Wearing Festival Wristbands For Too Long Could Cause Boils And Food Poisoning, Scientists Warn

Here's Why You Should Remove Those Festival Wristbands

Not only does wearing your festival wristband for weeks after it's finished make you a massive loser, but it could also give you boils and food poisoning, according to a recent study.

Laboratory tests carried out by microbiologists revealed that the woven wristbands contain more than 10,000 bacterial cells, which is 20 times more than normal clothing.

Gross.

A HuffPost UK reporter who shall remain anonymous

Professor of Microbiology at University of Surrey, Dr Alison Cottell, tested two Reading Festival bands that had been worn since 2013.

Results found that the wristbands were home to 9,000 micrococci and 2,000 staphylococci - bacteria that can cause boils, infections and food poisoning.

Dr Cottell said in a statement: "The vast majority of bacteria cultured from the bands were staphylococci and micrococci.

"Although these bacteria are normally found on the skin there was a surprisingly high number growing from the wristbands.

"A rough ballpark figure would be that the amount of bacteria that grew on wristbands was about 20 times higher than you would expect to find on the sleeve of a piece of clothing that would be regularly laundered.

"Staphylococci are usually harmless although they can cause boils and infections of cuts and grazes, and can also cause a form of acute food poisoning if they are ingested.

"Infections are most likely to affect the ability of cuts and grazes to heal. More serious, but rare, complications include septicaemia.

"The hospital superbug, MRSA, is a type of staphylococcus bacteria that is very resistant to a number of commonly-used antibiotics.

"It would be advisable not to wear them if working in industries such as healthcare or food preparation, where there is a risk that the bacteria may spread to other people."

Our advice: cherish memories through photographs, not on scabby, dirty wristbands. *shudders*

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