Touching the face with your hands is a habit that many want to get rid of
Credit: Getty Images / Jonathan Storey
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“I haven’t touched my face in weeks! For weeks, “Donald Trump joked recently in the White House. “I miss it.” What is just a joke for the US President is a real headache for many people: How can you manage not to constantly touch your eyes, nose and mouth?
After all, there are more than 150 different types of bacteria on our hands. Most of them are necessary and even beneficial for our health, but unfortunately not all of them. Researchers say that 80 percent of all diseases are transmitted through the hands, including Covid-19. Anyone who touches shopping trolleys, money or subway bars should therefore not touch their faces afterwards. Another reason not to do it: touching the facial skin can also lead to blemishes, pimples and inflammation.
Problem blemished skin
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Hello autumn, hello pimples?
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On average, you touch the face 3.6 times an hour. Frequent hand washing and disinfection do not necessarily prevent the negative effects of these touches, explains Dr. Wladimir Alonso, lead author of the study and global health researcher at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland: “There are many occasions between hand washing where people can contaminate their hands again.” Almost half of the touches on the face, 44 to be precise Percent led to contact with a mucous membrane, such as the mouth, nose and eyes, according to the study. This is exactly what is to be avoided, as this way bacteria and viruses can get into the body and skin.
Why is it so difficult for us to simply refrain from this habit? A study by the journal “Brain Research” found that these spontaneous, unconscious facial touches can help regulate stress and cognitive overload. This “self-stimulation”, as the researchers from Leipzig call it, compensates for emotional fluctuations and calms the mind.
Have disposable towels ready
“Every time you touch a surface, you absorb 30 to 50 percent of the organisms that are on these surfaces,” says Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology and environmental science at the University of Arizona. “We touch more surfaces than any generation in front of us, from ATMs to self-service checkouts.” One way to protect yourself in such situations is disposable wipes that can be placed on the desk in the office as well as in the apartment. If you have to sneeze, cough or want to scratch your face, you first grab the towel box and use the disposable towel as a protective shield between your skin and hands. After that, dispose of the cloth.
Cosmetic tissue box by Jonathan Adler, via Westwing, approx. 89 euros (order here) *
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Source: Westwing Now
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Use perfumed soap and creams
Psychologists say that the first step towards getting rid of an unconscious act is to make it a conscious act. If you want to touch your face less, you have to make the senses aware of this action. One trick: use scented soap and hand creams, preferably in a fragrance that you find unpleasant or exaggerated so that you can perceive the smell more clearly.
“Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm” by Aesop; via Niche Beauty, approx. 25 euros (order here) *
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Source: Niche Beauty
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Tie hair together
Anyone who wears a bangs or long hair knows the problem: You rub your forehead several times a day to straighten your fringes or pinch your hair behind your ears. Although there is no mucous membrane nearby, it can have a negative impact. “Forehead acne can occur. A pony can also trap oil, dirt and sweat and spread it on the skin, which increases the risk of inflammation, ”said David Lortscher, a dermatologist in San Francisco in an interview with the business magazine“ Forbes ”. How can you avoid that? Either let the bangs grow out, put them away with a clip or wear your hair tied in a braid or bun.
Hair clips with pearls from & Other Stories, approx. 3 euros (order here) *
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Source: PR
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Clean your smartphone
It doesn’t always have to be direct hand contact that needs to be avoided. “Because people always carry their cellphones with them, even in situations where they would normally wash their hands beforehand, cellphones tend to become very disgusting devices,” said Emily Martin, professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of public health. “You constantly pick up germs on your hands and fingers, put them on your cell phone and bring them close to your nose, mouth or eyes,” explains Dr. Charles Gerba. That is why it is important not only to disinfect your hands regularly, but also your smartphone, computer mouse and doorknobs in the office.
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Distraction for the hand
Holding a stress ball, toy, or other object in your hands can reduce the number of touches on the face and bypass the triggers. Of course, one should not forget to regularly clean and disinfect the object. If you don’t have a stress ball to press, you can also get used to it, put your hands on your lap or even sit on your hands, for example while watching TV.
“Caomaru” anti-stress ball from Hotel Ultra, approx. 38 euros (order here)
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Source: Hotel Ultra
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Meditate instead of stress
Because you face each other when you want to balance stress, Stew Shankman, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at Northwestern University, advises to reduce stress – “instead of compulsively worrying about what you touch.” Stress also affects the immune system: “The more stressed you are, the more the body’s ability to fight infection is reduced.” Instead, he advises meditation and mindfulness exercises to be balanced and “to be in the present moment” like he is here explained.
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