Your Phone and Laptop Could be Damaging Your Skin

In the current situation, where we are glued to our phones and laptops, we thought eye damage was our biggest worry, but there’s an even bigger concern. The blue light emitted from these electronic devices could be harming our skin too. 

What is blue light? 

Blue light, part of the spectrum of visible light, is a high-energy, short-wavelength light. Though sunlight is the main source of blue light, and being outdoors during daylight is where most of us get most of our exposure to it. However, “the display screens of computers, electronic notebooks, smartphones, and other digital devices emit significant amounts of blue light. And, the number of time people spend using these devices and the proximity of these screens to the user's face can damage our skin,” says Dr Geetika Mittal, dermatologist and cosmetologist, founder of ISAAC. 

How it damages our skin?

Dr Geetika lists out the different ways blue light can affect us. 

1. Blue light exposure may increase the risk of macular degeneration (deterioration of the macula, which is the small area of the retina of the eye that controls visual activity.)

2. Blue light contributes to digital eye strain.

3. Blue light (also referred to as High Energy Visible or HEV light) poses potential skin harm via free radical generation.

4. Blue light has the ability to penetrate deeper into the skin compared with both UVA and UVB light.

5. Another way blue light might be ageing us is by causing pigmentation

6. Long-term exposure to concentrated blue light energy can cause skin damage, including colour changes, inflammation, and weakening of the skin's surface. Simply put, blue light promotes stressors in the skin that cause photo-ageing; that is, ageing from exposure to light. Put simply it can give you wrinkles, fine libes, saggy skin and dark spots. 

How can we protect ourselves from the blue light?

Clearly one needs to take an indoor and outdoor approach given that both sunlight and our digital devices emit blue light. “It can be difficult to minimize the screen time but you can make a difference by turning off the blue light function on your phone (if you have it), and be sure to always use a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 that is also high in antioxidants,” advises Dr Geetika.

She recommends a sunscreen that contains special plant and vitamin-based antioxidants. These have the ability to protect the skin against the red and blue light. Applying topical antioxidants like vitamin E and eating a diet rich in antioxidants (from fresh fruit and vegetables) can boost your skin’s defence against oxidative environmental damage.