Staring at a screen for hours is not exactly good for your eyes and your night's sleep. But did you know that blue screen light can also damage your skin?
The alarm goes off. First move:checking the phone for mail, messages and apps. Then to work and then settle down behind the computer, not to get out of it for hours. Recent studies indicate that adults spend about eight and a half hours a day looking at a screen. Millennials (the generation born between 1980 and 2000) go even further:ten hours a day is normal.
Read also: ‘Reduce 3x with your smartphone‘
Sitting in front of a screen that much is bad news for your skin. You are exposed to so-called blue light via digital devices and LED lighting. Because the rays have a short wavelength and a high dose of energy, they are able to penetrate deep into your skin and cause damage. Jetske Ultee, research physician in cosmetic dermatology:“There are studies that show that exposure to a high dose of blue light can generate free radicals. This can cause pigmentation spots and wrinkles in the long term, just like when you are exposed to UV-dry skin radiation and pollution.”
Other studies show that screen light can cause redness and swelling. But:these skin problems only occur if you are exposed to a high dose. Ultee:“The dose of blue light used in these studies cannot be compared to the amount we encounter in everyday life.” The chance that your skin will age by app or Instagram every day is therefore minimal.
Minimal or not:blue light can cause damage. That is why protecting your skin is not an unnecessary luxury. Creams that protect against UVA and UVB rays protect against (some of) the harmful effects of blue light. And since many creams contain an SPF as standard, in most cases your skin is also immediately protected against blue light.
Jetske Ultee:"Filters that can block blue light are zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and Tinosorb M. And it is nice to know that iron oxide in foundations and powders can also block part of the blue light." You achieve the greatest effect by protecting your skin from the inside against the free radicals that blue light can cause. You can do this by eating antioxidant-rich foods (broccoli, eggplant, pomegranate, blueberries) and using products with added antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.
However, blue light also has advantages. For example, the rays can produce vitamin D just like sunlight and put you in a good mood. “Blue light can also have an antibacterial effect. It is not without reason that blue light lamps have long been used in the treatment of acne. Recent research even shows that exposure to this part of the light spectrum has a
beneficial effect on blood vessels and can lower blood pressure,” explains Ultee.
Protecting your skin one hundred percent against blue light is impossible, but the closest you can get is by using a so-called 'broad spectrum' cream. These moisturizers with SPF contain filters that protect against various forms of radiation, usually including blue light. Always go for at least SPF30; less makes little sense. Another idea:put your phone aside more often and give your eyes and skin a time-out.
Source:Santé March 2019 Text:Carlijn Biesemaat
