Last Updated on January 26, 2021
Our hands are a vehicle for microbes and bacteria, and the truth is that everything around us is filled with little bugs we can’t see, but that can be harmful to us.
Continually touching our face is one of the ways we can get sick, or even develop skin or eye problems, for example. Therefore, maintaining our hands’ hygiene is, no doubt, the best way to stay safe and healthy.
But some people have the nasty habit of touching their faces, and deep down, it’s not their fault – they ignore that this could put them at any risk! However, if you want to do your best to ensure disease prevention, hand washing time is not enough – you need to figure out how to stop yourself from touching your face.
We bring you five different ways to keep your hands busy!
1. Pick A Counter-Behavior
When trying to put an end to a bad habit, the solution is often to replace it with another practice – preferably, one that is less unhealthy.
If this is your case, stop touching your face and try to focus on other parts of your body, such as your elbows, for example! You will have to do it by the association at first.
Still, once you have interiorized it, it is going to become mechanical. The specialists call this habit reversal treatment, and the main point is to redirect you from your original behavior by picking a replacement habit instead.
2. If You Feel The Urge, Don’t Ignore It
You can keep telling yourself, “do not touch your face.” You can repeat that as many times as you want, but that is not going to work. On the contrary, it will intensify your urge to touch your face because you are not going to be able to distract yourself from it.
You can be aware of your need to reach your face, but you should avoid struggling with it. Instead, try to find ways to repress it. It is also essential to know why you are touching your face so often.
If you have a skin condition, like eczema, for example, you will feel compelled to scratch your face, and that urge to itch might go away if you decide to treat the disease.
However, if you touch your face for no other reason besides habit, it is time to implement the competing habit strategy we talked about previously.
3. Try To Keep Your Hands Busy
If you are one of those people who can’t keep their hands quiet, you can find something to keep your hands occupied and away from your face. Specialists recommend that you carry a string of wooden beads with you. The latter will help keep your hands busy and distracted while walking or sitting down.
As you roll them around in your hands and play with them, you will subconsciously replace the habit of touching your face with something else. Another useful alternative is the stress ball!
Still, whatever object you choose, make sure to keep it clean and germ-free. It might be weird to explain to people why you take a string of beads or a stress ball with you at all times, but you can tell them you read a lot about how to stay healthy, and that meant keeping your hands far, far away from your face.
4. You Can Take Advantage Of Household Items
Doctors claim that sensory clues can be of great help when it comes to putting an end to the habit of touching your face. Things that trigger your sense of smell are the best. For example, for people who have the habit of biting their nails, psychiatrists recommend the use of nail polish.
The varnish smell will make them think twice before putting their nails inside their mouth. When it comes to touching your face, you have the alternative of choosing a fragrant soap to wash your hands.
This way, whenever you try to touch your face, your brain will associate the sense of the soap, and you will stop yourself from doing so. If there is a pimple on your face, you don’t seem to be able to stop touching, try to apply a bandage over it and see if the situation gets better.
There is no miraculous solution that is 100% effective when you are trying to figure out how to prevent infections. Still, in this specific case, if you have some inflammation, you must do your best not to touch your face.
5. Avoid Using Contact Lenses Too Often
This one doesn’t apply to everyone, for obvious reasons. Still, people who wear contact lenses should pay more attention! Your eyes are quite sensitive, and there are a million irritating triggers that can make you feel like you need to rub your eyes badly – which you shouldn’t do.
For people who wear contacts, the chances of this happening will increase. While the majority of people have the common sense of washing their hands with care before inserting the lenses in their eyes, some people are not as careful.
They can end up experiencing a burning sensation throughout the day that will compel them to rub their eyes. Switching between glasses and contact lenses is an amazing way to give your eyes some rest and to reduce the need to touch them that often.
Do you have or have you ever had the habit of touching your face? Did you get over it? And if you did, what were your methods?
