How to Stop Touching Your Face

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Touching your face can cause clogged pores and spread acne-causing bacteria. One of the worst habits you can have when dealing with acne is continually touching your face—or worse, picking at it! Break the habit of touching or picking your face by using mental tools or creating physical barriers that make it harder to touch or pick. If you do end up picking, it’s important to take steps to minimize any damage.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Resisting the Urge to Touch Your Face

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  1. If you’re likely to touch your face while you’re waiting for the bus, bored, or in class, give yourself a small fidget to keep your hands occupied. A stress ball, keychain, beaded bracelet, rubber band, or gemstone make great fidgets. [1]
    • If you touch your face while you’re watching television, give yourself a hand massage instead.
    • Knitting or doodling are great ways to keep your hands engaged (plus you’ll be doing something creative!).
    • Identify your triggers to help you anticipate temptation and plan distractions. [2] Do you unconsciously touch your face while you’re reading, sitting in class, or watching television? Do you go the bathroom to brush your teeth and end up picking afterward? Or do you touch your face when you’re stressed, excited, angry, bored, or sad?
    • You don't want to remove this habit completely if you're using it as a coping mechanism. Instead, try replacing the habit with something else. [3]
  2. Whether you’re sitting in class or at the dinner table, try sitting on your hands when you’re not using them to eat or take notes. Designating a place for your hands to be (other than your face) will help you break the habit, especially if you touch or pick your face absentmindedly. [4]
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  3. Place sticky notes that say "NO TOUCHING OR PICKING" on your bathroom mirror, the visor mirror in your car, the TV remote, or anywhere else where you’re likely to see it. It helps to post these reminders in locations where you’re tempted to touch or pick at your face. [6]
    • You can even set hourly alarms on your phone to remind you to not pick if you’re prone to do so at certain times of the day.
  4. It may sound silly, but it will be impossible to pick your face while wearing gloves. You can wear them overnight, too, if you tend to sleep with your face on your hands. Just be sure to wash the gloves regularly so they don’t collect bacteria. [7]
    • Use 100% cotton gloves. Wool will irritate your face (should you try to touch it) and nylon might get a runner.
    • If wearing gloves isn't an option, consider placing bandages or narrow strips of tape over your fingertips. This is a bit more discreet, and will make it very difficult to pick your skin.
  5. A close friend, parent, or roommate can be a very valuable ally when it comes to breaking the habit of touching or picking your face. Ask them to gently scold you if they see you touching your face. [8]
    • You can also create a collection jar, if necessary, to give you an incentive to avoid touching or picking. For instance, every time you do it, you have to put a dollar into the jar.
  6. Try not to become discouraged and remind yourself of all the good reasons for breaking the habit. Alternatively, you can remind yourself of the damage of touching and picking your face. [9]
    • Do an image search for acne scars to see what you may be in for if you continue to pick your face. Most types of acne will not cause scars if left untouched—picking, gouging, and irritating the skin is more likely to cause scarring.
  7. Do mindfulness meditation to manage your emotional triggers. If you touch your face or pick when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, bored, or sad, take some time to clear and “reset” your mind. Meditation has been proven to help people manage their emotions and resist acting on body focused repetitive behaviors (like touching or picking). [10]
    • Follow online guided meditation videos or sign up for meditation classes at a local yoga studio.
    • You can also download a guided meditation phone app like Headspace or MindShift to help you chill out while you’re on the go.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Minimizing the Damage to Your Skin

