A challenge to die for

Stupid challenges can put teens at risk

Jake+Lankford+was+15+when+he+first+did+the+salt+and+ice+challenge.+When+he+recreated+the+stupid+challenge+for+this+photograph+at+18%2C+It+was+the+most+painful+selfie+Ive+ever+taken%2C+he+said.

Jake Lankford

Jake Lankford was 15 when he first did the salt and ice challenge. When he recreated the stupid challenge for this photograph at 18, “It was the most painful selfie I’ve ever taken,” he said.

You know how we can always expect a phone update? Well, you can also expect a trending stupid challenge on YouTube that almost everyone is interested in attempting. Some challenges, like the lemon face challenge, are relatively harmless. Others, such as the Tide Pod challenge, are stupid and put teens at risk. (FYI, they’re all stupid.)

Dustin Crapser said he tried the eraser challenge six months ago “because my friends dared me as well as bet $100.”

This challenge involves putting hand sanitizer on your skin and rubbing it vigorously with an eraser.

“It didn’t hurt,” the junior said. “I have a high pain tolerance.”

Even though he won the money, Crapser said he wouldn’t necessarily recommend the challenge.

“It’s up to them,” he said.

Max Lankford was in the sixth grade when he did the eraser challenge, which was also on a dare.

“It hurt really bad and it was not worth it,” the sophomore said. “It erases the skin off your hand and it hurts really bad. I still have a scar from it.”

Lankford said he would not recommend the eraser challenge to anyone.

“The pain you get doesn’t go away till the day after,” he said.

His brother, Jake Lankford, did the salt and ice challenge the summer between eighth and ninth grade.

The salt and ice challenge is when you put salt on your body and see how long you can hold an ice cube on it.

“I don’t know what drove me to do it,” the senior said. “I was just curious.”

Lankford said even though he only did the challenge for a short time, it hurt.

“It felt like I was holding a match to my skin,” he said. “I held it briefly. As soon as the burning kicked in I ripped it off.”

If people do the challenges, it should be at their own risk.

“If you end up in the hospital, it’s all on you,” Lankford said.

Tanika Kounhavong, like Lankford, was also inquisitive when she participated in a stupid challenge.

“I was pressured by a friend, plus I was curious,” said the junior, who did the Kylie Jenner lip challenge more than a year ago.

This challenge involves artificially plumping your lips with a small glass or bottle.

“I didn’t do it for that long because I got scared,” she said. “Like all challenges it’s something fun and stupid to laugh at.”