins, with a dry, yellowish complexion, are said to signal anger, irritability, and liver trouble.
• How to tell if a person has spleen problems? A pale, sallow face and a thin frame, with low spirits and pale lips, are said to point to dampness and phlegm affecting the spleen.
• How to tell if a person has lung issues? Red cheeks with an overall dark complexion may accompany coughing of blood and asthma, with signs of alternating cold and heat showing on the cheeks—said to reflect lung issues.
• How to tell if a person has kidney problems? Darkness in the ears and forehead and a dull facial tone, with dim eyes suggesting fatigue, are said to call for replenishing fluids and moderating desires, indicating kidney problems.
• How to tell if a person is facing imminent death? A low nasal bridge and a dark yellow face, even if slightly pale, with deep-set eyes and a “broken” nose, are said to foretell a solitary, cold decline and imminent death.
• How to tell if a person has injuries to their limbs? A “broken” nasal bridge with labored breathing, along with kidney deficiency and weak tendons, is said to point to limb injuries, often from falls.
• How to tell if a person has mixed-color ailments? Dim eyes and a clouded spirit, with thick eyebrows overshadowing the eyes, are said to indicate mixed disorders and internal cold.
• How to tell if a person has chronic cold? A grimy look with a dark-yellow tone: black hues are said to signal cold and yellow to signal heat; phlegm is judged by yellowing of the eyes.
• How to tell if a person has phlegm-related issues? Bulging, yellowed eyes with white showing below are said to warn of severe phlegm disorders; in extremes they may lead to madness, driven by phlegm and “lung fire.”
• How to tell if a person has nocturnal emissions? A bluish-yellow complexion that at times turns ruddy, like a blush, is said to reflect deficient fire with phlegm, leading to nocturnal emissions.
• How to tell if a person has heart pain? A lowered head, furrowed brows, and a bluish nasal bridge, with multiple lines showing deep depression and dark, painful areas, are said to indicate heart pain.
• How to tell if a person has excessive heat? Red cheeks, vigorous blood, and sparse facial hair, with visible veins and decayed teeth, are said to show excessive heat invading the bones.
• How to tell if a person has longstanding cold? A thick mustache that hampers clear speech, with black tones, is said to warn of chronic cold and the need to guard against scant food intake, which can lead to choking in old age.
• How to tell if a person is likely to vomit blood? A thick nasal bridge with fine bones, and a bluish complexion, is said to signal a risk of vomiting blood, even without visible wounds.
• How to tell if a person is likely to have tuberculosis? Taut skin and anxious eyes, with a thin frame and shortness of breath, plus a thin nose and pointed chin, are said to suggest susceptibility to consumption (tuberculosis).
• How to tell if a person is losing blood? Sallow, lifeless skin, with red or sparse facial hair, is said to indicate blood loss.
• How to tell if a person is experiencing heat-related vomiting? A dark forehead, dull ears, and scorched-looking skin, with cracked lips and a purple-black hue, are said to signal heat-induced vomiting and imbalance.

19. How to tell if a person has red stool? A dark hue shows between the “life” and “death” regions; eating overly dry foods can cause bleeding, and hemorrhoids may lead to blood in the stool.
20. How to tell if a person has kidney water deficiency? Darkness under the eyes, often seen in youth from excessive desires, with deep-set, dry eyes, is said to reflect deficient kidney water.
21. How to tell if a person has asthma? Dark, spotty cheeks are said to indicate cold in the lungs; check as well for blackish lips.
22. How to tell if a person has frequent nosebleeds? A shiny, inflamed nasal bridge is said to predispose to recurrent nosebleeds; monitor for repeated sores and pain.
23. How to tell if a person has excessive night sweats? A pale face, bluish lips, and light-yellow hair, with weakness in the spleen and liver, are said to reflect excessive night sweats and low vitality.
24. How to tell if a person has tremors in their limbs? Difficulty bending the fingers, especially in old age, is attributed to blood deficiency and is said to cause tremors in the limbs.
25. How to tell if a person has excessive phlegm? Swelling and yellowing beneath the eyes are said to show phlegm accumulation and stagnation in the body.
26. How to tell if a person has insufficient energy? Pale, colorless skin that looks puffy or emaciated is said to indicate a true deficiency of vital energy.
27. How to tell if a person has many heat-related illnesses? A flushed face, scorched hair, and overall dryness, with cracked lips and frequent mouth sores, are said to reflect heat in the skin and blood and many heat-related ailments.
28. How to tell if a person has a deficiency in yin? A bluish-black face with dry skin, blackish lips, and thin flesh, with dim eyes, is said to suggest a lack of yin.
29. How to tell if a person has lumps? A thin person with prominent tendons and a dark-red face, murky hair, and a small nasal bridge is said to point to liver stagnation or disease and a tendency to develop lumps.
30. How to tell if a person has a lack of yang? A face darkened as if veiled in smoke, with dull, sunken eyes, is said to indicate lack of yang and kidney problems.
31. How to tell if a person is nearing death? Darkness around the “life gate,” with fixed, unresponsive eyes, is said to portend imminent death.
32. How to tell if a person has returned from the brink of death? Though the body is weighed down by illness, clear, sparkling eyes are said to show vitality returning from the brink of death.
33. How to tell if a person is about to fall ill? A darkened nasal bridge is said to foretell impending illness or disaster; if birds gather in great numbers, it likewise suggests a dark fate.
34. How to tell if a woman has irregular menstruation? Disheveled eyebrows are said to signal the issue; heat brings red cheeks, while cold leads to pale lips and a bluish face.
35. How to tell if a woman has excessive white discharge? A yellow-white, lackluster face, with possible bleeding or wasting, is said to indicate deficiency and excessive leukorrhea (white discharge).
36. How to tell if a child is prone to fright? Darkness around the ears and prominent head veins, with asymmetrical ears, are said to show loss of vital energy and a tendency to be easily frightened.
37. How to tell if a person has many sores? A heavy skull with insufficient flesh, and excessive heat in the head, is said to predispose to many sores.