By now, you know to protect your skin from the sun. However, what if there was another kind of exposure that worked to damage your skin in similar kinds of ways? It’s practically unavoidable; you’re allowing it to happen right now, likely even without noticing. Bluelight. The Bluelight glare is omitted from not only the sun, but phones, tablets and computers—basically anything with a screen. Just like UV rays or ultraviolet, blue light can be very hazardous to one’s skin.
There is, however, a difference between being exposed to blue light from a phone or blue light from the sun. Although digital devices omit only a fraction of the radiation the sun does, the ‘close-up’ exposure of the screens do matter, and can cause damage.
By some estimates, humans are shown to spend upwards of 50 per cent of their time staring at a screen. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, screen time is most definitely at an all time high. We are continuing to increase our exposure without necessarily realizing it. So how harmful is bluelight really? Let’s take a look.
In 2010, the Journal of Investigative Dermatology published a study claiming that exposing skin to the amount of blue light gathered from both screens and the sun caused more swelling and redness than they should. Ten years later, the study is still referenced. There is excessive evidence that supports that the use of blue light leads to hyperpigmentation and melasma. The skin is triggered to produce more pigment when affected by certain types of visible light. Bluelight, in this case.
So how do you best protect yourself against bluelight? Invest in a pair of Bluelight glasses from Amazon , especially if you’re a student or you work from home. If your screens have the option, switch to ‘Nightmode’ a few hours before bedtime in order to improve sleep and stop the harsh glare of the light.
In terms of skincare, look for serums filled with antioxidants and choose mineral-based sunscreen with heavy SPF. The more you know what to look for, the easier it will be to combat harmful blue light skin damage! Want to know more? Contact us.