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  1. Make sure your fingernails are always clipped so you won’t cause damage to your skin should you decide to pick your face. Keeping the areas under your nails free of grime is also important to cut down on bacteria that might be transferred from your hands to your face. [11]
    • Hands are one of the dirtiest parts of the human body, so remind yourself of that as a deterrent!
  2. Wash your hands with a pump or two of antibacterial soap and warm water. Rub your hands together for at least 30 seconds until they get sudsy before rinsing them with warm or hot water. [12]
    • Keeping your hands and fingers clean will make it less likely that you’ll get acne if you do end up touching your face.
    • If you must touch your face, wash your hands before and after with antibacterial soap.
  3. Follow a skincare routine to treat acne , if necessary. Talk to your doctor or see a dermatologist about getting prescription acne washes and creams if your acne is a trigger for you. Over-the-counter products containing salicylic acid, glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and retinoids have all been shown to improve acne. [13]
    • For a natural option, consider using witch hazel and tea tree oil to dry up pimples and acne.
    • When you wash your face, don't scrub too hard because it could cause irritation and tempt you to touch or pick the pain away.
    • Remember, the more you touch your face, the greater chance there is of developing clogged pores, pimples, and acne.
  4. SPD is closely related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and may call for cognitive behavioral therapy to help you recover. You may have SPD if you: [14]
    • Can't stop picking your skin.
    • Pick your skin to the point that you cause cuts, bleeding, or bruising.
    • Pick bumps, spots, or scars on your skin in an attempt to "fix" them.
    • Don’t realize you're picking your skin.
    • Pick your skin in your sleep.
    • Pick your skin when you're feeling stressed out or anxious.
    • Use tweezers, pins, or scissors (in addition to your fingers) to pick at your skin.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I stop pulling my hair?
    Julia Yacoob, PhD
    Clinical Psychologist
    Dr. Julia Yacoob is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist practicing in New York City. She specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for adults coping with a variety of symptoms and life stressors. Dr. Yacoob earned an MS and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University, and pursued specialized training at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Institute for Behavior Therapy, and Bellevue Hospital Cancer Center. Dr. Yacoob is a member of the American Psychological Association, Women’s Mental Health Consortium, NYC Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Association, and Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies.
    Julia Yacoob, PhD
    Clinical Psychologist
    Expert Answer
    Try getting your hair done or tying it up in a ponytail so you aren't as tempted to pick at it.
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  • Question
    Is cold turkey the best way to quit a habit?
    Julia Yacoob, PhD
    Clinical Psychologist
    Dr. Julia Yacoob is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist practicing in New York City. She specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for adults coping with a variety of symptoms and life stressors. Dr. Yacoob earned an MS and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University, and pursued specialized training at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Institute for Behavior Therapy, and Bellevue Hospital Cancer Center. Dr. Yacoob is a member of the American Psychological Association, Women’s Mental Health Consortium, NYC Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Association, and Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies.
    Julia Yacoob, PhD
    Clinical Psychologist
    Expert Answer
    Not necessarily, no. Instead, take some time to figure out why you're doing that bad habit. You don't want to remove it cold turkey if it's actually a coping mechanism. Instead, it's better to replace the bad habit with something else and make the it more difficult to accomplish.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • Don't give up! Like any bad habit , you may not be able to quit touching your face and picking overnight.
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      • If you tend to touch your face while you’re standing, put your hands in your pockets and fiddle with loose change or a small rock—anything to keep them occupied!
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      • Wear a headband or a hat if you have long hair or bangs. This way the hair won't get into your face. Moving hair away from your eyes or nose is one of the most frequent reasons you need to touch your face.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • If you want to touch your face, play with your hair instead. This might distract you from touching your face until you forget about it.
      • If you have trouble keeping your hands busy try getting a fidget toy.
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      Warnings

      • Never use your fingernails to pick because it can damage your skin and lead to scarring.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.unicef.org/parenting/health#healthy-habits
      2. ↑ Julia Yacoob, PhD. Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview. 15 July 2021.
      3. ↑ Julia Yacoob, PhD. Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview. 15 July 2021.
      4. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-actually-comply-with-the-dont-touch-your-face-advice-from-health-experts/
      5. ↑ Julia Yacoob, PhD. Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview. 15 July 2021.
      6. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/skin-tips.html
      7. ↑ https://www.bfrb.org/learn-about-bfrbs/treatment/self-help/127-rs-list-of-strategies-for-skin-picking-49-im-using-42-i-could-try
      8. ↑ https://www.bfrb.org/learn-about-bfrbs/treatment/self-help/127-rs-list-of-strategies-for-skin-picking-49-im-using-42-i-could-try
      9. ↑ https://www.bfrb.org/learn-about-bfrbs/treatment/self-help/127-rs-list-of-strategies-for-skin-picking-49-im-using-42-i-could-try
      1. ↑ https://www.anxiety.org/treat-body-focused-repetive-behavior-bfrb-with-mindfulness-cbt
      2. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/about/nail-hygiene.html
      3. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/about/index.html
      4. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3366450/
      5. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/skin-picking-disorder/

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