Why we can't stop touching our faces

I've read lots of theories on this now, but never the one that seems most likely to me: it's an instinct to keep bugs away from our most vulnerable areas. If you've ever had a bug fly into your nose, mouth, or eye, you know why that's very undesirable. Especially in the times before medical care existed. And bugs can land on the face without you noticing, so if your hands are constantly brushing at your face, that would help brush away any unnoticed bugs before they reach any really sensitive spot.

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