The threat of coronavirus: why it is dangerous to touch the face and how to get rid of this habit
'10.03.2020'
Source: Beautyub
A seemingly harmless action can provoke not only aesthetic skin problems, but also seriously undermine health. Tatyana Molochkovskaya told Beautyubhow to get rid of the habit of touching your face with your hands.
The habit of touching the face for no good reason has become so common in our daily lives that most people do it completely thoughtlessly. For example, while you are working on a laptop, typing text on the keyboard with one hand, the second involuntarily reaches out to rub your forehead. Or while leafing through an Instagram feed for morning coffee, you don’t even notice that with the palm of your second hand you support your cheek, touch your lips with your fingers or scratch your chin (each has his own “addiction”).
If it seems to you that you never do that, then it most likely seems to you. At least that's what research findings say.
So, for example, an experiment of the American Journal of Occupational Health and the Environment, conducted on 10 office employees, showed that on average these people touched their faces 15,7 times per hour. A similar study of 26 students in South Wales found that they touched their face more often - on average 23 times per hour, touching mainly the mucous membrane of the eyes, nose and mouth.
A slightly larger experiment of 250 people in public places in the USA and Brazil recorded lower rates - an average of 3,6 touches per hour. Scientists explain this result by the fact that in people and in motion we touch our face less often than when we sit motionless at a computer at home or in the office. Let's see what this habit can lead to and how to overcome it.
Why should you stop touching your face with your hands
First, unwashed hands are carriers of pathogenic bacteria. During the day, we touch dozens of contaminated surfaces: clothing, dishes, furniture, doorknobs in public places, the phone, money, pets, in the end. All of them are very far from sterility and carry millions of dangerous microorganisms, which, when exposed to the open skin of the hands, can easily provoke inflammation, acne on the cheeks and other parts of the face. Especially if you succumb to the temptation to squeeze out already ripe pimple or black dot with dirty fingers.
Secondly, hands are carriers of various infections. Once on the face, viruses and pathogens can penetrate the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, nose and cause the development of a respiratory or more serious disease. During an outbreak of coronavirus, this is especially dangerous, as doctors around the world warn, including WHO.
To protect yourself from skin and other diseases, just stop touching your face with dirty hands, and it’s better not to do this at all (only if you need to scratch or remove crumbs from food). Thorough hand washing with soap is always the best way to get rid of germs in most situations, but if there is no access to water and soap, always carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your purse and do not forget to regularly wipe the phone, your workplace and items in the office which many people regularly touch.
On the subject: How to protect yourself and your family during a coronavirus outbreak in the US: The New York Times instruction
It is difficult to break the habit of touching your face, like quitting smoking, stop straightening your hair often or wiping your face after washing with a towel. Some psychologists even give tips on how to wean yourself to touch your face with your hands. Below are a few of them.
The first thing you should start with is to understand why you do this, what motivates you. Often our actions are impulsive, unconscious, and dictated by anxiety, sensory needs, or simply boredom. Sometimes we three eyes or clutch our mouths when we are confused. Some bite their nails when they are nervous. And someone rubs his face while waiting, when he is in a traffic jam, sitting in line or calling on the phone. Psychologists say that all such actions are a very dangerous kind of touch, because they often occur without conscious control. Therefore, try to turn on at the moment to identify the triggers that move you and control the desire to touch the face.
To increase the analysis, specialists in cognitive-behavioral therapy advise during the day to write down on a piece of paper the time, place and their condition at the moment when they touch the face. This can be when you read, drive, relax, under stress, etc. At the end of the day, count the number of touches and determine in what way you do it most often. This will help you decide which tips will help you better.
Take something hands
If the habit of touching your face with your hands is caused by sensory need or anxiety, try to relieve stress by replacing one soothing maneuver (touching the face) with another (holding something in your hand). Squeeze an anti-stress ball in your free hand or take a ring that you can twist on your finger (although many will later want to get rid of this habit too). Solve crosswords or read an e-book while you are waiting for the bus. Start knitting to take your hands in the evenings.
Fool the brain
Another way to eradicate involuntary actions towards the face is to change the position of the hands so that it is incompatible with the location near the face. How it might look: if you usually tilt your head in your palm while reading or working at a computer, try to keep your hand on the opposite forearm at this time. And if your hands are free while watching TV, cross them on your chest. So you can’t freely touch your face. And if you want to do this, then at least get distracted by the inconvenience and be able to prevent an unexpected rush.
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Set reminders and place signs
No matter how funny it may sound, but signs with a reminder or alerts on the phone are a great force when it comes to changing your own habits. This method works in the same way as accustoming yourself to drink enough water a day or eat by the hour. Only in this case we remind ourselves not to do something, but vice versa. Notes with the words “do not touch” should be placed wherever you are likely to see them when you start touching your face (on the mirror in the bathroom, hallway, on the TV remote control or on the edge of the laptop screen). Sooner or later, such a trick will help you reprogram your actions.
Attract other people
Husband, boyfriend, one of the parents, close friend, colleague, roommate - yes, anyone with whom you often see each other throughout the day can be very valuable help in fighting the habit of touching your face with your hands. Ask them to politely scold you when they see that you are touching your face.
The main thing - do not give up. As with any other bad habit, you cannot wean yourself from touching your face with your hands in one day. Try not to lose heart and remember that everything is real. Just be patient and practice more.
