What Acne Says About Your Health

Acne is a common skin condition that affects people from their teens through to adulthood^1,2. And while you might not think much of it, acne can give insight into your overall health. From hormonal imbalances and stress to diet and inflammation, there are links between acne and health problems^2,3.

So what does your acne say about your health? Let’s take a look at the link between acne and your mental and physical health and wellbeing.  

How acne affects mental health

When it comes to acne, its effects on mental health can be significant. For many people, the visibility of acne can leave them feeling self-conscious, resulting in low self-esteem and poor quality of life^3,4. 

It’s for this reason that people with acne can be prone to stress. And while acne can impact people’s psychological wellbeing, feelings of stress can also manifest in acne and breakouts due to hormonal imbalances³. 

Can poor gut health cause acne?

Gut health is thought to play a key role in a number of different bodily functions, but have you ever linked the acne on the tip of your nose with digestive issues? As it turns out, there’s growing evidence to suggest there’s a close link between acne and gut health^1,5,6,7. Dubbed the gut-skin axis, this connection just goes to show the importance of gut health for hormonal acne⁵. 

When there aren’t enough good bacteria in the gut, it results in an imbalanced microbiome^5,6. This can disrupt the gut barrier, causing microbes and bacteria to be released into the bloodstream, resulting in inflammation in the body and can lead to acne⁵. This imbalance can be impacted by a range of different factors, including diet^6,7, lifestyle and stress¹. 

That said, there are several dietary and lifestyle changes you can make to support a balanced gut microbiome and healthy skin. Certain foods, like sugar, refined carbohydrates and saturated fats can impact gut health and in turn, your skin. Instead, opt for a balanced diet that incorporates wholefoods, lean proteins, healthy fats and a variety of fruits and vegetables⁶. Incorporating prebiotic and probiotic supplements can also help maintain good gut bacteria. 

Beyond dietary changes, practicing mindfulness activities like yoga and meditation can help you to manage stress and the impact it has on your gut and skin. 

Can poor dental health cause acne?

Besides your mental health and gut health, your skin can also point to dental issues. But how does oral health affect acne? 

In short, the connection between your dental health and acne lies in the body's inflammatory response, sometimes due to bacterial imbalances. Like the gut, your mouth is home to a diverse oral microbiome8. Poor dental hygiene can impact this microbiome, leading to periodontal challenges and  inflammation8. This inflammation can then trigger acne. 

What does the location of acne tell you?

As it turns out, the placement of acne on your face and across your body could indicate more specific underlying factors. Known as face mapping, dermatologists will often use the different areas of the face and body to help identify potential triggers for breakouts⁹. So if you find that your breakouts are typically isolated to certain areas of the face, chest, neck or back¹⁰, it could indicate that something is going on internally or an imbalance somewhere in your body. 

Let’s take a closer look at what your body is trying to tell you with acne.

What your face acne says about your health

Facial acne can offer insights into your internal health, with different areas often relating to specific health issues. For example, the chin and jawline are typically linked to hormonal fluctuations that are often related to the menstrual cycle or stress⁹.

Some people tend to experience more breakouts across their forehead and nose, an area often referred to as the “T-zone9.” Unlike other areas of your face, your T-zone tends to have more oil glands and larger pores, making it a prime spot for blackheads and whiteheads^1,9. Oil production often ramps up during puberty as hormonal changes trigger the sebaceous glands, which can result in acne¹. 

What does chin acne say about your health?

Acne on your chin and jawline are closely linked to hormonal imbalances⁹. Chin and jaw acne are often a result of the hormones produced and regulated by the endocrine system, which includes glands like the thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries and testes¹¹. 

Many boys will experience breakouts along their jawlines when they go through growth spurts⁹. For girls, these breakouts typically happen at different points throughout their menstrual cycle⁹. 

While these types of breakouts can indicate a hormonal imbalance, they can also be caused by stress and other lifestyle factors, like high-sugar diets⁹. 

Acne tells a lot about your health. From indicating hormonal imbalances and other issues, acne can be related to health problems. So, if you’re looking for tips and tricks to help support your body and skin from the inside out, check out the Swisse Wellness Hub. 

References:

1. Lee, Y. B., Byun, E. J., & Kim, H. S. (2019). Potential Role of the Microbiome in Acne: A Comprehensive Review. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(7), 987. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8070987 
2. Liu, K. and Nassim, J. (2019) Adult acne: Understanding underlying causes and banishing breakouts, Harvard Health. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/adult-acne-understanding-underlying-causes-and-banishing-breakouts-2019092117816 (Accessed: 28 February 2025).
3. Öztekin, C., & Öztekin, A. (2020). The association of depression, loneliness and internet addiction levels in patients with acne vulgaris. BioPsychoSocial medicine, 14, 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-020-00190-y 
4. Morshed, A. S. M., Noor, T., Uddin Ahmed, M. A., Mili, F. S., Ikram, S., Rahman, M., Ahmed, S., & Uddin, M. B. (2023). Understanding the impact of acne vulgaris and associated psychological distress on self-esteem and quality of life via regression modeling with CADI, DLQI, and WHOQoL. Scientific reports, 13(1), 21084. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48182-6 
5. De Pessemier, B., Grine, L., Debaere, M., Maes, A., Paetzold, B., & Callewaert, C. (2021). Gut-Skin Axis: Current Knowledge of the Interrelationship between Microbial Dysbiosis and Skin Conditions. Microorganisms, 9(2), 353. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9020353 
6. Mahmud, M. R., Akter, S., Tamanna, S. K., Mazumder, L., Esti, I. Z., Banerjee, S., Akter, S., Hasan, M. R., Acharjee, M., Hossain, M. S., & Pirttilä, A. M. (2022). Impact of gut microbiome on skin health: gut-skin axis observed through the lenses of therapeutics and skin diseases. Gut microbes, 14(1), 2096995. https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2022.2096995 
7. Chilicka, K., Dzieńdziora-Urbińska, I., Szyguła, R., Asanova, B., & Nowicka, D. (2022). Microbiome and Probiotics in Acne Vulgaris-A Narrative Review. Life (Basel, Switzerland), 12(3), 422. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12030422 
8. Macklis, P., Adams, K., Kaffenberger, J., Kumar, P., Krispinsky, A., & Kaffenberger, B. (2020). The Association Between Oral Health and Skin Disease. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 13(6), 48–53. 
9. Cleveland Clinic (2022) Acne face map: The cause of these breakouts, Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/acne-face-map (Accessed: 28 February 2025).
10. Cruz, S., Vecerek, N., & Elbuluk, N. (2023). Targeting Inflammation in Acne: Current Treatments and Future Prospects. American journal of clinical dermatology, 24(5), 681–694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-023-00789-1
11. Elsaie M. L. (2016). Hormonal treatment of acne vulgaris: an update. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 9, 241–248. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S114830