How does Cell Phone blue light affect your skin

For many long hours of our work day we are constantly switching from one device to another. Especially now that we are in lockdown, we tend to spend more time on various devices through the day. We often talk about the impact this can have on our eyes, back and posture, but what about your skin? 

Did you know that the blue light that is reflected from our devices has a major impact on our skin too? This light emanates from a range of devices like laptop, tablets, LED TVs, fluorescent light bulbs and cell phones. Speaking of cell phones, on an average, millennials spend anywhere between five and six hours on their phones on a daily basis. Hence it is pertinent to know what the blue light exposure from our cell phones does to our skin. 

Studies have shown that the blue light that gets emitted from the cell phone can have serious implications like  premature skin aging and hormonal changes.  Some of the other skin related issues that it can lead to in the long term are such as: 

• Weakening of the skin’s surface

• Discoloration

• Skin damage,

• Hyperpigmentation 

• Inflammation.

Apart from this, it also leads to collagen degeneration and delays recovery from other skin stressors such as the sun and pollution. The blue light acts as a catalyst for skin aging as it tends to promote stressors that lead to photo-aging. Photo-aging is the process in which skin shows signs of aging due to exposure to light.  

Using our phones and other devices is inevitable in a digital age, hence it is important to incorporate certain healthy habits that will help ensure that we don’t harm our skin unknowingly. Here are a few  tips that will help you decrease the impact of blue light and maintain healthy skin.

Incorporate antioxidants into your skin care routine and diet: 

The first tip to minimise the impact of blue light is incorporating topical antioxidants into your skin care regimen and your diet. To integrate antioxidants into your skin care regimen, you can opt for serums that contain extracts of Vitamin E, ascorbic acid which contains Vitamin C and green tea. Antioxidants can be included into your diet by eating your leafy greens and fruits such as oranges and avocados. Incorporating antioxidants in your diet will help to reverse the impacts of free radicals and maintain skin texture and prevent saggy skin. 

Never skip sunscreen in your skincare routine: 

Never underestimate the protective qualities of sunscreen, it must be worn even if you plan on staying indoors all day. It helps immensely with blocking blue light and protecting your skin. Some ingredients that you must keep in mind when you are looking for a sunscreen are iron oxide, vitamin C, ferulic acid and green tea extracts. These ingredients will heal your skin from the damage caused by blue light and decrease the impacts of free radicals. Sunscreen is beneficial as it reduces the risk of hyperpigmentation and photoaging. Your skin requires this extra layer of protection as it is being exposed to artificial light from your devices for long hours of the day and night. 

Get your beauty sleep:

The blue light from our devices has an extreme impact on our circadian cycle especially due to exposure during nighttime. We tend to scroll on social media and catch up with the TV shows that we are currently binge watching at night before sleeping. This disrupts our natural sleeping and waking up cycle known as circadian rhythm. It also causes changes in our sleep hormone, melatonin. High exposure of blue light before bedtime leads to difficulty sleeping on time and sleep quality. To avoid this, try not to check any devices just before sleeping. Your skin needs a stable sleep cycle to be healthy and glowing, the term beauty sleep did not come out of nowhere! 

Tweak your phone settings and get a blue light shield: 

Along with making alterations to your skincare regimen, diet and sleeping habits, you can change some settings on your phone as well. You must use your phone on ‘night mode’ or ‘power saving’ mode of your phone. This makes sure that the emission of blue light is replaced with the emission of yellow light, which reduces the harshness on your skin as well as eyes. You must invest in a blue light shield to put on your devices. This will create one extra layer between your skin and the blue light. This will also enhance your sleep quality as it won’t be harmful to your eyes. 

Skincare products recommended to block out blue light: 

Some skin care products that will protect your skin against blue light can be used during the day. Look for skin serums and hydrating creams that contain antioxidants and ingredients to hydrate and moisturise your skin. During the night you can use skin repair creams which help to regenerate the damage done by blue light during the day. Using daytime and nighttime skincare products will have an immense impact on your skin as they will shield your skin and reverse the damage done when your skin is exposed to harmful blue light. 

These tips should help you do all you can to reduce the impact of blue light on your skin. Ensure that you take care of your skin with changes in diet, lifestyle and of course your skin care routine.