From cell damage to dark spots: is your phone wrecking your skin?

The rules of ‘anti-ageing’ are never ending: avoid sunbeds, keep your skin moisturised, always use SPF (yes, even in England). Though we’re all for embracing those laughter lines – signs of a good time, if you ask me – there’s bad news afoot for our skin: recent studies suggest that the blue light emitted from our phone and laptop screens could be causing premature ageing. Here’s the truth, and exactly what you can do about it.

By Danielle Petch

• 1 What is blue light?

  Also known as HEV (High Energy Visible Light), blue light falls right in the middle of the light spectrum. It sits between UV rays (which come from the sun), and infrared rays (which come from heat). You’re exposed to it just by stepping outdoors, but it’s also lurking in the screens of the devices we’re using daily: phones, laptops, even our TV (darn you Love Island). Simply put – it’s the type of light that, between our 9-5 office lifestyle, Instagram browsing and Netflix binges, is nigh impossible to avoid.
• 2 What damage is it doing?

  The jury’s still out on exactly how much damage our phone is causing to our health (aside from bumping into lamp posts while checking Google Maps…). Research indicates that – while blue light damage is lesser than sunlight – HEV does increase pigment production and release cell damaging free radicals (they’re molecules associated with diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s). That means time spent on our phones isn’t just affecting our sleeping pattern and eyesight: your long-term health could suffer too. There’s the justification for a weekend of digital detoxing. ​
• 3 How can we stop it?

  There are a few options to shield yourself from blue light if you’re regularly in front of a screen at work (or glued to your Instagram feed… at work). Beauty brands are on it, devising products aimed at preventing the damage of HEV before it hits. Look for products that guard from HEV-induced melanin, and include protective and reparative antioxidants (like this one). Use SPF every single day, and try an eye cream containing white tea to help fight those free radicals. For extra measure, invest in a blue light filter screen protector for your laptop or phone (because, y’know, staying off our phones isn’t really an option). ​

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