A Digital Attack on the Face

We all know that too much time spent in the sun (aka UVB and UVA light) can wreak havoc on skin, but did you know that blue light (High Energy Visible or HEV light) emitted from our screens and devices can also be incredibly damaging to skin cells?

Similar to UV rays, blue light inhibits free radical generation, causing oxidative stress to skin cells. In fact, studies have shown that blue light can penetrate even deeper into the skin than UV light, affecting our collagen and elastin. Eek!

You’re probably spending more time than ever before in front of screens and devices (thanks to lockdown!) so here are a few things you can do to protect your skin from excessive blue light exposure:

– Add an anti-blue light protector to your phone or device. They’re relatively affordable and will protect your eyes as well as your skin.

 – Turn on ‘night-mode’ on your smartphone to switch from blue to yellow light. 

– Call hands-free where possible to avoid having the screen in direct contact with your face.

– Wear an SPF50+ sunscreen daily, whether inside or out.

– Protect skin with a daytime moisturiser like Atopis Intensive Restore cream or Radiant Balance cream, which are rich in flavonoids and natural antioxidants. Flavonoids are plants’ natural UV defence compounds and they are powerful at protecting skin from blue light damage. Antioxidants are free radical ‘scavengers’ meaning that they help to protect your skin cells from free radical damage.