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If You Can’t Break Your Habit of Touching Your Face – Here’s What an Expert Says You Should Do

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COVID19 Safety Tips | How to Stop Touching Your Face — OK, so I can't be the only one worried about the fact that I can't stop touching my face – right? I know it's bad, as it can lead to breakouts, but with COVID-19 – it's especially important to break my habit. But for some reason – call it magic, if you will – my hands always seem to find their way to my visage.

I suppose I'm not alone. In fact, I know I'm not. A study, published by the Elsevier, found that the average person touches their face up to 23 times an hour. While I'm happy that I'm not the only one – it doesn't make the World Health Organization's finding of how not touching your face is one of the best ways to prevent catching the COVID-19 virus any less daunting.

I reached out to Dr. Reem Al Kaddah, a Specialist Dermatologist at Medcare Medical Centre, Motor City, for some tips on how my fellow face touchers and I can, well, stop doing it.
Here's what she had to say.

Triggers
"Try and observe the common triggers that cause you to touch your face," Dr. Kaddah explains. Who adds that touching your face is very much an urge, and knowing what your triggers are, helps you make more of a conscious decision to stop doing it. One way of identifying your triggers, Dr. Kaddah reveals, is by applying scented products such as soap, hand creams, or lotions with a distinctive smell to your hands. Once you touch your face, the scent of the product will act as a quick hit of realization.
The Power of the Face Mask
Wearing a face mask is not only essential for reducing the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus, it also has many advantages. One of which, Dr. Kaddah explains is that it will help you to stop touching your face so frequently. "Once you get used to wearing a face mask, your habit will lessen," she states.
Keep Those Hands Busy
If your hands are distracted, it will make it easier to avoid touching your face. Dr. Kaddah suggests taking up hobbies like gardening, knitting, and music – as they will keep your hands plenty busy.
Until the Habit Breaks
While neither you, nor I, will be able to kick the habit overnight, Dr. Kaddah states that we must follow all of the COVID-19 safety guidelines. These include maintaining a strict social distancing of two meters as well as washing our hands thoroughly and regularly.
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