Is blue light damaging my skin?

Did you know that your electronic devices with a screen emit blue light? And what does that do to your skin?

Research shows that long-term exposure to concentrated sources of blue light energy which comes from your laptop, tablet, mobile phone etc. can cause skin damage including: 

1. Colour changes in the skin
2. Inflammation
3. Weakening of the skin’s surface
4. Loss of skin firmness
5. Skin ageing

In a nutshell blue light promotes skin ‘stressors’ that increase ‘photo-ageing’ which means ageing from exposure to light.

The main source of the blue light we’re exposed comes from the sun, however we do get a significant dose from our screens and even our indoor lighting. 

Is Blue Light the same as UVA and UVB light?

UVA and UVB are invisible light rays from the sun, but blue light is a high-energy short-wave light that can be seen. 

The worrying aspect of blue light is that it has the ability to penetrate deeper into the skin than both UVA and UVB light. 

It can reach all the way down to the dermis which is where collagen and elastin fibres are. 

Considering that it is collagen and elastin that gives skin elasticity and firmness you can see how blue light could cause a loss of skin elasticity and wrinkles!

Dermalogica Experts in Cheshire

All our Dermalogica Skin Experts at Sensoria can help you to select treatments and products that minimise the detrimental effect of blue light on your skin.

And here are a few pointers to get you started:

1. Avoidance – if at all possible try to avoid as much blue light emitting equipment as possible. Try and spend less time in front of screens and devices that emit blue light (easier said that done I know!) Spending four eight-hour workdays in front of a computer exposes you to the same amount of energy as 20 minutes in the mid-day sun. To put this in perspective, seven minutes of sun exposure at 1pm is powerful enough to induce immediate tanning.

1. Protection – protecting your skin from blue light is the number one priority. Use a sunscreen that is designed to protect your skin from blue light. We recommend Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defense as it’s blend of advanced ingredients gives great protection for every skin colour. 

1. Anti-oxidants – choose skin care products that have plenty of anti-oxidants in them to mop up the free radicals that cause skin ageing. Select ingredients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, phloretin, resveratrol, green tea and grapeseed extract. We love Bio-lumin C and Bio-lumin C eye serum not only for their antioxidant qualities but also for their skin brightening effect. 
2. Collagen stimulating treatments – glycolic peels, IPL for skin rejuvenation and skin needling all stimulate collagen production in the skin giving a more youthful texture and glow to the skin. These treatments 

Does it affect my beauty sleep?

Blue light can affect your beauty sleep as it disrupts your natural circadian rhythm.  

If you are exposed to blue light at night, you may find it more difficult to fall asleep because blue light affects the level of melatonin, which is your sleep hormone.

Not only this, but research shows that blue light exposure at night impacts the natural circadian rhythm of skin cells themselves. 

Research results suggest that exposure to blue light at night can throw skin’s natural circadian rhythm ‘out-of-sync’, causing skin cells to continue to ‘think’ it is daytime.

This impacts their natural nighttime repair process, which can lead to visible signs of ageing, and even dark under-eye circles.

Anti-ageing Treatments in Tarporley & Ellesmere Port

We are specialists in anti-ageing treatments and in giving preventative help and advice against premature skin ageing. 

Always happy to share our knowledge and expertise, you can book a consultation or treatment tip us by contact us here.

Also, remember you can easily book your beauty, health & skin care treatments online – just click here.

Originally published September 24, 2020 12:15pm, updated March 14, 2021