More unsupported quackery


zit

Move over, iridology and acupuncture, now we can add pimple reading to the list of quack medicines. This person claims that the location of pimples on your face indicate deeper health problems.

Pimples between the brows indicate an overloaded liver.

Pimples near the eyes and nose indicate poor liver function.

Pimples on the tip of the nose indicate a Weak digestive system. On the side of the nose, changes in reproduction system or the ovaries.

Pimple on lip or shoulders means problems with digestive system.

Outbreaks on your forehead can be caused by a toxin build up, usually related to poor digestion and lack of water.

There is absolutely no evidence provided for any of these claims — it’s all nothing but assertions. That’s the galling thing about these quacks: all they have to do is confidently assert some magical, unexplained, unevidenced association, and someone somewhere will gullibly accept it. Just read the comments: clueless people praising how helpful the article was.

It does explain one thing, though. I had acne as a teenager, as did most of us. Now I understand why spotty 17 year old me was so worn out and tired and old, while clear-skinned 58 year old me is possessed of such youthful vigor and virility, with absolutely no aches and pains or chronic health problems. They all went away with the spots!

Comments

  1. toska says

    It does explain one thing, though. I had acne as a teenager, as did most of us. Now I understand why spotty 17 year old me was so worn out and tired and old, while clear-skinned 58 year old me is possessed of such youthful vigor and virility, with absolutely no aches and pains or chronic health problems. They all went away with the spots!

    How do we even survive the teen years??? I was apparently nearly dead as a teen, and I still have major issues now, in my mid 20s. Why are doctors not focused on finding the cure to wide spread, teenage organ failure?

  2. slithey tove (twas brillig (stevem)) says

    from that linked “bunbun” site:

    Chinese physicians believe that our skin reflects the health of our internal organs.

    Is that a hint of racism I see there [embolded part], or, am I showing my racism by thinking I see it there??
    ugh, regardless
    The key point is the “believe” word in there. No evidence, or even rough correlations to investigate. Just belief. Goodenuf I guess [sarcasm].
    Also objection to the attempt to paint all [redacted] physicians as believing this. Just include “Some” as the first word of that sentence, then continue with the quackery. (and leave out the ~nationality~ of the physicians)

  3. Kitty Byrne says

    I know exactly what my pimples REALLY indicate. For example, pimples on my chin indicate that I’ll be getting my period next week.

  4. Owen says

    The Chinese medicine thing is probably just common or garden cultural appropriation and exoticism. “Everyone” knows that stuff from a long way away must be more effective than the scientifically proven crap from down the street. So yes, that’s racist; you’re not wrong.

  5. rq says

    I can substantiate this: I got pimples on my chest and cleavage while my uterus was filled with fetiiiii (serially, not in parallel). I’m sure they’re onto something here. And there’s got to be a tie between my kidneys and having pimples on my cheekbones, because I only get those when I overdrink coffee.
    See? PROOF!

  6. shakeb says

    This is BS but sometimes there are interesting patterns. I can tell how interesting the week’s lectures have been by whether I’m breaking out in the places I usually touch my face while drowsily propping up my head.

  7. Rich Woods says

    I almost always get a pimple or two on my nose the day after I eat more than an ounce or so of chocolate. I guess I can now blame it on my weak digestive system. Or my testicles.

  8. slithey tove (twas brillig (stevem)) says

    re @9:
    reminiscent of my high school days, when common advice to avoid acne was to shun chocolate treats. That eating a chocolate bar would inevitably result in a pimples all over ones face.
    There may be some association between the two, but to go “weak digestive system” is a misapplication of thinking. (not referring to Rich Woods, but to the bun bun site sources)

  9. marinerachel says

    My understanding is acne in the lower third of the face in women over 25 DOES indicate possible hormonal disorder, namely PCOS.

    I had horrifying cystic jawline acne for years. It hurt and was unsightly and when a zit would rupture I swear you could hear it and there would be puss all over my hand and in my hair. It wasn’t uncommon when popping them in the bathroom for puss to splatter the mirror.

    I still get zits, particularly around my period, but its nothing compared to what I’ve dealt with in the past.

  10. microraptor says

    What do pimples on your ass mean?
    (I’m asking for… a friend.)

    Sinus infection. Or possibly HIV.

  11. Holms says

    How about:
    “Pimples located on the integument are indicative of blocked sebaceous glands.” Funding plz.

  12. microraptor says

    I’m seriously doubting that’s a coincidence, Tony.

    I’d keep an eye on your comment there to see if it disappears.

  13. says

    @slithey tove #3

    I’m unsure of whether it is precisely racism (will gladly defer to someone who actually knows anything about this viewpoint), but there is most definitely an aversion to “Western Medicine” in quite a few woo circles. “Eastern Medicine” is 1) more “natural”, and therefore better, and 2) old, and therefore better. I cannot even begin to count the number of advertisements I’ve seen that reference their miracle product as an “ancient Chinese secret” (always Chinese, for some reason). There are not enough scare quotes in the world to illustrate the amount of side-eye I give these sales pitches.