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Acne can significantly impact people’s confidence, especially if it appears at a later age. So, for many clients, finding an effective solution for their skin problem is crucial for their aesthetic goals and boosting their self-esteem.
Acne face mapping is a powerful technique in acne treatment that helps skin care professionals, aestheticians, and dermatologists deliver efficient, personalized treatment plans.
However, a busy med spa that sees many clients daily needs an efficient and accurate tool to streamline consultations without compromising on quality.
This blog will show you how to simplify and speed up the acne face mapping process. Plus, we’ve included a free template to help med spa professionals easily implement acne face mapping in their practice.
Read on as we break down the data on common causes of acne in different parts of the face so you deliver more effective treatments for your clients.
What is acne face mapping?
Acne face mapping is a technique that links acne breakouts in different areas of the face to potential causes.
It draws its roots from traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine that used face mapping to interpret skin issues as the body’s signals for an underlying health issue.
For example, it links blemishes and pimples on your forehead with problems with the small intestine, bladder and digestive system.
As popular as this technique is, there is little or no solid scientific evidence supporting the theory that acne is linked to underlying health issues.
However, there is real evidence that acne occurs when hair follicles get clogged with oil from the oil glands (aka sebum) and dead skin cells, leading to annoying pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads.Â
Each face area is more or less prone to acne due to unique factors like location, exposure to different objects (cellphones, pillowcases, glasses, hair products), and specific oil gland activity.
Also, other factors that may trigger or worsen acne include:Â
- Excessive oil production
- Clogged pores
- Bacteria build-up
- Hormonal changes (high levels of the hormone androgen)
- Medications
- Certain diets, including carbohydrate-rich foods
- Stress
With acne face mapping, you can track a client’s skin condition, zero in on the true causes of acne, and offer better treatments.
It’s also worth mentioning that acne face mapping can only be performed by a licensed medical spa professional or dermatologist.
Below, we’ll focus on acne face mapping using scientifically proven causes of acne in different areas of the face and what it indicates about a client’s health.
Key components of an acne face map
To make the most out of acne face mapping, it’s important to break down and examine each area of the face into zones. This will help you identify patterns and make connections with potential root causes for each breakout.
Let’s look at the main components of an acne face map and what each face zone can tell you about a client’s health.
1. Forehead
The forehead section covers part of the T-zone face area where blackheads and whiteheads typically appear. This area is more prone to breakouts because it contains more pores and sebaceous glands than other parts of the body.
The type of acne found on the forehead and the hairline is called comedonal acne. They are typically caused by hormonal imbalance, hair and hair products, touching the forehead, and makeup irritation.
However, people with oily skin, a family history of comedones or hormone fluctuations are commonly more acne-prone.
Forehead acne can also be pomade acne caused by chemicals called pomades, oils, gel and wax, all found in hair care products (like dry shampoo or mousse).
2. Temples
The temples section, similar to the hairline, covers acne breakouts caused by the oily substance pomade found in hair and skincare products.
Additional factors may include changes in hormone levels (caused by the menstrual cycle), sweating, hygiene habits, or genetics.Â
Additionally, clients wearing rubbing hats, helmets, or restrictive headbands may cause their pores to get clogged.
3. Eyebrow area
This section refers to the area between the eyebrows. Dirt, oil, or makeup that builds up in this area can clog the pores and lead to blemishes or pimples.
Acne in this area is also caused by common reasons such as:
- Improper skincare routine (the client used a cleanser or moisturizer that doesn’t agree with their skin type).
- Pore-clogging makeup and skincare products
- Hair removal with wax, tweezers or threading
- Hairstyle with bangs or face-framing hair layers that touch the area
- Wearing glasses or face masks that can cause oil or bacteria to build up
4. Nose
The nose area covers two types of acne: acne vulgaris and rosacea.
Acne vulgaris is the typical type of acne caused by clogged pores – whiteheads, blackheads, cysts and pimples.
While rosacea is not real acne per se, it’s acne-like breakouts, redness, and swelling caused by inflamed blood vessels visible on the skin.
The nose is also part of the T-zone, which means that it has more oil glands and is even more prone to breakouts. In fact, a 2023 study exploring role of sebum in acne vulgaris revealed a clear link between increased sebum production and the development of this common skin condition.
5. Cheeks
The cheek area is usually affected by breakouts due to acne mechanica, or acne caused by touching or rubbing the skin on various objects or hands.
For example, dirty pillowcases or bed sheets may cause cheek acne in clients. Also, touching a cell phone to the face may transfer bacteria that can cause inflammation. For instance, a study by SellCell discovered some shocking results – 100% of phone screens they tested contained E. coli and fecal streptococci, found in human and animal fecal matter.
Shaving cream may be another cause and contributor of cheek acne for men, while foundation and sunscreen may clog pores for women.
6. Jawline and chin
The jawline and chin section of the acne face map records the blemishes and breakouts that appear on the lower part of the face.
Women are more prone to acne in the jawline and chin area. The chin is part of the T-zone, so the acne is also due to the higher level of sebum.
