Blue light the hidden skincare danger that causes ageing!

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  Cult Beauty teamed up with Dr Deborah Lee to reveal the dangers behind blue light for your skin.
• From accelerating ageing, promoting the formation of dark spots and disrupting skin repair, these are just some of the dangers of blue light.

Blue light is a type of light that is emitted from electronic devices, our growing dependency on tablets, laptops, phones, and new-fangled devices exposes us to HEV light (high-energy visible) which is scarily being hailed as the new ‘UV’ rays.

Blue light silently damages our skin cells while we sit at our desks, blue light radiation penetrates even more deeply than other ultra-violet light, leaching our energy levels and upsetting our natural rhythms.

It seems that there is a vast majority of people worried about blue light in recent times with searches for ‘the effects of blue light on my skin’ increasing by +245% in the past 30 days. Also, the ‘blue light filter’ has gained over 2.9 million views on TikTok. 

To help, Cult Beauty spoke to medical expert Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy on the hidden dangers of blue light:

The dangers of blue light on your skin

Accelerated skin ageing: blue light can penetrate the skin more deeply that UVB radiation and has been found to cause oxidative stress, leading to premature ageing of the skin, including fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity.

Eye strain and dry eye: Staring at an electronic screen for long hours without breaks causes eye strain. It reduces blink frequency and increases the risk of dry eye. Try to protect your eyes by using artificial tears and having regular breaks from the screen. Ensure that you turn down the computer glare and use a blue light filter.

Disrupts skin repair: blue light has been shown to block the action of the PER1 clock gene this means that when skin cells are exposed to blue light during the night, they falsely believe it is now day time. This is harmful as night-time is the time skin cells undergo their processes of repair and regeneration.

Upsets the circadian rhythms:  Upsetting the body clock is never a good thing as circadian rhythms are inextricably linked to various physiological processes and disrupting them can lead to serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and dementia.

Causes hyperpigmentation: Excess exposure to blue light stimulates melanocytes which results in hyperpigmentation, melasma (blotchy uneven skin pigmentation). Blue light also stimulates the release of the cytokine TNF (tumour necrosis factor) which can cause redness and swelling of the skin.

How to protect yourself from blue light

Fear not! There are ways you can protect yourself from blue light such as the below:

• Limit screen time: It’s important to limited your screen time, take regular breaks away from your electronic device throughout the day and especially before bedtime to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.
• Use blue light filters: You can use blue light filters on your electronic devices, which can reduce the amount of blue light emitted.
• Use blue light skincare products: Use skincare products that contain antioxidants and ingredients that can help protect and repair your skin from blue light damage. Wearing sunscreen regularly can also help protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays, which are known to cause cancer and other types of skin damage. Although it’s important to note that not all sunscreens specifically mention blue light protection on their label so make sure you check before use.

Spokesperson for Cult Beauty comments on the dangers of blue light: “Blue light is a hidden skin danger that we need to be aware of. By limiting our exposure and protecting our skin using blue light skincare, we can all maintain healthy, youthful-looking skin for years to come.”

To shop products to protect your skin from blue light please visit: https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/blue-light-radiation-protection.list