In today’s ever more connected world, it’s fair to say that some of us receive nearly as much screen time as we do actual sunlight — if not more, depending on your job and the time of year.
A growing body of research shows that the blue light that these screens emit might have effects on human health, whether it’s our vision, skin, or our sleep.
“Blue light has an effect on skin health and even the retina in the eyes,” says Kseniya Kobets, an assistant professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the director of cosmetic dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care.
Blue Light Exposure
Blue light sits in the light spectrum between ultraviolet, high-energy light, and other types of visible light that aren’t blue light and emit lower energy such as green, orange, and red light. About one third of all visible light falls into the blue light category, which is also called high-energy light (HEV).
Most blue light we are exposed to comes directly from the sun. But LED lights and screens, whether it’s your television, computer, tablet, or smart phone, also emit blue light. While the amount screens emit is minimal compared to that from the sun, they are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in our lives, at all hours of the day. And some doctors are concerned that the way many hold their phones so close to their faces could also increase a negative effect.
Read More: Does Blue Light Damage Skin?
Is All Blue Light Bad for You?
Blue light isn’t all bad. Some research has shown that low amounts of HEV can help decrease acne, for example, while other studies showed that limited exposure to the light may help some symptoms related to psoriasis and eczema, according to a review study.
In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a wearable blue light device for the treatment of mild psoriasis.
Some research has also found that blue light therapy might actually help treat certain types of skin cancer in a controlled treatment. But the relationship between blue light and cancer isn’t all beneficial.
The Impact of Blue Light on Your Skin
Studies on mice have shown that long-term exposure to blue light can also cause some of the conditions that lead to cancer, though the authors stated that more research is needed to confirm this.
“Many of the effects of blue light on living organisms are unknown, and further research is required, including on methods of protection,” the authors stated.
Blue light could cause some lesser skin problems as well, though. Kobets says that blue light can cause oxidative stress on the skin, which could cause premature skin aging and hyperpigmentation — a condition in which some skin patches become darker than others.
“Most people want to avoid hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone,” Kobets says.
Read More: Natural Light Is Good for Our Circadian Rhythms, but Blue Light Has the Opposite Effect
Other Effects of Blue Light
It’s possible that our exposure to too much blue light — especially outside of daylight hours — can suppress our production of melatonin, the hormone our body uses to help set its inner clock, or circadian rhythm. This essentially means that too much blue light at night could affect healthy sleep, Kobets says.
All light can affect melatonin production, but blue light suppresses it more effectively, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Our eyes also aren’t very good at filtering out blue light. As a result, it reaches our retina, where it may damage cells. Serious exposure could also contribute to conditions like cataracts and vision loss from age-related macular degeneration. Kids are more at risk since their eyes absorb more blue light than adults.
Blue Light Protections
The best way to limit blue light exposure is to lower your screen time — especially at night. But Kobets also says that people can take other steps to limit the potential damage of blue light. Sunscreen can help — even in the winter or indoors.
“The oxidative stress from visible blue light and its effect on DNA damage and hyperpigmentation of the skin is one of the main reasons I recommend using [sun protection factor] daily,” she says.
Even makeup might help, if it has the right components. “The best makeup is the one that offers tint cover-up which contains iron oxide plus has mineral [sun protection factor] to add to the protection,” Kobets says.
Other steps to help reduce damage include face masks or glasses made to shield blue light, or just simply lowering the brightness of your phone. You can also use a shield on your phone or computer screen that decreases the amount of blue light displayed.
This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Blue light protection, part II—Ingredients and performance testing methods
American Academy of Dermatology Association. Can a wearable blue-light device clear psoriasis?
Iowa Healthcare. Blue-light therapy warding off skin cancer
Biomedicines. Induction of Skin Cancer by Long-Term Blue Light Irradiation
Harvard Health. Blue light has a dark side
Joshua Rapp Learn is an award-winning D.C.-based science writer. An expat Albertan, he contributes to a number of science publications like National Geographic, The New York Times, The Guardian, New Scientist, Hakai, and others.
