When you are feeling off-balance or have a specific disharmony, facial colors offer clues to the nature and the severity of the imbalance.

There are several different methods of facial diagnosis: Korean, Japanese, Worsley School, even macrobiotic. The following evaluation of facial colors is derived from a combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Five Phases principles. I have found this system provides accurate analysis.

TIP In order to obtain a clear idea of what the various facial colors look like, always use natural light when examining your face in a mirror.

The Significance of Facial Colors

● If facial color is bright and fresh, then the disease is called floating and is on a superficial level.

● If the color is moist, neither wet nor dry, the disease is not severe and will be easy to treat.

● If the color is shallow and scattered over a large area, the number of days of the disease will be short.

● If the color is dark and cloudy, then the disease is sinking into the inner organs.

● If the color is dark, cloudy and dry, the disease is severe and will be difficult to cure.

● If the color is deep and accumulated in one spot, the disease is a long-term one.

Reading Between the Lines

Five colors appear on the face: red, green, yellow, white and black. Depending on a person’s constitution, a healthy face may have one color that is more predominant than others, but several may be visible. To determine what colors are present in your face, always examine it in natural light. Look for the overall color tone; study the skin to see what tones appear from under the surface; look at any visible veins. For contrast, hold your hand up alongside your face.

Red is the color associated with the Heart Organ System and Xue. If the face is a fresh red, the Xue is Hot. If the face is dark red, the Xue is Stagnant. If it is light red, the Xue is Deficient.

Green is the color associated with the Liver System and circulation of the Xue. If veins on the face appear greenish purple, the Xue is Hot. If the veins appear greenish black, the Xue is Stagnant. If the condition is severe, the veins on the face appear black.

Yellow is the color associated with the Spleen System. If the face appears light yellow, then the Spleen system is Damp and Hot. If the face appears deep yellow, Heat has accumulated. If it is dark yellow, Heat is the result of Xue Stagnation. Withered yellow indicates a Heat Deficiency.

White is the color associated with the Lung System, which regulates Qi, the breathing in of oxygen, and the exhalation of carbon dioxide. If a person is not able to exhale completely-as in emphysema-his or her face will take on a grayish white color. If the person inhales inadequately, then the face will appear pale and lusterless.

Black is the color associated with the Kidney System. If the face is cold and black, the Kidney System is not filtering Xue properly. If the face color is black but bright and moist, the condition can be treated. If the face is not shining, the condition is not good. If the face is withered, the Kidney System Yin is dry. If the face is cloudy and dark, the Kidney System Yang is dying.

Occasionally, there are combinations of colors. This further refines the evalua tion. For example, if the color is red and white, both the Heart and Lung channels are involved.