The average person touches his or her face 16 days every hour, according to research read by Virginia Tech professor and immunologist Dr. Klaus Elgert.
If it's a germ, chances are Elgert has studied it.
He says the fact many of us touch our face so often contributes to our chances of picking up germs and viruses such as the flu.
"If your eye itches, the blood vessels beneath the eyes are very close to the surface," Elgert explains.
So, if you've touched something containing a germ, or say the flu, the virus can enter your blood stream through the vessels in your eyes.
You can also allow germs into your body through your nose, mouth, but not your ears, Elgert says.
There's also the so-called "ten foot rule," that you can breath in germs after someone has coughed or sneezed if you are within ten feet of them.
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