For many U.S. millennials taking a selfie with their cell phones on a daily basis is as much a part of their normal routine as brushing their teeth or putting on their shoes.
According to the results of a nationwide survey of 1,000 young adults conducted by Lusterpremiumwhite.com, a maker of teeth-whitening products, 95 percent of the respondents have taken at least one selfie.
And, based on their estimated frequency of taking such pictures each week, a person in that demographic group could eventually take up to an average of 25,676 selfies during their lifetime.
The amount of these digital self-portraits could be even higher for the generation behind them, however, considering that recent findings from a survey by vouchercloud.net reported in Child Guide Magazine show that most American parents give their children their first digital device at age 6.
"Even a brief glance at a Facebook page, a Twitter feed or Instagram account confirms that millennials are dedicated to chronicling their lives with selfies, and they especially enjoy sharing them with their network of acquaintances," says Damon Brown, CEO and Co-Founder of Luster Premium White. "Beyond just millennials, most people now take selfies while on vacation or while celebrating to chronicle special moments with friends and family. If you don't take a selfie during your vacation or while celebrating a special day, it is almost as if it never happened."
In fact, 66 percent of survey takers said they primarily post their selfies on social media. "It's become the virtual equivalent of a photo album," says Brown.
Based on the habits of the survey takers, just how much time is consumed each year while shooting selfies? Using the survey's average number of minutes needed to take a selfie (7) and the average number of selfies that are done each week (9), that adds up to 3,276 minutes a year or a total of more than 54 hours.
Probably adding to that time is the preparation that is often necessary before saying "cheese " to your phone. More than half of the respondents say they move to a better location before clicking. Second-most popular prep? Fixing your hair. Next is checking yourself out in a mirror, and quite possibly practicing your smile and making sure you don't have anything in your teeth. Trying out different expressions and putting on makeup came in fourth and fifth.
"It's important to make a good impression even if it is through a selfie shared with people you know online or in an email," says Brown. "They will assess you based on the way you appear and carry yourself in a selfie - your hair, your teeth, your attire, and overall demeanor - so you want to make sure that you look and feel your best."
Considering that 55 percent of survey takers owned up to posing for a sexy selfie, looks do count. The 83 percent who have struck a sexy selfie pose ended up sending the photo to someone else. Who are the recipients? Almost exclusively spouses, someone they are engaged to or a person they are dating.
Often, sexy selfies are done on a whim. As one male respondent said, "I sent a sexy selfie to my wife. She was away for work and I had just finished working out and was all pumped so I sent her a sexy selfie of me, reminding her that I still had it." A female survey taker revealed sent one to her significant other at the time because "I was showing off a top that revealed quite a bit of cleavage."
Of course, selfies also are convenient way to capture a lasting memory of an event or special day. The most selfie-required occasion for taking a selfie? A birthday gathering, chosen by 46 percent. Weddings were second, followed by graduations, Christmas or Hanukah and family reunions.
When it comes to activities that inspire survey participants to snap a selfie, fun is a key ingredient. A vacation trip - picked by 63 percent - was the most popular pick.
The runners-up in order: going to the beach, attending a music concert, hiking outdoors and visiting a theme park.
As for how the respondents feel about selfies in general, most would agree with this assessment: "They're fine if you don't overdo it."
Others were more negative, saying that the habit "encourages narcissistic tendencies and self-gratification." Only 10 percent consider themselves addicted to taking selfies or feel the need to take them every chance they get.
The origins of the term "selfie" are a bit fuzzy. Claims that a 21-year-old drunken Australian male was the first to use the word in an online birthday post in 2002 have since been disputed. More reliable proof that the word had become commonplace arrived in 2012, when Time Magazine declared "selfie" to be one of the top-10 buzzwords of the year, and again in 2013, when "selfie" was declared the word of the year by the Oxford English Dictionary.
Of course, not every activity or event is deemed appropriate as a photo op. A whopping 80 percent drew the line at funeral selfies and 70 percent think selfies taken during sex is a no-no. Also to be avoided: selfies at a place of worship, during childbirth, when you are naked and in the bathroom.
As for those potentially annoying selfie sticks, just 27 percent have ever used one.
Selfie No-No's1. At a funeral
2. During sex
3. In a place of worship
4. During childbirth
5. When you are naked
6. When you are driving
7. When someone is giving a speech
8. During a movie
9. On a crowded sidewalk
10. During a live performance