A Wisconsin pediatrician set off a slight panic over the Internet when she blamed selfies for a nationwide lice infestation among teens and adolescents in 25 states. Since then, the transference of the parasitic louse has been dubbed “social media lice.”
Dr. Sharon Rink recently explained on a television show that “[L]ice can’t jump. So the only way they [teens] can transmit lice is touching their heads together, and that’s happening with all these [selfie] photos,” according to local CBS affiliate in San Francisco.
Rink said the selfies are resulting in teens having much more contact with other peoples’ heads in order to snap the perfect photo. “People are doing selfies like every day, as opposed to going to photo booths years and years ago.”
Yet, while the rise in treatment-resistant or “mutant lice” is a problem, selfies are reportedly not the culprit. CBS notes that the National Pediculosis Association told the Huffington Post there is no current data linking selfies to the current outbreak in 25 states.
Mutant head lice invade over 25 states http://t.co/nIDKAU9NjS pic.twitter.com/mZzK5wKVKR
— Peter Davidson (@X_SocialMedia_X) August 22, 2015
Time magazine reportedly even suggested that all the excitement might be an attempt to boost business for de-lousing salons, which have become more commonplace. “What better marketing message than to alert the public to a new population of hosts for the ever-hungry louse?”
Wow. Didn’t know there was such a thing as a “lice-removal specialist.” @PaulJohnScott Now I can’t stop itching. http://t.co/E6VdkKUanZ
— Heather J. Carlson (@PBhcarlson) August 31, 2015
.@cristinafletes takes you inside the Lice Busters salon, where they tackle the pests head on http://t.co/URDMYjZMIQ
— jessicabock (@jessicabock) August 31, 2015
The heat won’t get rid of lice, but our salons can! Come on in and we can help, find a salon near u at http://t.co/hEfyv2DwYe
— Hair Fairies Inc. (@HairFairiesInc) August 28, 2015
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter @AdelleNaz and on Facebook.
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