Do you really need to worry about the effects of blue light on your skin?

If healthy, clean skin is your goal, then you know that prolonged exposure to the sun is the enemy, thanks to the harmful effects of UV light.

What about blue light? Should you be concerned that you have unpleasant effects on your skin?

According to recent research, blue light, such as the one named by many of your devices, can cause skin reactions that can lead to signs of aging and hyperpiment.

What exactly is blue light?

When we talk about the harmful effects of light on our skin, we usually talk about ultraviolet light, especially UVB and UVA rays. These occupy the wave length of light that we cannot see. Concretically, the UVB exists between 280 and 315 nanometers (nm), while the UVA exists between 315 and 400m, according to the World Health Organisation.

We know that both UVB and UVA radiation can damage the skin. Traditionally, it was thought that UVB radiation largely caused skin damage that contributed to skin cancer, while UVA mostly caused more aesthetic types of skin injury, such as premature wrinkles and dark points. But we now know that exposure to two types of UV radiation can contribute to your risk of skin cancer, so it is very important to choose a sunscreen that is labeled with a broad spectrum means to protect against UVB and UVA rays.

On the other hand, the visible light is the visible spectrum of light. We can see it! Most of us can see wave lengths between 380 and 700m. And the blue light is exactly that light that's blue (even though it may not always look blue to us), which hits about 400 ʹ90 am. While most of us do not give too much attention to visible light, developmental research suggests that this kind of light, including blue light, can also cause skin damage. In particular, some studies suggest that aging and hyperpigmentation may cause or worse, especially melasm.

Can blue light cause wrinkles and hyperpigmentation?

Unfortunately, this is not a simple question to answer. So far, most of the research done in this field has been in laboratory studies by looking at skin cells or samples, relates Jenny Hu, an associate professor of dermatology at the USC School of Medicine, broadcasting Telegragraphy. In some cases, there are studies in people, but they are generally smaller.

Who really should worry about blue light?

The first thing you need to know here is that this is obviously still a field of developmental research, says Dr. Alexis. There is no scientific consensus at this point and, depending on whom you ask, you can get some conflicting answers like us.

Considering what we do and don't know about the effects of visible light on the skin, experts we've talked about say, as long as we're putting cream against the sun, most of us don't need to worry about the effect that using our phones all the time is on our skin. But should some people, especially those prone to hyperpigmentation, take precautions?

Melasma is a situation that is very difficult to deal with because it is reactive to many causes that may be difficult to control fully, including light. “We work hard to solve those brown pieces, but they often come back because of this reactivity,” explains Dr. Alexis. Hence, the visible “of light, namely blue light, may pose some of the challenges in controlling a melasmlike state,” he says.

So if you have melasma or you have a higher risk of developing other types of hyperpigmentation, Dr. Alexis says that its actual recommendation is to take appropriate measures to protect yourself from blue light, including limiting time around equipment when possible. Remember, the most important source of visible light in our lives is the sun, not your devices.

If you want, this is the best way to protect yourself from blue light.

If you feel that you take the extra step to protect yourself or your dermatologist has recommended it for you, it is important to seek sunscreens that contain components that can actually protect against blue light, especially iron oxid, which is effective in absorbing light and is used in visible sunlight protection in that 2013 study.