How Your Computer Screen Time May be Hurting Your Skin

When you wake up, are you guilty of checking your phone before even getting out of bed?

Do you spend all day working on a computer at your job?

Is your phone the last thing you look at before drifting off to sleep at night?

If you answered yes to any of those questions and you care about the health of your skin, you’ll want to pay close attention. Unfortunately, our beloved devices could be taking a toll on our skin and leaving us to deal with premature signs of aging.

What are we supposed to do when we can’t exactly give up our phones, laptops, and tablets entirely? Today we’re exploring how screen time plays a role in damaging skin and what can be done about it.

Your Devices Could be Fast Forwarding the Aging Process

Our devices all emit a “high-energy” visible light that is in the blue/violet range of the visible light spectrum, right before ultraviolet rays. However, it’s better known to us as “blue light.” It’s emitted by our phones, tablets, computers, TV screens, and even LED and fluorescent lighting.

While the original concern about blue light was the harmful effects it has on your sleep patterns, there’s concern in the beauty industry that it’s doing as much damage to our skin as the sun.

A 2013 study revealed similarities between the effects of blue light and damage caused by UVA and UVB rays. Blue light exposure can leave you dealing with uneven pigmentation and premature aging. So, if you feel like some new wrinkles have popped up since you took that job that requires you to be on the computer all day, you might not be wrong.

So, How Can We Prevent Blue Light Damage?

The first thing you can do to prevent your computer screen time from hurting your skin is to limit the amount of time you spend on your devices. Even smartphone giant Apple is making an effort to inform iPhone users of how long they use their phone each day and what they’re using it for in the form of a weekly “Screen Time Report.” It’s meant to bring awareness to just how dependent we are on our phones and so we can see where all of our precious time is going each day.

If you don’t already have this feature or something similar on your phone, it would be smart to install it even if you only use it for a week. This could serve as a major wake-up call when you realize just how much of your day gets spent staring at your smart phone on tasks like scrolling through Instagram or Facebook.

What About Skincare?

You can even be proactive about blue light damage from your computer screen by being smart about the skincare you’re using. Since the blue light is reportedly making us look older, we can and should take preventative action by using the right anti-aging skincare to combat any negative effects.

If you spend much of your day in front of a computer, squinting at the screen, try using a product that’s going to help fight wrinkles, such as Yon-Ka’s Elastine Jour. It’s a smoothing, anti-wrinkle cream that can be worn during the day. You simply need to apply it to your face and neck daily to help soften the appearance of any fine lines and wrinkles. With regular usage, you’ll notice plumper skin as its natural elasticity is restored. This particular product contains both elastin peptides and milk peptides, which are what provides the smoothing results.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution to both shield skin against blue light and create a more refined complexion to “blur” imperfections, Nude Perfect Fluide is an absolute must have. It is infused with natural ingredients such as ashwagandha, which work to protect the skin’s natural outer barrier from environmental aggressors, urban pollution, and the damaging effects of blue light. In addition, ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, organic prickly pear, and Australian Kakadu plum work to hydrate the skin and promote a youthful appearance.

And Don’t Forget to Protect Your Eyes Too

While all that computer screen time is potentially hurting your skin, it can also be doing some damage to your eyes as well. When you’re on your devices, pay attention to your eyes and make sure you’re not squinting in an attempt to read the words on your screen. Squinting, in addition to prolonged blue light exposure, can cause fine lines around your eyes, which we all would rather avoid! In addition, too much time spent on our devices can cause eye strain that leads to blurry vision and even headaches.

Make sure you’re taking a break from your devices and powering down at the end of every day. When you do need to be on your laptop or your phone for an extended period of time, consider investing in blue light blocking glasses to help reduce any negative side effects on your eyes.