Why You Should Avoid the Habit of Touching Your Face

How often have you heard that you should avoid touching your face so much? I have heard it a ton! Do you have any idea how often you are touching your face throughout the day? I honestly had no idea until I started to intentionally pay attention to it. All I can say is oh my! So, today I am going to break down some of the reasons why you should pay more attention to this bad habit!

My mom used to yell at my sisters and me about keeping our hands off our faces. I used to think it was just “another” thing for her to pick on us about. If only we would listen to our moms sooner! I remember sitting on the phone, resting it between my shoulder and face, you know the old-fashioned landline! I used to get breakouts on my chin and never put two & two together.

This site uses affiliate links, which means a commission is earned if you make a purchase via the link. All content and images on this site are protected and may not be reused without written permission from the author.

Is touching your face really that bad? Yes, it is! Remember me telling you that I became more intentional about how often I am touching my face? Can you guess how many times the average person touches their face per hour? Studies have shown that the average person touches their face 23x per hour!! I believe this after becoming more aware of it.

*The average person touches their face 23x per hour. That is an average of 552x a day! Wow!

What are the effects of touching your face?

• You can increase the risk of infecting yourself with a virus. Germs and bacteria are being transferred from your hands through the mucous membranes in your eyes and mouth every time you touch them. Our hands are magnets for bacteria and germs!
• Skin conditions can be exacerbated. Conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema, contact dermatitis, you name it!
• Wrinkles can literally be pressed into your face from resting your hands repeatedly on your face. I touched on this a little in my blog post; 5 Everyday Habits That Cause Wrinkles. Along with sleep potions which I previously discussed, repeated pressure in the same position on your face can cause wrinkles. I am guilty of doing this, resting the palm of my hand on the side of my face while listening to someone or thinking. I really need to stop this!
• Our nails can also be a breeding ground for bacteria, and we don’t even realize it. It is recommended that we use a nail brush at least once a day to clean under our nails to help get rid of dirt and bacteria that are living under there. This will help to cut down on the spread onto your face.  

What does the AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) recommend?

• Have you ever wondered what the official recommendation is about popping pimples? Does that really cause scarring? The AAD only recommends having a professional Dermatologist “pop” them because if you do it, it can result in permanent acne scars. It can also make them more noticeable and are exposing yourself to infection. I know it can be tempting to “pick & pop” but try not to! Your skin will thank you! You can check out some more of their information here.
• The AAD also recommends only touching your face when you are cleaning, moisturizing, or applying sunscreen or makeup. And always make sure you are using clean hands when doing so. Otherwise, you will be transferring dirt, oil, and bacteria onto your skin.

How can I stop?

Now we know how bad it can be to touch our face and how often we really are doing it. How do we stop?!

• Be intentional, now that I pointed it out to you, you will notice how often you are doing it and will also notice others! This is actually the best way to improve.
• Keep your skin moisturized and healthy. People tend to touch their face because it feels dry and itchy. If you are properly keeping it hydrated and moisturized that will help to keep your hands off your face. Having a good skincare routine will also help because you will tend to have better skin overall. So, less picking and touching. If you would like help with that, I would love to help you, click here.
• Keep your hair out of your face. When your hair is hanging in your face you tend to always be touching it and that in return has you touching your face to get it out of your face. Either wear it back in a tie or tuck it behind your ears.
• Use post-it notes! I am a lover of the post-it and if you are also write it down! Put it on your mirror or your computer screen to help remind yourself. Move it around though or you will get used to seeing it and no longer acknowledge it!

I am curious how often you think you touch your face a day? Now that I have pointed it out to you, I have a feeling you will be more conscious of it. You may even notice how often others are doing it. It’s kind of like how you never notice how many blue cars are out there until you start looking for blue cars. Then you see them everywhere! Lol.

If you have any other suggestions for us or comments, please leave them below! I would love to hear from you. If you would like more help with a customized skincare routine to help, get your skin back on track please click here and I will be in touch!