3 Habits That Increase Your Risk of Flu: Why Touching Your Face Matters

Maintaining facial hygiene and reducing the frequency of touching the face are critical components in preventing the spread of respiratory infections, including the common cold, influenza, and COVID-19.

Public health guidance emphasizes that the eyes, nose, and mouth serve as primary entry points for viruses to enter the human body. When individuals touch contaminated surfaces and then touch their faces, they can inadvertently transport disease-causing germs into these vulnerable areas.

The Risk of Frequent Face Touching

Research indicates that people touch their faces significantly more often than they realize. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people touch their faces an average of 23 times per hour.

Other studies have found similar patterns of behavior; one 2008 study observed 10 subjects in an office environment for three hours and found they touched their faces an average of 16 times per hour.

This frequent habit increases the likelihood of recontaminating hands between washings. Common unconscious actions, such as rubbing tired eyes, scratching an itchy nose, or wiping the mouth, provide opportunities for viruses to move from the hands into the respiratory system.

Mechanisms of Viral Transmission

Respiratory viruses can be transmitted through multiple pathways. One primary method is through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, which are then inhaled by others.

A second significant pathway is indirect contact. This occurs when a person touches a surface contaminated with a virus and subsequently touches their own eyes, nose, or mouth.

While the risk from surface contact is considered lower than that of inhaling airborne viruses, it remains a viable route for infection for various pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Preventative Hygiene Practices

To limit the spread of germs and prevent illness, health organizations recommend a combination of hand hygiene and facial cleanliness.

Handwashing is a primary defense. Using soap and water for 20 seconds is effective because soap causes virus particles to burst open. Key times to wash hands include:

• Before touching the face, especially the nose or mouth.
• Before putting in contact lenses.
• After shaking hands with others.
• Immediately upon returning home from public spaces.
• Before preparing or eating food and taking medication.

In addition to hand hygiene, regular face washing with soap and clean, running water helps remove dirt and oil that can harbor germs.

Addressing Specific Conditions

Beyond respiratory illnesses, facial hygiene is essential for controlling the spread of other conditions, such as pink eye (conjunctivitis). Because pink eye spreads easily from person to person, avoiding the rubbing of eyes and maintaining hand cleanliness are vital for limiting its transmission.

To reduce the urge to touch the face, the CDC suggests using tissues for the nose and for scratching or rubbing the eyes. Using facial moisturizers for dry skin and eye drops for dry eyes can also prevent the itchiness that leads to face touching.

For those struggling to break the habit of touching their face, some experts suggest that wearing gloves may help as a behavioral intervention.

Broader Environmental Protections

While personal hygiene is critical, improving air quality is another recommended strategy to reduce the risk of flu and other respiratory infections. This can be achieved by purifying indoor air or bringing in fresh air from the outside.