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title: Selfies Cause Head Lice in Teens Says Expert Marcy McQuillan
description: "But now, teens are sticking their heads together every day to take cell phone pics."
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author: Jessica Roy
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article:published_time: 2014-02-24T18:26:10.000Z
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og:title: Selfies Cause Head Lice in Teens Says Expert Marcy McQuillan
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# Expert Claims Selfies Are Giving Teens Head Lice

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by 

[Jessica Roy](https://time.com/author/jessica-roy/)


## Jessica Roy


Feb 24, 2014 6:26 PM UTC

![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6045bc6c9e554e97/69868303361760ec2090aa6c/selfie1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Yellow Dog Productions/Getty Images

by 

[Jessica Roy](https://time.com/author/jessica-roy/)


## Jessica Roy


Feb 24, 2014 6:26 PM UTC

Teens everywhere are smooshing their heads together in an attempt to capture the perfect selfie, and while that sounds pretty innocent, danger is lurking just around the corner: all those selfies could be causing an uptick in head lice cases.

[SFist talked to a lice expert](http://sfist.com/2014/02/24/are%5Fselfies%5Fcausing%5Fhead%5Flice%5Finfes.php) located in Scotts Valley named Marcy McQuillan who notes that though lice is usually found in elementary aged kids, she’s seen a “huge increase” in lice cases in teens this year. The obvious culprit for this anomaly? Evil, evil selfies.

“Typically it’s younger children I treat, because they’re at higher risk for head-to-head contact. But now, teens are sticking their heads together every day to take cell phone pics,” McQuillan [told SFist](http://sfist.com/2014/02/24/are%5Fselfies%5Fcausing%5Fhead%5Flice%5Finfes.php).

There’s only one clear solution here: shave your teen’s head. That’ll show ’em.

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