5 ways that a selfie can be good for you

Let’s face it: we’re a culture obsessed with selfies. We take them on vacation, and to commemorate events (like getting the mail). We take them with our pets, and with our kids. We take them with our food, with our gardens, with our spouses. We take them at bars and in restrooms (when we probably shouldn’t). Whether selfies are art or just another symptom of a culture that can’t seem to be in the moment without sharing it with an audience, they are affecting how we view ourselves and our friends. So, just what does this selfie-obsession get us?

• We get up-close-and-personal with every flaw we have.
• We do crazy things to make our life seem more interesting.
• We feel even more insecure, and are more likely to compare ourselves to others – selfies can ruin relationships!
• We only feel good about ourselves if our selfies get likes, fast.
• We judge others for being pretty, or suggestive.
• We rely on social media to tell us if we’re ugly and fat (as in, to confirm our suspicions that we’re hideous creatures).
• We are more likely to get cosmetic surgery.

Here are 5 ways that selfies can be good for you:

Courtesy of: The National Wildlife Federation

• Selfies are entertaining; they tug our heartstrings and make us smile.
• We can use our selfies to raise awareness for causes we care about.
• Skincare product brands have developed selfie apps that act as skin journals. Users can use the app to document their daily skin conditions, to see if their skincare regimen is working.
• Selfies helped one woman capture her stroke symptoms so that her doctors could save her.
• Selfies can document skin conditions for dermatology consults.

How do you use selfies?