The Connection Between Skin Damage and Your Phone’s Blue Light

Smiling young woman checking text massages on her smartphone late at night

It’s a great day to learn something new. And today it’s all about how your phone is secretly damaging your skin.

You might be pretty familiar by now with the harmful effects of light rays on the skin. Such as UV rays, for instance.

Now, there’s a new addition to the spectrum: blue light.

Image source: www.freepik.com

Skin damage. Phone. Blue light?
What even is blue light?

There was a reason why mom won’t let you sit close to the television. You want spoil your eyes, is it? she would say. Yup, mom was already on to blue light’s way before it today.

Blue light is part of the spectrum of visible light, meaning it’s the kind that can be seen by the naked eye. It is a high-frequency, high-energy light that surrounds us everyday, everywhere.

The sun is the main source of blue light and helps us regulates our sleep cycles and patterns. So, in a way, blue light is pretty useful but only in diffused amounts.

When blue light emanates from a closer, more concentrated source, its effects are less positive. Phones, laptops and digital devices are your usual culprits.

YES.

The screens we turn to when we text, Netflix and s̶t̶a̶l̶k̶ ̶p̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶ catch up with friends on Facebook/Instagram. Even the one used to read this sentence right now? It’s bathing your skin in blue light.

And boy, do we spend A LOT of time on these devices…

Image source: www.freepik.com

How Your Phone’s Blue Light Is Damaging Your Skin 

“Visible light, especially in the blue wavelength, has become a hot topic in skin care, as there is mounting evidence that supports its contribution to photo-aging, including wrinkles, worsening skin laxity, and hyper-pigmentation” — Shari Marchbein, board-certified dermatologist & clinical assistant professor at New York University

Based on the ongoing research conducted on the effects of blue light, the results are not pretty. One study found that skin exposed to blue light had more pigmentation, redness and swelling.

Another study showed that exposure to blue light stimulates the production of free radicals in the skin, leading to photo-ageing… a process where skin is prematurely aged from light.

The reason behind this, you see, is blue light penetrate deeper into the skin. Even more so than UV light. It reaches the inner layers that holds collagen and elastin and causes harm by inducing “oxidative stress” on the cells.

This stress is what leads to skin damage like…

  • Wrinkles
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Decreased skin elasticity
  • Skin colour change

The problem with blue light is our constant exposure to it. Comparatively, digital devices emit just a fraction of the radiation emitted by the sun. However, our lifestyles force so much time on our devices and at such a close range that the exposure becomes cumulative.

Daily, we clock in an average of 10 hours facing a screen. Sometimes, more. All that screen time doesn’t bode well for our skin.

What can I do to limit the effects of blue light?

1) Use Your Devices On Night Mode – Turning on “Night Mode” on your devices will swap out the blue light for yellow light. This makes it easier on your skin during phone use.

2) Filter It Out With A Screen Protector – Many screen protectors on the market are offering blue light filtering screen protectors which is a cheap fix for your blue light problems

Options 1 and 2 are easy fixes but they don’t protect your skin from other sources of blue light. Like fluorescent lights and screens. The most effective way to gain total protection is to…

3) Use Anti-Blue Light Skincare

Introducing Uriage: The Only Blue Light Protection For Your Skin

Anti-Aging skincare range with blue light protection benefits

If we haven’t lost you yet, the Uriage Age-Protect is a brilliant range of multi-action skincare that fights ageing. And now, their high-tech skin French formula comes with blue light protection benefits.

Healing Protection From The French Alps

The first thing you need to know about the Uriage brand is its legendary thermal water. Sourced from their Uriage Thermal Centre in the French Alps, this water has run through the mountains, steadily absorbing minerals and trace elements over the years.

As a result,it has exceptional healing properties.

Every Uriage formulation is infused with this healing water, drawn straight from their centre in the heart of the French Alps. So legendary it is, that people have bathed in it for the past 200 years.

Today, people book 3-week retreats at the centre to rejuvenate in the thermal baths that have relieved rheumatism, respiratory issues, skin issues and aided post-cancer recovery.

Tap into some of that healing benefits yourself!

How does Uriage Age-Protect range help you?

The anti-ageing range combines dual-action formulations. The “Protection” formula creates an anti-exposome barrier on your skin, shielding it from blue light and pollution. The patented blue light formula is especially effective in preventing the harmful effects of blue light on your skin.

The “Correction” formula combines the goodness of Uriage thermal water and active ingredients like Dragon’s Blood, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C and E, Filmexel to restore your skin’s complexion. The formula firms and re-plumps the skin, smooths out wrinkles and lightens brown spots. Skin looks newborn and rejuvenated.

Where to get Uriage Age-Protect in Malaysia?

Uriage’s Age-Protect range is available ONLY at selected Watsons stores and Uriage Lazada Flagship Store.

And guess what, it’s has a…

URIAGE AGE-PROTECT
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS PROMOTION*

Enjoy 15% OFF Uriage Age-Protect Range
+
Extra 5Xpoints for Watsons members
(in-store and online)

*valid until 31stDecember 2019

For more information on Uriage:

 Read also: 4 Ways To Filter Your Screen’s Blue Light