I just received this doozy of a press release.
ATLANTA, Georgia (February 26, 2014)—Sheila Fassler, RN, and owner of Pediatric Hair Solutions, has seen the new trend among teenagers—‘selfies’—and she’s seen the consequences first hand: head lice.
“It’s true! We’re seeing a huge increase in teens and early 20s with head lice here in Atlanta,” says Fassler, who treated two University students and two high school students just this week. “It used to be that head lice occurring in high school and college-age students was rare, but not any more,” explains Fassler.
Selfies are a popular way for teens to photo-share. Two or more friends stand close together with their heads typically touching, hold their camera out and snap a picture of themselves. Selfies are so popular among teens that “Selfie Sunday” is an event on Instagram and Twitter.
“It’s a problem the community needs to know about. Thanks to selfies and all of the daily photo-sharing, it’s not just kids at risk for lice anymore,” Fassler says. “Head lice is spread from head-to-head contact. This issue is real, and it’s so important to get your hair checked, and to understand the risks.”
THE ISSUE IS REAL, you guys. And our president is at risk.
Just kidding, black people don’t get lice.
But seriously….HEAD LICE? That’s still a thing? EW. I got lice once in fourth grade and it was (most likely) from this chick I had to sit next to in class thanks to alphabetical order. Her name was Crystal H**** and I think my mom must have called my teacher because the seating chart got switched shortly after my infestation. Thank God because Crystal smelled like rotten cat food and bad parenting.
How are high school and college kids who are rich enough to own cell phones not rich enough to keep bugs from laying eggs in their hair? This isn’t a selfie issue; this is a don’t-be-a-dirtball issue. I also haven’t said dirtball since fourth grade.
And lastly, for the record, true selfies are only of yourself. When you have two people together, that’s actually just called a photo.
So keep taking those selfies head-touching photos, tweens, teens, and 20-somethings. Just shower once in a while.
LYLAS,
Selfie Hess
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Photo from Tribble Reese’s Instagram. PS, click here for the 16 Worst Types of Selfies.