How Blue Light & Screen Time Affects Your Skin
The events of 2020 have led to more and more people spending extended amounts of time in front of computer screens and glued to their cell phones. As working from home and socializing online becomes more prominent, so do the effects of blue light on our skin.
We are all aware of the side-effects that increased screen time can have on our eyes, and many of us take steps to protect them. However, less is known about blue light and the drastic effects it has on our skin.
If you’ve upped your screen time during the last few months and want to know how you can minimize blue light damage to your skin, read on.
What is Blue Light?
Blue light can be found in fluorescent and LED lights as well as your cell phone and computer screens. However, blue light can also be found in the sun.
There are many different light forms, and blue light is well known for over-stimulating your brain due to its high energy levels. This is why it is recommended to avoid using your cell phone or watching TV before sleeping.
While blue light has some benefits, such as reducing acne, it is best to reduce your exposure to it over long periods. Over-exposure to blue light can have severe consequences for your skin’s appearance and can cause a lot of skin damage.
How it Affects Your Skin
Excessive screen time leads to heightened exposure to blue light and, therefore, the risk of skin damage. Blue light causes oxidative stress for the skin, which brings with it a whole host of problems.
Firstly, blue light changes your live skin cells, causing premature aging. If you’ve noticed that your skin looks older and less vibrant during the past few months, increased use of your computer or phone may be the reason why.
Another side-effect of too much blue light on the skin is a loss of elasticity and reduced collagen production. Collagen gives our faces volume and is something we naturally produce less of as we age. It seems that blue light speeds up the aging process and leaves our faces looking sallow and less firm while highlighting wrinkles.
Blue light can also affect your skin color since it causes hyperpigmentation. You may have noticed dark spots start to appear, which weren’t there before.
There are many ways in which blue light can drastically affect your skin. However, since our lives are set to be lived out online for the foreseeable future, we can’t avoid exposure to it.
Tips for Minimizing Blue Light Damage
Fortunately, there are ways to prevent irreparable skin damage from blue light, which we have compiled below.
Decrease your screen time: this may sound hard given the day and age we live in, but it is possible. Only use your phone or computer when necessary and try to switch off when you’re not working.
Use a blue light screen filter: Screen filters effectively reduce the amount of blue light that leaves the screen and penetrates your skin.
Adjust the light settings: Many phones and computers provide a ‘reading’ or ‘night-time’ mode, which switches your screen's color to a yellow hue instead of a blue one.
If you’ve already noticed the effects of blue light on your skin, then there are several treatments that can reduce skin damage. These include dermal fillers to increase collagen production and Botox to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Book an Appointment Today
If too much screen time has a detrimental effect on your skin, get in touch with the team at Waterloo Medical Cosmetics. We specialize in cosmetic skin procedures that are designed to reinvigorate your skin. Send us a text at (226) - 887 - 1208 to find out how we can help.