Frequency of Face Touching in Humans
On average, humans touch their faces 15-23 times per hour, with approximately 44% of these touches involving contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, and mouth). 1
Evidence Overview
The frequency of face touching has been studied primarily due to its implications for infection transmission, particularly for respiratory pathogens. Multiple observational studies have documented this common human behavior:
- A 2015 study of medical students found they touched their faces an average of 23 times per hour 1
- A 2008 study of office workers observed an average of 15.7 face touches per hour 2
- A broader systematic review found the pooled average of facial self-touches to be 50.06 (±47) times per hour 3
Distribution of Face Touches
Face touching is not randomly distributed across facial regions:
- Of all face touches, approximately 44% involve contact with mucous membranes 1
- The "T-zone" (eyes, nose, mouth, chin) receives significantly more touches than other facial areas 3
- Distribution of mucous membrane touches 1:
- 36% involve the mouth
- 31% involve the nose
- 27% involve the eyes
- 6% involve a combination of these regions
Factors Influencing Face-Touching Behavior
Research suggests that face-touching behavior may be related to:
- Distribution of mechanoreceptors in facial skin 4
- Areas with higher numbers of vellus hairs (fine facial hairs) are touched more frequently 4
- The T-zone has a higher density of both hairs and mechanoreceptors, correlating with increased touch frequency 4
Clinical and Public Health Implications
The high frequency of face touching has significant implications for infection control:
- Face touching provides a direct route for self-inoculation with pathogens from contaminated hands 1
- Nearly half of spontaneous face touches involve mucous membranes, creating potential infection portals 5
- The ocular surface is particularly concerning as a portal for infections like conjunctivitis and potentially coronaviruses 5
Biological Purpose of Face Touching
While face touching presents infection risks, it may also serve biological functions:
- Face touching may help maintain microbial diversity and prevent dysbiosis 5
- It could represent a mechanism by which the body maintains a balanced microbiome across different body sites 5
- This behavior appears to be an ingrained, consistent regulatory movement in humans 3
Conclusion
Face touching is an extremely common human behavior occurring approximately 15-23 times per hour, with significant implications for infection transmission and potentially microbiome regulation. Understanding this behavior is crucial for developing effective infection control strategies and public health messaging.