How to Avoid Touching Your Face? Useful Tips During a Pandemic

A common habit in our daily lives is touching our face, often without realizing it, which can be quite concerning. Itching our nose, rubbing tired eyes, or wiping our mouth are all automatic reactions that occur outside of our conscious awareness. However, this habit significantly increases the risk of viral and bacterial infections. Touching our face allows pathogens that have landed on our hands to easily enter our bodies, especially around the mouth, nose, and eyes.

The Frequency of Touching Our Face

Research shows how often people touch their faces, and these observations are remarkable as we need to become increasingly aware of the health consequences of this behavior in our daily activities. To prevent the spread of viruses, it is important to acknowledge this habit and take steps to reduce it.

In addition to washing hands and adhering to hygiene measures, the most important thing is to pay attention to how we touch our faces. This article aims to demonstrate how we can rid ourselves of this unwanted habit and what methods are available to reduce the risks.

Numerous studies confirm that people frequently touch their faces without realizing it. In one study conducted in an office environment, it was observed that participants touched their faces an average of 16 times per hour. Additionally, another study examining medical students showed that they touched their faces up to 23 times per hour.

Most touches occur around the mouth, nose, and eyes, where viruses and bacteria can enter the body. Interestingly, even health professionals, who should be aware of the risks, touched their faces an average of 19 times within two hours. This phenomenon highlights how difficult it is to break free from this reflexive habit, which is closely tied to our everyday lives.

Frequent face touching is not only risky in terms of viral infections but can also cause other health problems. Irritation of the skin on the face, acne, or other skin issues can arise from constant touching. Mindful attention and self-monitoring are key to reducing the number of times we touch our faces, thereby providing protection against various pathogens.

The Importance of Hygiene Measures

Proper hygiene practices are essential in preventing infections, and handwashing is one of the most important steps. Frequent handwashing, especially in terms of defending against viruses, is crucial. Experts recommend washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly before meals or when in public places.

However, handwashing alone is not enough if we do not pay attention to avoiding touching our faces. Pathogens can easily transfer from our hands to our faces if, for example, we touch a doorknob and then touch our face. Therefore, it is important to consciously avoid touching our faces in addition to washing our hands.

Wearing a mask can also help reduce the spread of pathogens, but it is important to be mindful not to touch our faces when removing the mask. During the process of putting on and taking off the mask, our hands can come into contact with pathogens, which we can then transfer to our faces. Therefore, it is important to focus on hand hygiene even when using a mask.

Tips for Reducing Face Touching

To reduce face touching, there are several practical tips we can apply. The first step is to consciously pay attention to our habits. Dr. Zachary Sikora, a clinical psychologist, suggests trying to keep our hands away from our faces. We can achieve this by placing reminders in our homes or offices that alert us to avoid touching our faces.

Additionally, it can be helpful to engage our hands in some activity, such as folding laundry or reading a book, when we are at home. A simple tissue can also help when we are fidgeting with our hands, thereby reminding us to keep them away from our faces.

Using scented hand sanitizers or soaps can also be a good method to remind us where our hands are. The scent can help us become aware of when we touch our faces. If we are in company, it can be beneficial to intertwine our fingers and place our hands in our laps to avoid touching our faces.

Another effective method is wearing gloves, especially in public places. Gloves can remind us to avoid touching our faces. When we return home, we can simply take off the gloves, thus reducing risks and our habit. Wearing gloves at home may feel unusual at first, but over time we can get used to it and help ourselves develop more mindful behavior.