How to reduce effects of blue light on skin

We spend several hours daily using various screens of our cell phones and computers. After the Coronavirus breakout, this time even increased and our daily works are done by these screens from far away. These screens are a resource of blue light, which is a short-wavelength light that could contribute to our body functions. What are the effects of blue light on the skin and how we can avoid these effects? In this article, we will try to answer these questions.

If you have concerns about using your digital devices and are not sure about their effects on your skin, you can read this article to the end to have an idea about this topic. We will introduce this light, its effects on the skin, and how to avoid its harmful effects.

Blue light is a part of the spectrum of visible light with short-wavelength properties that are harmful to our health. This light could be driven from sunlight, and the sun is the main resource of it, however, our daily exposure to various screens and indoor lighting can increase absorption of this harmful light. Several studies examined the effects of blue light on the skin and resulted that it can manipulate the natural function of the skin and could deliver harmful impacts on our skin. Blue light is also known as High Energy Visible (HNV) that does not come only from sun exposure but also from computer monitors, cell phones, tablets, and other digital devices.

There are no clear statistics about how much of our time would be consumed staring at screens, but according to some studies, we spend about 50 percent of our lives staring at screens. It is already known that this can be dangerous for eye health and could contribute an important role in various diseases related to the eyes. It should be noted that blue light is not a bad thing by itself, and it helps our body to have a regulated natural sleep-wake cycle.

We suggest you read:

Types of wrinkles and the ways to treat them for good!

As we mentioned earlier, blue light and HNV are a band of the visible spectrum of light, thus essentially they are present in all light sources. The following sources of blue light are known:

–       The sunlight

–       TV

–       Smartphones

–       Fluorescent bulbs

–       Computers

–       Tablets

The main and biggest source of blue light is the sunlight, but in lower doses, it could be received from other sources of light. However, with our long exposure to these devices and screens, it is not surprising that we also receive this light from these screens.

This band of the visible spectrum is a dominant light in our daily lives. The first thing we do every morning is checking our phone cells, our working day passes right in front of a monitor, and at night we watch movies and TV with our families. This type of lifestyle is highly under exposure to blue light. Thus, it is recommended to have a look at various effects of blue light on the skin to find a cure for it.

Scientific research shows that blue light contributes to brown spots on the skin, hyperpigmentation, and photoaging; it also causes the breakdown of collagen that leads to wrinkles. What should be noted is that they are not obvious from the beginning. Just light sunlight exposure, the damages of this light is cumulative.

A study in 2010 showed that exposing skin to the sun blue light causes pigment, redness, and swelling. This study is valid after 10 years and today many skin care professionalists believe that blue light is one of the most important causes of pigment. Another study in 2015 shows that blue light can also cause the production of free radicals in the skin, which can lead to the appearance of aging.

According to these studies, we know that blue light is harmful radiation that affects our skin. In the following section, we will show how blue light damages our skin health.

Today it is accepted by dermatologists that blue light triggers certain skin diseases like melasma, in which the skin is stimulated to produce more pigment. Other evidence shows that as blue light absorbs the skin, skin generates reactive oxygen species that lead to DNA damage, thus it can cause inflammation and low production of healthy collagen and elastin.

As we mentioned earlier, this topic is fairly new, and few studies are done to understand its different aspects. It is known that blue light can cause damage to the skin, but it is not clearly understood how digital devices deliver these damages. At this time, there is no truly understood threshold for when time spent on screens starts to damage the skin. Depending on the screen device that is used, a wide range of estimations is available.

Few studies are done on this topic and its risk factors, thus we can not exactly understand after how much time the first symptoms will begin. But many dermatologists believe they are confronting patients with new patterns of hyperpigmentation that they believe comes from holding a cell phone to their faces. They think computer screens are not worrisome because people sit farther away from them.

We suggest you read:

Miranda Kerr’s New Skin Care Collection in 2021 | Australian fruit she Swears Is Magic

As we mentioned earlier, various types of problems could be related to the absorption of blue light. The following skin conditions are believed to be associated with the radiation of blue light:

–       Hyperpigmentation

–       Dark spots

–       Fine lines and wrinkles

–       Inflammation

–       Thinner, weaker skin

–       Melasma

From the beginning of these studies, skin care enthusiasts and professionals tried to offer suitable treatments for these skin conditions. From sunscreens with iron oxide, which protect against visible light, to various kinds of serums and night creams, various types of skin care products could be used to manage these effects.

In general, using vitamin C helps minimize damage from blue light as well as repair skin. however, the following ingredients offer characteristics that could be used to heal the damages produced by blue light:

–       Pomegranate

–       Goji fruit

–       Noni fruit

–       Coffeeberry

–       Astaxanthin

–       Mangosteen

–       White tea

In the following, we will introduce various benefits of these ingredients on the effects of blue light on the skin.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is a fruit with many special compounds and nutrients that helps our body to keep in a healthy condition. It contains some types of precious antioxidants that help decrease age spots and wrinkles. It also helps the skin to regenerate more skin cells, which helps the skin to get rid of the old skin cells.

