Silly Bandz, the Hottest Tween Fashion Accessory in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

Silly Bandz are the hottest fashion accessory for tweens and older children in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Silly Bandz are silicone bracelets that are die molded into the shapes of different animals or objects. On the wrist, they are reminiscent of the jelly bracelets from the '80s, but once removed, they regain their original shape.

Silly Bandz come in packs of twenty-four assorted colors and shapes, such as Pets, Farm Animals, Fun Shapes, Sea Creatures, and, of course, Dinosaurs. Kids love them, trade them, exchange them, and wear them all up and down their arms. A pack of twentyfour Silly Band typically retails for a cool five dollars, making them an affordable trend even during the tight economics of 2010. Silly Bandz can be purchased at the Five Below in Whitehall, Pa, as well as the A.C. Moore in the same shopping center. Bible Shape Silly Bandz can be purchased at the Hackman's Bookstore at Bethany United Methodist Church in Wescosville, Pa. You can even go right to the source and purchase the original Silly Bandz at www.sillybandz.com.

While Silly Bandz seem like a harmless but popular fashion trend, they are not without controversy. A local teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous, says that, "Students' use of Silly Bandz is a fun and creative means of self-expression and friendship. However, in can get out of control and create a continuous disruption in the classroom." Because of the constant trading, sharing, and even bickering over these colorful bracelets, many schools and classrooms have actually banned the Silly Bandz. Yahoo News quotes Karen White, a principal in Gardendale, Ala, as saying, "We try not to limit their freedom of expression and what they wear, but when this became a problem, I knew we had to nip it in the bud pretty quickly." White put a ban on Silly Bandz, but does allow monthly Silly Bandz days so that the students can show off their bracelets.

Even worse than disrupting the learning process, some people are claiming that Silly Bandz pose a health threat to children. Dr. Manny, of FoxNews fame, says that, . "Silly Bandz"... "may be a health hazard that could potentially cause a constriction of blood flow to the hand..." Dr. Gregory Simonian, chief of endovascular surgery and director of the Heart Vascular Hospital at Hackensack Univesity Medical Center, agrees. He says, "these bands could cause what we call a tourniquet effect that can cause your veins to get congested. The bracelets could cause blood clots to form in some of the veins, giving someone a phlebitis, which is an inflammation and clotting of the vein," he said. On the other hand, he also says, ""If left on for a really long time, and the bands were tight enough, it could begin to compromise the arterial blood supply going into the limb, but that would be extreme and very unlikely with these little rubber bracelets..."

So while these little rubber bracelets may seem harmless, it's best not to give them to children under three as the packaging states. Naturally, it is up to the parents to use discernment with the number of of bands a child wears and for how long, while keeping an eye out for any discomfort or changes in circulation that can happen when a large number of bands are worn at one time. Always follow school rules to avoid your children's bands being confiscated during the school day. And most of all, encourage your child to have fun and enjoy the trend while it lasts!