I must admit, it is next to impossible to escape blue light in today’s world. Most of us whether on our TVs, phones, tablets or computers end up spending a considerable amount of time absorbing blue lights into our skins and bodies. Research suggests that the average human spends 3 to 4 hours every day on his phone. This dedicated phone use not only has a toll on mental, physical (sedentary lifestyle and strain on yes) but also on the largest organ in your body, the skin. In this blog, I will specifically focus on blue light damage on the skin.
Blue Light is the term used to denote the negative effects of the blue light on our skin. Blue light is visible to the naked eye and contains a certain type of wavelength (380 nm to 400 nanometres). Light of this wavelength can have adverse effects on our skin – leading to lines, wrinkles, and premature ageing. It can also lead to ageing with hyperpigmentation, inflammation, red skin, and rashes. Blue rays from digital devices penetrate much deeper into the skin causing much more collagen damage at the dermis level which causes the skin to lose its elasticity, firmness and increases its dullness at a faster pace.
This does not mean that scrolling through Instagram late at night will give you skin rashes right away. Blue Light build up slowly and we often fail to attribute skin problems to the effects of screen time. Blue Light falls under the spectrum of High Energy Visible Light (HEV light). It is very similar to artificial sunlight. Prolonged exposure to HEV is not very different from being out in the sun for hours at an end. When we go out in the Sun, we take necessary precautions, such as sunscreen lotions, sunglasses, a hat, or even an umbrella. So how do we prevent this damage? Is there such a thing as bluelight sunscreen? Is there another solution besides just cutting out the screen time?
It is best to limit the use of blue light, as much as you can but in today’s world that may not be possible; however, there are some precautions that we can take to manage its impact especially when we have to use a device that emits blue light for a long time.
• Mind the Gap —Maintain a distance of at least 12-15 inches between you and the screen. Sticking your eyes very near to the screen may be harmful to your eyes and skin.
• Manage Screen brightness— Optimize your screen brightness and use night time settings when available. Reading mode or a blue light filter is also available in some latest laptops or mobile phones
• Use eyes moisturizer—Light can cause dryness or itching in the eyes. Skin around our eyes are generally thinner and adding this extra layer of protection gives it another barrier against the light emission.
• Get the right skincare – If work for long hours in front of a screen, add skin care products with Iron Oxide – Acts as a protective barrier and blocks the Ultraviolet(UV) rays,, Antioxidants – Protect the skin from blue light damage, Vitamin C – Protects and recovers cells from blue light damage, Vitamin B6 – This suppresses the oxidative stress caused by visible light and Niacinamide – Restores the skin cells from oxidative stress and provides protection. Don’t’ forget to reapply skincare on long days!
