Face Could Be Key To Your Health

MIAMI (CBS4) – If the eyes are the window to your soul, it might not surprise you that some doctors believe your entire face could be the true window into your overall health.

Typically, a person's face can usually predict exactly how they're feeling whether it's happy, sad, mad, or even depressed. But doctors say that's just the tip of the iceberg.

"A number of diseases can be detected just by looking at the patient," said Dr. Albert Levy.

Everything on your face, from your eyes to your lips, even the color and texture of your skin can be predictors of illness, according to Dr. Levy.

Patient Lewis Ingham's eyes provided the doctor with just enough evidence to send him away for a colonoscopy.

"The doctor looked closer and then stopped and paused, which is always a bad thing," said Lewis Ingham. "Apparently the eyes aren't just the window to your soul; they're the window to your colon."

Ingham was told he had small spots on the back of his eyes known as bear paws. The spots are often considered an indicator of colon cancer. Ingham will be fine, but he will have to get rechecked every two to five years.

Cardiologist Dr. Franz Messerli agrees that the face can open up a lot of doors to a patient's true health.

"You are face to face with your patient in the office and therefore you try to get any possible keys," Messerli said.

Messerli said that a very, very early sign of heart disease is a milky ring around the cornea.

But don't think it's just the eyes. The color of your skin is just as important. For example, a bronze hue can indicate diabetes, while a gray look to your skin means you may not be getting enough oxygen.

"I can tell from the waiting room, who will need this or that type of blood test," Dr. Levy said.

Another way doctors can learn about you is your tongue. An enlarged tongue may be a sign of thyroid disease. A dry tongue signifies dehydration, while a white tongue may be a sign of anemia.