Want to Prevent Sickness? Stop Touching Your Face!

Lisa Franchi December 03, 2012

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Research shows that an average person touches their face every three to five minutes. In between that, they are touching almost anything from door knobs to computer keyboards, and mobile phones.  And unless we stop quitting this habit, we remain at risk of inflectional diseases, researchers found.

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda in Maryland said many people don’t realise that frequently touching their faces could make them ill. Their study, which was published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, reveals that an average person touches communal surfaces around three or four times per hour, and touches their mouth or nose more frequently.

This is where the problem lies, the researchers suggest. Viruses and bacteria enter the body through mucus membranes in the eyes, nostrils and mouth. That means when people touch their mouth or rub their eyes and nose, they hand-deliver the germs and bacteria from the communal surfaces and increase their risk of infection.

What’s the proper way to hand-wash?

Hand-washing remains to be the first line of defence against inflectional diseases. However, many do not seem to know how to properly wash their hands, suggests Dr Stephen Dahmer, a physician affiliated with the Continuum Centre for Health and Healing in New York.

He recommends washing the hands with antibacterial soap, vigorously rubbing them for 20 seconds. Be sure to scrub up to the wrist, he said. Include the back of your hands, between the fingers, and beneath the nails. When turning off the tap, use your elbow and to dry your hands, use an air dryer or a tissue rather than a reusable cloth.

But is not enough that you just wash your hand, you should also refrain from touching your face, the researchers said. According to Dr Wladimir Alonso, the study lead author, people should be reminded to regularly wash their hands and quit touching their face especially during flu outbreaks.

Here are other effective strategies to avoid hand-and-face contact:

1.  Observe yourself.

Be mindful. Determine how many times your hand touches your face. You may need to take a video of yourself to figure it out. It’s because face touching is an unconscious behaviour, suggests Robin Kerner, PhD, a clinical psychologist at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in New York. Set up your web cam or mobile phone to record a portion of your daily activities. It’s the best way to know how frequently you touch your face.

2.  Ask the people around you.

You can also ask your friends, family members, or workmates to tell you if they caught you touching your face. This way, you will be more conscious of your behaviour. Don’t forget to return the favour. Tell them how frequently touching the face can increase their risk of flu and infection.

3.  Incorporate small behavioural tweaks.

Instead of rubbing your temples during a meeting, chewing your cuticles while watching TV, or constantly touching your spots or skin blemishes, tuck your hands under your thighs or bum, Dr Kerner suggests. Simple tweaks in your behaviour can guard you from developing illnesses.

 

Dear Readers,

Can you suggest other tips to avoid hand-to-face contact?

Share your comments below!

 

 

Source of this article:

Why You Need to Quit Touching Your Face