Switch off that screen: How blue light from phones, laptops is harmful for your skin

Screens have become an unseverable part of our lives. In this digital era, most of us are spending over 12 hours on our screens daily. Consider this, you are reading this article on your mobile, laptop or other digital device and it is affecting your skin.

We all know that being glued to screens is bad for your eyes. But were you aware that the blue light emitted from these devices is also harmful to your skin?

We will explain how.

What is blue light?

Blue light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, with wavelengths ranging from 400 to 490 nanometers.

Also known as high energy visible (HEV) light, blue light is visible to the human eye, unlike ultraviolet (UV) light which is invisible.

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“The sun is the main source of blue light, but digital screens such as TVs, laptops and mobile phones are additional sources, as well as LED and fluorescent lighting,” cosmetic dermatologist Dr Connie Yang told HuffPost.

Besides impacting eyes, blue light exposure can disrupt sleep cycles.

Blue light’s impact on skin

Blue light can penetrate the skin and cause several problems such as premature ageing and hyperpigmentation. It damages collagen through oxidative stress, as per a New York Times (NYT) report.

As blue light can create oxidative stress destroying skin cells, collagen, and elastin fibres, this can result in the skin losing its elasticity and firmness, contributing to premature ageing, Dr Deepali Bhardwaj, a dermatologist and anti-allergy specialist, wrote for ThePrint.

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Blue light is not as harmful to the skin as UV rays produced by the Sun.

“[Blue light] is thought to penetrate deeper into the skin than UV light but fortunately is not associated with the development of skin cancer,” Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in the dermatology department at Mount Sinai Hospital’s Department of Dermatology in New York City, told Everyday Health in 2021.

A prolonged exposure to blue light can “stimulate melanocytes, the cells responsible for melanin production,” according to Dr Bhardwaj.

A 2010 study showed hyperpigmentation occurs in medium to dark skin tones from blue light.

Dr Bhardwaj wrote in her Opinion piece for ThePrint that this can lead to uneven skin colour and dark spots.

Experts say blue light can also cause dry skin, inflammation, redness and acne.

“Over time, because [blue light] is penetrating your third layer of your skin, it’s going to bring out redness in your skin, it’s going to bring out acne, it’s going to bring out ageing in your skin,” Tomorrow-Today Beauty founder Indianna Roehrich told Harper’s Bazaar magazine.

But it is not all bad when it comes to blue light. Speaking to HuffPost, dermatologist Dr Hamdan Abdullah Hamed said that blue light is used to treat acne and “pre-cancerous skin cells by causing oxidation and thus destroying these cells.”

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How to protect skin?

The simplest solution is to limit the amount of blue light let off by our devices. While Apple products have a “night shift” option that gives a warmer screen tone, Android has “night mode” and laptops have “night light”.

You can also reduce your screen time to limit strain on the eyes and check expanded exposure to blue light.

Dr Hamed told HuffPost that sunscreens alone cannot protect the skin from the harmful effects of blue light. Thus, mineral sunscreens with iron oxides are recommended to do the job.

“If you’re consistently in front of a blue screen, or artificial lights, then yes [you need anti-blue light skin care]. Ideally, I’d invest in some blue light glasses to protect the eyes against the damage first,” he said.

Applying serums or moisturisers on skin rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide, and ferulic acid protects the skin against blue light, Dr Bhardwaj wrote in ThePrint article.

However, it is not yet proven that antioxidants work on blue light, NYT noted.

Experts say adopting a healthy lifestyle and skincare routine can also be beneficial.

With inputs from agencies