Vocal fry has plus and minus

The so-called vocal fry has lately been getting some attention.  I have in the past on some occasions recommended using it for a few seconds at a time on a sustained, neutral vowel as a simple form of therapy for a voice that may be a little sick from a cold, especially if a performance is approaching.  The therapy can be helpful for both men and women.

Now, however, thanks to pop culture, the fry is becoming an affected form of speech, especially for young women.

While I don't really care about linguistic trends, upward mobility, or urban-orientation, I do care about our students' vocal health.  Used judiciously, the fry can be therapeutic.  As a habitual speech pattern, its effects may be more deleterious.