How often do you scroll through Instagram or check Facebook before going to bed? Many of us are guilty of this late-night bad habit, but it could be harming our skin.
The blue light emanating from our digital devices is a serious issue that scientists are scrambling to study. Can these rays damage the skin? Should you protect yourself against blue light?
Here are three of the things to know about blue light:
- Blue light is a type of visible light that can penetrate deeper into the skin.
- Studies suggest that blue light emissions from our digital devices can weaken the surface of the skin and potentially cause premature aging.
- More research on the topic is needed before making definitive conclusions about the effect of blue light on our skin. However, men should take precautions and limit their exposure to blue light.
What is Blue Light?
On the light spectrum, there is both visible light and invisible light. Invisible light consists of UVA and UVB light, while blue and red light are on the visible light spectrum.
We won’t get too deep into the physics, but you should know the basics to grasp the real dangers of blue light. Light is measured in nanometers (nm) and a lower nm means a shorter wavelength and a higher energy.
Most people know the dangers of exposing our skin to the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. These ultraviolet rays are invisible to the human eye and have a wavelength range of 100nm to 400 nm.
Now, consider that blue light has a range of 380 to 400 nm. This classifies blue light as high energy visible (HEV) light, which is potentially more dangerous than UVA and UVB rays.
The shorter, high-energy wavelength of blue light means that it can penetrate deeper into our skin and eyes. This dangerous light can come from natural sources such as the sun, or in the form of artificial light from our digital devices.
The Dangers of Blue Light Exposure
With the explosion of digital technology, we’re being bombarded with artificial blue light these days. This has led researchers to more closely study the effect of blue light on our skin and eyes.
Although there is still much that we don’t know about blue light, some studies suggest that it could pose a serious threat to our skin in two key ways:
Blue light may cause cell damage. Some studies suggest that blue light can damage mitochondrial DNA by releasing cell-damaging radicals, which can cause skin to age prematurely.
Blue light throws off your circadian rhythm. Blue light has a strong impact on our circadian rhythm and is especially harmful before bed. Blue light can suppress our body’s ability to produce melatonin, which helps us fall asleep naturally.
As you may know, sleep is essential to healthy-looking skin. Our skin does its hardest work at night, working to repair damaged skin cells and restore the skin while we sleep.
How to Protect Your Skin from Blue Light
If you’re wondering how to protect yourself against the dangers of blue light, here is what we recommend:
Cut back digital time before bed. One of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of blue light is to limit your exposure before bed. This will help you avoid throwing off your body’s melatonin production and help you fall asleep naturally.
Get a blue light filter. If limiting your screen time before bed is out of the question, at least consider investing in a pair of blue light glasses or a blue light filter.
Use a men’s anti-aging serum. Shielding yourself from every bit of blue light probably isn’t possible for most men. To counteract the effects of blue light and other potential light damage, our men's skin care kits feature the Bedtime Facial Moisturizer and Facial Firming Serum, which can go a long way in the fight against wrinkles.
Final Thoughts
We know for a fact that UV rays can cause premature aging, which is why we lather ourselves up with a men’s moisturizer with SPF each day. But compared to UV rays, blue light has been largely ignored until recently.
While we wait for conclusive evidence, it doesn’t hurt to take precautions for the health of your skin. By adopting a simple skin care regimen and limiting exposure to blue light, you can rest easy knowing that your skin will look amazing for years to come.