Pomegranate is also a helpful ingredient against inflammation. Its antioxidants are very helpful when applied directly to the skin. This fruit offers some protection against UV rays. This ingredient is also used in many skincare products such as creams and serums. You can use these products to minimize the effect of blue light on the skin.

Goji Fruit

Goji fruit or goji berry is a traditional ingredient that is used for thousands of years by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. This fruit is a reliable source of antioxidants and helps our skin to produce larger amounts of collagen and elastin. Goji berries are a significant source of vitamin C, minerals, amino acids, and carotenoids. This makes these fruits a great ingredient to fight unknown effects of blue light on skin.

Goji fruit is used in many skin care products. This Chinese fruit might not be found in local groceries in fresh form, but you can find skin care products that put it in their ingredient list. Various types of skin care products that target the production of collagen make use of this ingredient.

Noni Fruit

Noni fruit is another local fruit that could be found in Australia and South Asian countries. This fruit is an abundant source of vitamin C and nutrients that help our skin. It also contains some types of the most precious antioxidants that help fight aging signs and wrinkles.

This fruit is one of the best sources of antioxidants and is used in many skin care products such as various types of creams and serums. It might also be useful in the treatment of damages that are caused by blue light. You can simply check the ingredient list on the product to see this ingredient, if you find it, you can simply trust the product to be helpful for these issues.

Coffeeberry

Coffeeberry is one of the richest ingredients in terms of antioxidants. What makes them different from the rest ingredients that we introduced till now is that they are familiar products that you can find in local stores. Coffeeberry contains many nutrients that are helpful for our skin function.

Just like other ingredients in our list, you can find coffeeberry in many skin care products from night creams to face serums and masks. Coffeeberry delivers anti-inflammatory properties and helps patients to treat effects of blue light on skin.

Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is not an ingredient that could be found in the fruits. It is a pigment that occurs in trout, yeast, shrimp, microalgae, among other sea creatures. It is an antioxidant that is very helpful for the health of our skin.

Astaxanthin provides many anti-aging benefits when applied to the skin. It can help to smooth wrinkles, make age spots smaller, and keep moisture in the skin. This ingredient is also used in many skin care products to deliver its benefits to the skin.

Mangosteen

Mangosteen is another tropical fruit that contains high amounts of antioxidants. It contains also many other nutrients and minerals that are beneficial to our skin and overall health. When this fruit is used directly on the face skin, could fight aging signs and effects. It might also be useful in the treatment of the effects of blue light on skin.

This fruit is a traditional medicine ingredient that is used in many skin care products. It helps our skin to rejuvenate and reduces the dead cells of the skin. You can use its benefits by using skin care products that use it as one of their main ingredients.

White Tea

White tea is a form of tea that is produced mainly in Asia. Like other ingredients in our list, it contains antioxidants that help fight aging and dead skin cell regeneration. In white tea production, the healthiest compounds in tea leaves are maintained in the final product, thus it offers the highest amounts of nutrients that could be found in the tea.

White tea is one of the most popular ingredients in the world of skin care products. You can find many skin care products in the market that use this ingredient as their effective ingredient. It might help you to reduce the effects of blue light on skin by helping your skin to recover its natural function.

Blue light is radiation and energy that relies upon the visible spectrum of colors and could be delivered by screens that we use daily. Several studies show that it can bring harm to our skin by manipulating the normal function of the skin and decreasing the production of collagen and elastin. It might also cause aging signs and contribute to wrinkling and dark spots. However, it is not clearly understood how it could cause these problems.

Several ingredients that contain antioxidants in large amounts could be used to decrease the effects of blue light on skin, from pomegranate to white tea. These ingredients could be found in many skin care products, from sunscreens to various types of creams and serums. You can also find many skin care products in the market that by using helpful ingredients target this problem. You can simply check the ingredient list on your desired skin care product, if you can find ingredients that are introduced in this article; you can use it as a remedy and treatment for these effects.

Is blue light harmful to skin?

Research shows blue light from electronic devices can lead to changes in your skin cells, including cell shrinkage and death. These speed up the aging process. Even exposures as short as 60 minutes can trigger these changes.

What are the side effects of blue light?

Blue light from electronics is linked to problems like blurry vision, eyestrain, dry eye, macular degeneration, and cataracts. Some people have sleep issues.

What does blue light therapy do to your skin?

Blue light therapy can also treat other types of skin disorders. It can be used to improve skin texture and reduce sebaceous hyperplasia, or enlarged oil glands. It can help with removing sun spots, acne, and even scars that were originally caused by acne.