If you’re reading this right now, blue light is shining on your face. This is the nature of life today. The average person spends approx one and a half hours online every day, on some kind of device. Of course, this varies by age: younger people (we’re looking at you, Gen Z!), spend an extra two hours on top of it on screens with that hypnotic blue light sinking into their skin cells. And while we could say a lot about the effects spending so much time on screens, we’ll focus on just this one question: How does blue light affect you and your skin health? And how can laser skin treatment help repair and mitigate potential damage?
What is blue light anyway? Blue light puts “B” in “ROY G. BIV,” the fun preschool acronym that reminds us of the entire visible spectrum of light emitted by the sun: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The sun provides us with the strongest source of blue light. Of course, the sun also emits wavelengths of light that we can’t see, including the UVA and UVB rays that we know can cause premature aging and skin cancer. Artificial sources of blue light come from our phones, tablets, laptops, TVs and the LED lights we turn on to light our way to work and home. Although these levels of blue light are significantly lower than what falls from the sun, the sheer number of hours we spend aiming this blue light at our faces and eyes worries dermatologists like Henry.
Now, there is some elements that blue light, in short, clinically administered doses can improve skin health. In fact, phototherapy or “phototherapy” has been shown to help conditions such as: eczema and psoriasiswhen administered in controlled settings. But what Henry is most concerned about is the long, uncontrolled hours of exposure to blue light that our skin receives every day.
“Most of the time we think protecting ourselves from the sunshe says. “But do we think about protecting ourselves from exposure to light from our devices? The amount of time each person sits in front of a screen for work, school and entertainment can add up.”
So the trick is to use light wisely and protect ourselves from the dangers of overexposure. Some wise, helpful uses of light that can reverse sun damage and blue light damage specifically include skin laser treatment to reverse the damage that has already occurred.
So, how exactly does blue light affect you? Well, we already have years of evidence that too much blue light can cause eye strain and sleep problems. As for the skin damage caused by blue light, it happens because of the way it penetrates the deeper layers of the skin.
Visible light, including blue light, reaches through the epidermis and into the dermis. Studies demonstrate that excessive exposure to blue light can cause dysfunction inside cells that damages DNA and causes oxidative stress in the skin through the action of free radicals. This negative effect of blue light then stimulates inflammation in the skin cells, which can also disrupt and damage the skin barrier, which is especially troublesome for people who already have problems like eczema. All that blue light activity can then damage the production of collagen and elastin—two of the most critical proteins that protect and give structure to the skin. Some of the possible skin problems made worse by overexposure to blue light include:
Blue light isn’t the only health hazard emitted to us by all the devices we use throughout the day. There are other forms of radiation that scientists are looking at that deserve our attention and care: High-energy visible light (HEV) and Electromagnetic Fields (EMFsmall). Our exposure to them increases with long-term use of digital devices, and scientists are only now beginning to uncover the potential health effects. When it comes to skin health, it seems that increased skin irritation, inflammation, sensitivity and worsening of existing skin conditions are definitely concerns.
The first step to mitigating skin damage from blue light is to protect your skin. The second step is repairing and reversing the damage, which we’ll discuss in a minute. As Dr. Henry insists, sunscreen is the most important first line of defense:
Dr. Henry also highly recommends using antioxidant-rich skin care products and moisturizers that protect and strengthen the skin’s barrier. He also says you can add another layer of blue light protection by incorporating the following tools into your digital day:
There is some evidence that these tools can help reduce blue light exposure, especially for people who have to use screens for long hours at work or school. “Dimming your screens and limiting screen time can also be beneficial,” says Henry. Remember to stay hydrated, focus on healthy dietand take regular rest and exercise breaks to “touch the grass” away from screens. All of these things are important for overall health and well-being.
If you’ve experienced skin irritation or blue light damage, or if you’ve been a bit lax about applying sunscreen in the past, Apex Skin provides an excellent pro laser skin treatment, chemical peeling, microneedlingand antioxidant facial options that can repair skin damage and rejuvenate the skin at a cellular level.
Chemical peels, for example, work by removing and removing the damaged outer layers of skin to reveal healthier skin underneath. Antioxidant facials infuse skin with a burst of therapeutic antioxidants that replenish nutrients and stimulate collagen and elastin production to rejuvenate skin. Microneedling stimulates the skin’s natural healing process by creating tiny, controlled injuries that encourage collagen production, improving texture and firmness. And then there are laser skin treatment options that work wonders for all kinds of skin problems related to overexposure to blue light.
Laser treatments is the targeted use of beneficial light wavelengths that can reverse blue light, sunlight and other types of skin damage. These are the types of laser treatments the skin loves because fractional lasers can improve texture and tone by targeting the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate regenerative processes.
“They can reduce pigmentation, improve skin texture and exfoliate for brighter skin,” says Henry. “People of all skin types and tones can benefit from laser treatments.” Apex Skin Locations use several different types of lasers, all tuned to perform targeted actions that help repair the skin. In addition to reducing sun and blue light damage, skin laser treatment it can smooth fine lines and reduce the visibility of acne scars. “Laser treatments can also treat scarring, acne, hair removal, red spots and spider veins to name just a few,” says Henry.
To reverse blue light skin damage, Henry recommends: “Non-ablative rejuvenation and Fraxel are beneficial, as well as Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) devices. These laser treatments can affect collagen production, skin tightening and skin smoothing to a much greater extent than over-the-counter skin care.”
Because everyone has a unique skin profile, it’s important to see your dermatology provider before beginning a series of laser treatments to reduce blue light damage. Your dermatologist can examine your skin and discuss your medical history with you, and then together you can plan a series of laser treatments that can rejuvenate your skin and repair damage and scarring. Typically, a series of treatments produces the best results.
Henry adds that additional treatments that highlight the benefits of laser skin treatment include strategically timed chemical peels such as Diamond Glow treatment and other medical grade skin care products. It is always important to consult with your dermatology provider so you can choose products that will provide the best results for your unique skin condition.
In our busy days of doing so much online for work, school and entertainment, eliminating blue light from your life is probably a bridge too far. But understanding its potential harms and how you can protect yourself from them can reduce its harmful effects. Remember to apply sunscreen daily, take regular screen breaks, stay hydrated, try blue screens and light-blocking glasses to protect yourself and schedule a consultation with Dr. Henry in ours Avon locationor with a different provider to the nearest one Apex Skin Location to discuss your skin rejuvenation and repair needs.
