Did you know that touching your face increases your chances of contracting a virus ? This is for a simple reason: Viruses and bacteria are very skilled and can easily enter your body through your eyes and mouth.
Also, this hand and face contact increases the chances that your hands will get dirty much faster after washing. On the other hand, not only your body can be harmed by this action but also your family and close group, especially the elderly and people most vulnerable to diseases such as coronavirus.
We know that it is a difficult habit to break, so we teach you how to avoid touching your face to prevent the spread of viruses .
How is an infection spread?
The new coronavirus pandemic is transmitted, according to experts, from person to person like most respiratory infections. This means that the virus is distributed through the droplets produced when someone sneezes and another person inhales them. Another form of contagion is by being in contact with a contaminated surface and then touching your face.
Why is it key not to touch your face?
Health specialists have studied this behavior in all kinds of individuals for years, since touching the face seems to transcend age, gender and nationality. In fact, a study carried out on 10 individuals, who were observed in an office for 3 hours, found that they touched their faces an average of 16 times per hour (Nicas and Best, 2008).
Other research conducted on 26 medical students at an Australian university found that they touched their faces 23 times per hour. In addition, almost half of them touched their mouth, nose or eyes, which are the most common routes by which the virus enters the body (Kwok, Gralton and McLaws, 2015).
The best recommendation to prevent this bad habit is to find out what time of day you do it most often, perhaps it is at a work meeting or when you use the cell phone. After identifying these patterns, you just have to start breaking and modifying them.
Why it is important to wash your hands is very important
Washing your hands is the first step to avoid contracting a disease, but when you touch your face you may be sabotaging your own health.
To have clean hands it is essential to follow 5 simple steps:
- Wet
- Distribute soap
- Rub
- Rinse
- Dry off
Remember that any contact with a surface means new bacteria on your hands, so you should avoid touching your face.
Is it possible to break the habit of touching your face?
The answer is yes, but always keeping in mind that it will take a little time. However, we give you some recommendations to stop touching your face :
- Keep your hands busy at all times, especially when you're not doing anything or just relaxing at home.
- Use scented hand sanitizer to remind your brain to keep your hands away from your face, as the perfume will alert you to this.
- If you are sitting for a long time, it is recommended to interlock your fingers and keep your hands on your lap.
If you tried all the methods but none worked, wear gloves so the reminder not to touch your face is constant
conclusion
We have said it before and we repeat it again: it is vital to keep your hands away from your face to avoid contracting a virus or bacteria. The best option you have to break this habit is by following our advice and becoming aware of the possible consequences of getting sick.
References
- Kwok, YL, Gralton, J. and McLaws, ML (2015). Face touching: a frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene. School of Public Health and Community Medicine . doi: 10.1016 / j.ajic.2014.10.015.
- Nicas, M. and Best, D. (2008). A study quantifying the hand-to-face contact rate and its potential application to predicting respiratory tract infection. Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene. doi: 10.1080 / 15459620802003896.
