How many times have you touched your face in the last hour? Go on, think about it. Resting your chin on your hand, rubbing an eye, scratching an itch. Studies put it at anywhere from 16 to 23 times an hour.

I was a chronic face toucher. My skin cleared up noticeably once I cut it down, and I stopped getting sick as often during cold season.

Why it matters

Your hands pick up germs from doorknobs, phones, keyboards, and railings. Every time you touch your face, you deliver that collection to your eyes, nose, and mouth, the express lanes into your body. It is also a top cause of the bacteria that make acne and breakouts worse.

How to break the habit

1. Notice when you do it. That is the whole first step.
2. Find a replacement. Keep your hands busy with a pen, a stress ball, or your own lap.
3. Set a phone reminder for every 30 minutes: hands down.
4. Trim your nails short. Touching is less satisfying.

What worked for me

I put a sticky note on my monitor that said hands. It sounds dumb, but seeing it every few minutes made me conscious of where my hands were. Within two weeks I caught myself mid touch and stopped before contact.

When you do touch, wash first

You will never get to zero. The goal is fewer touches, not none. Hand washing before you rub your eyes or apply skincare makes the touches you keep a lot safer. I keep hand lotion by the sink so washing does not dry me out.