Most of us know that blue light is bad for our eyes, but how many know that it can be bad for the skin?
First, where does blue light come from?
They can be found being emitted from these everyday objects:
- Smartphones
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Televisions
Blue light’s harmful effects don’t stop at your eyes, but affects other parts of your body as well, like your skin.
Let’s find out how it does, and the different measures you can take to avoid it.
What is Blue Light?
Blue light is simply one of the few colours that are part of the spectrum of visible light.
Some others include:
- Red
- Orange
- Green
- Violet
- Yellow
When these colours come together, they form the glaring white light you see from the sun when it’s shining. Similar to the UVA and UVB rays that are connected to skin damage, this blue light can also affect your skin negatively.
How Does Blue Light Harm My Skin?
● Causes Skin Cell Death
Even though blue light from the sun is the main source of this light, it is also emitted from your electronic devices.
The blue light released from your smartphone has been shown to cause skin cell shrinkage and mortality. It may not sound like a lot, but when you consider the amount of time you’re on a digital device daily, it can be a staggering amount of exposure.
● Leads to Pigmentation
Blue light may cause pigmentation. This is especially so for those with darker skin, leading to redness, swelling, and pigmentation.
What’s worse is that research has revealed how blue light can cause worse pigmentation, swelling, and redness.
● Disrupts Your Skin Cells’ Circadian Rhythm
Even though blue light can regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, or natural sleeping and waking cycle, it can also disrupt your skin cells’ cycle.
When this happens, the regenerative cycle becomes messy and disoriented, and over time, it may lead to significant skin damage.
● Stimulates Specific Skin Conditions
Studies show that blue light is capable of triggering some skin conditions like melasma, which involves the skin being stimulated to produce more pigment.
Some evidence also reveals that when blue light is absorbed into the skin via a chemical called flavin, it eliminates collagen through oxidative stress.
It leads to a reaction that creates unstable oxygen molecules, or free radicals. This causes DNA harm, inflammation, the breakdown of collagen, and hyperpigmentation.
Does Blue Light Cause Acne?
As harmful as blue light is, blue light is also an effective treatment method used by dermatologists to treat acne and precancerous lacerations.
It is also used in phototherapy to alleviate the symptoms of eczema and psoriasis, and can even improve your memory, so it has its benefits as well.
Can Blue Light Cause Skin Cancer?
Even though blue light penetrates the skin to a deeper extent than UV rays, it’s not linked to the development of skin cancer.
How Can I Protect My Skin From Blue Light?
The simplest way to protect your skin from blue light is to minimise your contact with the sun whether at home or outside. You can also avoid using digital appliances as much as possible, and limit their use before bedtime.
One key way you can protect your skin is to wear mineral-based sunscreen - yes, even when you’re indoors. This shields your skin from the harmful rays that enter from the windows.
Another method is to use skincare products that target blue light. For example, we have the 365 Skin Booster that is an environmentally friendly active ingredient that helps to protect your skin against blue light.
Studies conducted have shown increased skin lightening and radiance while diminishing dark spots.
The Bottom Line
We’re exposed to blue light in our daily lives more often than we think.
While it’s not easy to completely block it out from our lifestyle - considering that most of us practically cannot function without our digital devices, we can adopt ways to prevent and reduce the potential damage.
Incorporating a blue light-inhibiting skincare product can be easy to implement and use on a daily basis. It’s also accessible and comfortable to use!
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