Scientific research out of the UK's University of Surrey has shown that when festival wristbands are left on for extended periods of time, potentially harmful bacteria starts to grow at an alarming rate. 

According to the report which was highlighted in UK website The Mirror , lab tests were done on bands that were on a fan's wristband that was on since Reading Fest 2013 (respect) and housed around 9,000 micrococci and 2,000 staphylococci. Translation: 20 times as many bacteria as your clothes. 

A doctor who conducted the study was quoted as saying:

“Staphylococci are usually harmless but can cause boils and also infect cuts and grazes. They can also cause 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.

"Usually harmless," eh? The report goes on to warn mainly people who work in healthcare or food service that they might want consider clipping the wristbands instead of keeping the reminder of the epic weekend. So, seems to us that unless you're serving, prepping or readying patients for surgeries or inoculations, #YOLO amiright? It wouldn't be a good look for nurses or servers to be rockin' a slew of wristbands anyways. I mean...it's one thing to go to Denny's after the rave, but it's another thing to keep wearing your rave swag while working at Denny's. I'm not trying to have my Grand Slam served to me by the dude I was raging with at the Woogie Stage...the night before. 

So be forewarned: If you leave your wristbands on for too long, you'll likely have some suspect germs multiplying on them that may or may not be harmful. Do what you will with that information my friends, but we love our wristbands and they're stayin' on!