It was previously thought that jawline and chin acne are hormonal acne, i.e., connected to hormonal fluctuation. However, some studies have presented evidence that acne around the chin and jawline in female clients is due to mild to moderately increased levels of the androgen hormone called DHEA-S.
Also, according to the same study above, 39-85% of adult women experienced worsening jawline acne in the days before menstruation.
7. Neck
Besides the face, acne and pimples can also appear on the neck. Therefore, acne face mapping should also be included in this section.
Neck acne is generally caused by the same factors that affect face acne.
But there are several other causes that particularly cause acne on the neck:
- Clothes or materials that rub the skin on the next or put pressure on it, like collars, ties, and chin straps
- Scratchy or synthetic fabric, like wool
- Shaving with a dull razor or with not enough lubrication
- Not doing exfoliation after shaving
- Necklaces or jewelry, especially from fake metal and plastic
Download our free template for acne face mapping
📔 Download our free acne face mapping template to get a jump start on simplifying your consultations and ongoing care with your clientele.
Acne face mapping
Template for download
How med spas can streamline acne face mapping
Acne face mapping is a powerful tool for med spas, but it may seem like too much effort with little or no payoff if not done correctly.
By following a few key strategies, you can make the process faster, more accurate, and easier to incorporate into your routine client consultations.
Leverage software with integrated digital mapping
Streamlined and efficient acne face mapping is simply impossible without the right software to support you.
Using software with built-in digital mapping features allows you to:
- Effortlessly document acne and skin conditions
- Easily track changes over multiple visits
- Analyze patterns directly into digital client profiles
- Create a visual record that’s easy to update
You can create more interactive consultations for clients too – show them mapped areas, which zones are being treated, and their progress in seconds.
Sounds like something you’d like to have in your med spa or skin clinic? Then, Pabau is a great match for you! Here’s why—
- The integrated digital face mapping allows you to document treated areas and mark them on clients’ photos or diagrams right onto the client profiles.
- Create before-and-after images with just a few clicks on the iPad and save them in the client’s record.
- Showcase a timeline of progress and create comparison sliders to show transformations from the first to the latest visit.
- Zoom into the tiniest acne or pimple and capture them in high resolution to check the client’s skin condition with absolute clarity.
- Create AI-generated treatment notes and consultation summaries in seconds with Echo AI.
- Secure and easy access from anywhere – whether you’re in the clinic, at home, or traveling, the acne face maps are at your fingertips.
Use standardized mapping templates
Standardized mapping templates provide you with a clear structure for identifying and documenting acne-prone areas.
If several team members are doing acne mapping, templates make it easy for them to provide the same high-quality service and consistent experience for clients each time they visit.
Pabau offers efficient acne face mapping that seamlessly integrates into your workflow with:
- Customizable templates that can be tailored to your med spa needs
- Easy-to-use drag-and-drop feature for building templates
- Efficient drawing feature that allows to quickly map out acne zones
Offer virtual consultations to enhance accessibility
Virtual consultations allow your med spa to provide professional acne mapping services that clients can access from the comfort of their own homes.
By offering remote consultations, med spas can service clients who may not be able to visit in person for various reasons, such as living in a remote area, busy schedules, or other limitations.
Your clients receive personalized acne treatment without needing to travel, take time off work and fit the appointment around their schedule.
Integrate with Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
Integrating acne mapping with EHRs gives you a more holistic view of each client’s health history.
A system with integrated EHRs allows med spas to keep all relevant information – from acne mapping and skin problems to health factors, lifestyle factors and previous treatments – accessible in one place, so no details are overlooked.
Best of all, using a single platform that integrates both EHRs and acne face mapping offers one major advantage: it eliminates the need to juggle multiple tools, saving you valuable time and minimizing the hassle of switching back and forth between systems. One system, one log in – easy!Â
Provide educational resources
Visits to the dermatologist or med spa are not enough for healthy skin. What clients do in between visits matters a lot, too.
When clients understand how to care for their skin between visits, they’re more likely to see better, longer-lasting results and develop trust in your med spa.
Offering clients valuable educational resources, like skincare tips and acne management guidance, empowers them to take control of their skin health beyond the treatments.
💡 Tip: The easiest way to provide educational material is to include it in your post-care emails. Include post-treatment instructions, personalized tips, and skin care routines between appointments. If you use a software solution, you can fully automate this process so your team don’t have to lift a finger!Â
Transform your acne face mapping with Pabau
Acne face mapping is a valuable tool for med spas. It allows professionals to create treatment plans that address each client’s unique skin type and needs.
By streamlining the mapping process with practice management software like Pabau, you can save time, ensure consistency, and provide a higher standard of care. As a solution purpose designed for med spas, Pabau provides:Â
- Integrated digital face mapping
- Before and after photo tools – all fully built in
- Secure access to client EHRs from wherever you are
- Customizable intake form templates you can send automatically
Plus, you’ll get appointment booking and scheduling, marketing tools, and more. In other words, Pabau helps make acne consultations more efficient and impactful.
👉 To see how Pabau can transform your med spa’s management and workflow, book a demo today!
