A "selfie" is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media." Everyone has taken a selfie or two during their lifetime. Honestly, there are probably several selfies stored in the camera roll of your iPhone at this very moment from those nights when you felt extra spicy.

Take a look on my Instagram page, and you'll see selfies ranging from two weeks ago to years ago, ones of a teenager exploring her different hairstyles. Much to your dismay, all those horrible selfies that were taken at the age of 12 are sadly deleted. Looking into it, a majority of my adolescent life was spent during the craze of the "selfie culture."

Do you remember that time when Paris Hilton insisted she invented the selfie, at which point every other celebrity shuffled through their old pictures from the "good ol' days" and attempted to prove that they were, in fact, the inventors. Those days were much simpler.

The rise of social media created a platform where individuals with no merit could be instant celebrities. An iPhone, several pictures in a well-lit room and editing software sky-rocketed the social status of particular individuals with a normal 9-5 career, now making six-figures by posting pictures. A pretty face and favorable body could make an individual millions online in our selfie-obsessed culture.

Growing up during the prevalent age of the "selfie culture" equated an individual's worth with their outward appearance. The way an individual looked would allow them to be seen and gain followers. The attention meant lust from strangers, money for some and idolization by many.

As a teenage girl, I would look in the mirror and point out every aspect of my face and body that wasn't admirable. My hair was coarse, my eyes were too small, my breasts weren't large enough, stretch marks traced my thighs, the list could go on forever and forever.

You see, scrolling through Instagram and viewing these girls with perfect bodies can completely disintegrate a young girl's self-esteem. The concept of creating an image for others simply to regard you as beautiful is detrimental. At times, I would sit in my room, envision the cosmetic procedures I wanted and dream of this picturesque version of myself.

A version of myself, one obsessed with an outer appearance that would never even address the problems on the inside. A version of myself that only cares about pictures and what others have to say about me. A version of myself wanting to please an audience and be told that I'm finally "beautiful."

A selfie is something so simple, but complicated at its root. Maybe I took this whole selfie thing too far, but just ask someone if a selfie has ever impacted their self-image. Most will say yes because a selfie drains an individual of pride and self-esteem.

A selfie isn't your worth, and those girls on your Instagram feed aren't necessarily perfect, as well. A selfie doesn't determine beauty, in a world of ever-changing images of what makes an appearance appealing. Young girls, take your "selfies" with caution because it's just a rudimental image and not your identity. Stay safe in the society of the "selfie culture," we've all been trapped in it once or twice.