We all know the dangers of excessive screen time, but what you don’t know is that it can also harm your skin. Imagine taking care of your skin with your skincare routine and expensive treatments, but it turns out that your screen time is doing the damage. Yes, we’re talking about blue light radiating from those habits you pick up while scrolling. Here are the 7 unexpected ways that your screen time affects your skin.
7. Heat and Pressure From Devices Are Clogging Your Pores
Your phones trap heat and moisture from the skin. With that, it creates a warm and damp environment where bacteria thrive. The result? An increase in oil production that clogs pores and contributes to acne formation. Even holding your dirty phone up to your face can cause friction, inflammation, and acne breakouts!
6. Blue Light Is Worsening Your Acne Bacteria
It’s not just the bacteria, it’s also the light making them worse. Your exposure to short-wavelength visible light from smartphones and tablets can increase the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. With that, you get acne and heat from the phone and the friction that causes acne.
5. Screens Are Dehydrating Your Skin
Yup, screen light may cause dehydration as it disrupts your skin’s moisture-retaining ability. With that, you’ll see your skin appear flakier, rougher, and more sensitive. Dehydration comes from external factors like pollution and blue light, which may cause oxidative damage that shows signs like a dull complexion, fine dry lines, and a lack of elasticity.
4. Squinting at Screens Is Carving Wrinkles Around Your Eyes
Observe yourself squinting your eyes at the screen. The muscles around your eyes, specifically the orbicularis oculi muscle, contract, and constant squinting initiates muscle contraction, which forms wrinkles. Staring at the screen all day also causes eye strain, which leads to facial wrinkles. Reduce the screen’s brightness to prevent squinting.
3. Your Sleep Deprivation Is Showing on Your Face
Blue light actually prevents you from producing melatonin, which regulates sleep at night. Without proper sleep, your body increases its production of cortisol, which is a stress hormone that leads to inflammation. It gives way to different skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Lack of sleep is also manifested in your skin through dullness, puffy eyes, and those dark circles.
2. Screen Time Triggers Hyperpigmentation
Blue light also triggers the production of melanin, which is a pigment for our skin color. Over time, blue light exposure can cause the formation of dark spots, uneven skin tone, and hyperpigmentation, especially in individuals with darker skin tones who are prone to melanin overproduction.
1. Blue Light Is Breaking Down Your Collagen
Another blue light danger is that it affects the skin on a deeper level than UV rays. It even reaches the dermis, where collagen and elastin are located. Exposure to blue light generates the free radicals that cause oxidative stress, responsible for aging and skin damage. Even with just a short exposure of 60 minutes can already trigger the changes in skin cells.