#SkinSchool: Everything You Need To Know About Blue Light Protection And How It *Really* Affects Our Skin

With us, millennials glued to our phones all the time, wearing sunscreen daily has become more of a necessity. We are the 'silent agers' of our generation! *long sigh*

A recent report revealed that most people spend an average of 3 hours and 15 minutes looking at their screens – mobiles and laptops – daily. Simply put, we are getting significantly more blue light exposure than we used to, at a time when the only blue light source we were exposed to was the sun.

Here's an interesting fact for you- “spending 4 eight-hour workdays in front of our desktop exposes us to the same amount of energy as being 20 minutes under the sun!"

Now that we've established that blue light from the screen is harming our skin, let's find out how.

How Is Blue Light Leading To Skin Damage?

Blue light (also known as High Energy Visible or HEV light) induces oxidative stress in the skin, thus contributing to ageing.

The blue light effect on skin is rather significant, and can often result in a wide array of concerns, including but not limited to –

• Pigmentation
• Cell shrinkage
• Swelling & redness (in people with darker skin tones)
• Fine lines & wrinkles
• Dark circles

It is glaringly clear, that blue light from screens is harming our skin in more than one way! It is high time we investigate how to protect the skin from its damaging effects!

How To Prevent Skin Damage From Blue Light?

Feeling blue? Let's fix that!

It seems inevitable that blue light care needs to be a significant part of our skincare regime.

Generic Measures for Blue Light Care

Before you tweak or update your regimen, here are some precautionary measures that you should try first -

• Change the settings on your phone to 'night' or 'dim' mode as it helps.
• If possible, change the screen guard of your phone and choose the one that offers blue light protection.
• Try limiting your screen time. The world won't end if you don't open Instagram every two minutes.
• Install blue light filters/shields on your desktop devices.
• If you wear spectacles, choose lenses that offer protection from blue light.

Skincare Products for Blue Light Protection

When it comes to protecting the skin from blue light using skincare products, we have a few ideas.

• Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers protection from blue light.
• Use it all over your face and the skin exposed around it.
• Do not apply less than two fingers' worth of product.
• Reapplication is a must, every two hours!

It may not look like much but trust us, it is a big step in the right direction - which is your road away from all the skin damage that blue light exposure might be causing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Light Care Using Sunscreens

How do Sunscreen Lotions help protect the skin from Blue Light Damage?

More often than not, sunscreens comprise zinc oxide – the component responsible for reflecting and scattering UV rays, thereby preventing these rays from damaging the skin. The same zinc oxide also helps reflect the blue light from mobile and laptop screens, thereby offering much-needed blue light care to the skin.

What is the ideal SPF for blue light protection?

Any broad-spectrum sunscreen can offer blue light protection, however, an SPF of 50 specifically has various, blue light-protecting ingredients including but not limited to zinc oxide, Vitamin E, and photolyase enzymes all of which act together to not only protect the skin from blue light damage but also repair the sun damage that the skin has already suffered from.

Is blue light as harmful as UV light?

Blue light is characterised by very short, high energy waves. UV light, on the other hand, is characterised by relatively shorter and more powerful waves. That said, both blue light as well as UV light are considered harmful for the skin and eyes, especially during prolonged exposure.