If you are someone who spends hours on your smartphone browsing through Instagram, Twitter and other social media websites; then chances are that you are harming your skin just as much as your eyes. This is because the screens of your digital devices such as mobile phones and laptops emit a blue light that causes serious damage to your skin.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about this blue light, how it affects your skin and what you can do to prevent this skin damage...
What is blue light?
Blue light is a short wavelength, high-energy light that is visible to the human eye. This blue light is everywhere, from the sunrays and atmosphere to light bulbs and all your digital screens and devices. Studies show that exposure to blue light causes serious problems such as sleeplessness, eyestrain, fatigue and headache. Since sun emits a certain amount of blue light, which helps regulate our natural sleep cycles and patterns; all of us are always exposed to certain amount of blue light.
- How does blue light affect your skin?
- Switch your sunscreen
- Use topical antioxidants
- Use a night skin serum
- Use the night time mode on your phone
How does blue light affect your skin?
Spending hours on your laptops and smartphones is not only damaging to the eyes, but it ends up adversely affecting your skin as well. Constant exposure to blue light makes your skin tan because spending eight-hour workdays in front of a computer exposes you to the same amount of energy as 20 minutes in the mid-day sun. This weakens skin’s surface, causes inflammation, photo-ageing, wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation.
Therefore, protecting your skin against blue light is a priority if you want to achieve flawless skin.
How to protect your skin against blue light damage?
Here are some simple ways in which you can mitigate blue light damage without having to majorly give up on spending time on your screens...
Switch your sunscreen
The sunscreens that are meant to protect against UVA and UVB rays don’t provide any protection against blue light damage. Try to pick a sunscreen that specifically provides blue light protection as well. But if you can’t find one that does both, then first apply a physical sunscreen that has zinc oxide or titanium dioxide along with an antioxidant-rich day cream. This makes for a powerful combination that prevents maximum damage from the sun.
Use topical antioxidants
In order to protect your skin against blue light, using topical antioxidants in your skincare routine is an absolute must! Even though the skin naturally contains antioxidants such as vitamin E; they get used up when the skin is exposed to excess free radicals such as UV light, visible blue light and other environmental factors such as pollution. Applying topical antioxidants in the form of skincare, as well as eating a diet rich in antioxidants (from fresh fruit and vegetables) can boost our skin’s defence against oxidative environment and blue light damage.
Use a night skin serum
Never ever go to bed without using a night repair cream or serum. A night time serum helps repair and prevent the visible impact of blue light at night along with other skin damaging assaults. Pick products that are rich in hyaluronic acid and powerful antioxidants as these will help protect the thin skin around the eyes against free radical damage, while promoting the skin’s natural renewal processes.
Use the night time mode on your phone
Most smartphones these days have a night time mode which is a great way to limit blue light skin damage. When you use the night time mode, your phone shifts your phone’s settings from blue light to yellow light mode. Try to maintain a considerable distance between your screen and your face when on your phones and laptops, to minimise skin damage.
Written by Urvi Dalal on Aug 31, 2019
Writer, avid reader and hardcore beauty enthusiast is the best way to describe Urvi Dalal. With over 5 years of writing experience in the beauty industry, you can trust her to have the latest skin, hair and makeup tidbits on her fingertips. In her time working as a beauty writer, she has had the opportunity to interact and work closely with a string of dermatologists, makeup artists and hairstylists. All that knowledge exchange, coupled with her flair and love for writing make it possible for her to bring you some authentic yet fun beauty content. When Urvi isn’t working, you’d usually catch her curled up with a big, fat book, drinking a cup of tea or practising her makeup skills; there is no in-between!