Think of your body
like it's a temple: It's yours to use, but there are some sacred spots
you shouldn't put your grubby hands on.
"Research
shows that hands play a major role in the transmission of germs," says
Kelly Reynolds, PhD, an associate professor in the Zuckerman College of
Public Health at the University of Arizona. "Even after proper washing,
hands and fingers are rapidly re-contaminated from the surrounding
environment."
That's
especially true if you haven't clipped your nails lately, or if you
sport some bling. Research from the University of Nebraska suggests that
people who wear rings or keep their fingernails 2 millimeters or longer
tend to carry more microbes on their mitts. "My opinion is that the
easier it is to clean your hands, the better off you are," says study
author Mark E. Rupp, MD, professor and chief of the division of
infectious disease at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
The next step: keep your paws off these body parts as much as possible.
1. Your Ear Canal
You
should never stick your fingers—or anything else—in your ears.
"Introducing anything into the ear canal can tear the thin skin that
lines the ear canal,” says John K Niparko, MD, professor and chair of
the department of otolaryngology-head & neck surgery at the Keck
School of Medicine of USC.
If
you feel a persistent itching sensation in your ears, see an
otolaryngologist rather than trying something DIY. "An otolaryngologist
can assess the problem—whether it be wax accumulation, eczema of the
skin, or infection—like swimmer's ear, for example. A tailored program
of treatment, ear hygiene, and moisturizing of the skin should be put
into play," says Niparko.
2. Your Face
You
can use your hands to wash your face or apply skincare. But otherwise,
keep your paws off. When you rest your hands on a germy surface and then
bring them to your forehead, it increases your likelihood of getting
sick—and breaking out, too. Your fingers contain oils that can plug your
pores, says Men's Health dermatology advisor Adnan Nasir, MD.
3. Your Butt
Wiping
and washing aside, just don't. "The anus does contain bacteria that
could potentially be harmful," says Jared W. Klein MD, PhD, medical
director of the after care clinic at Harborview Medical Center. After
you poop or touch your butt for any other reason, wash your hands
thoroughly.
eye
4. Your Eyes
Unless
you're putting in contacts or washing away a particle that found its
way into your peepers, keep them off limits. You can easily introduce
germs into your eyes, says Men's Health ophthalmology advisor Kimberly
Cockerham, MD. Those bugs could cause anything from pinkeye to a scarier
infection. Follow her simple rule: "Don't touch and don't rub." And if
you do experience itchiness, dryness, or contact lens discomfort, talk
to your eye doc. He or she can address the underlying issue.
5. Your Mouth
Recent
research from the U.K. found that people put their fingers on or around
their mouths an average of 23.6 times per hour when they were bored at
work. And they still did it 6.3 times an hour when they were busy!
That's a problem: In a landmark study published in the Journal of
Applied Microbiology, a third to a quarter of germs tested transferred
from study subjects' fingers to their mouths. Maybe you should think
about stealing your kid's pacifier.
6. The Inside of Your Nose
Quit
digging for gold: In a 2006 study of ear, nose, and throat patients
published in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology,
nose pickers were 51% more likely to carry Staphylococcus aureus
bacteria in their schnozzes than those who kept their hands off.
7. The Skin Under Your Nails
Lots
of nasty bacteria, including staph, can live there. "Your nails should
be short to reduce the chances of bacterial carriage, and such nails
only need a gentle nail brush to remove debris and often," says David De
Berker, MRCP, consultant dermatologist at the British Dermatology
Center.
"Picking tends to
create trauma in its own right," he says, "and then any bacteria or
yeast can cause further problems—sometimes resulting in a pattern called
onycholysis, where the nail lifts off the nail bed."
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