Case Study: Blue Light could be aging your skin.

Blue Light is commonly linked to your eyes and your sleep, but research shows it could have a seriously negative impact on your skin, too. We took a dive down the medical research rabbit hole and found this article explaining just how bad it can be for your skin.

The study uses serious medical terms, so we wanted to break down what all this means for you in layman terms.

First, what is Blue Light and how am I exposed to it?

Blue Light is the highest energy wave length of light visible to humans and generally ranges from 380 nanometers to 500 nanometers. The largest source of Blue Light in your life is the sun, but phone screens emit it too. In fact, your LED phone screen emits twice as much Blue Light as non-LED screens.

Ok, so it comes from my phone. Now how does it affect my skin?

The article breaks down all of this, but the excerpt below has the important information:

“Roughly speaking, blue light can produce reactive oxygen species. A reactive oxygen species is an unstable molecule that contains oxygen and interacts with other molecules. The primary free radical brought on by exposure to blue light is superoxide (O2), a highly reactive anion radical that is created by the flavins. According to research, the creation of superoxide by blue light may play a substantial role in the aging and carcinogenesis of the skin. Overexposure to ROS can harm skin cells, accelerate aging, cause hyperpigmentation, and cause melisma. By generating DNA damage, these unstable chemicals also cause inflammation and the destruction of the skin's healthy collagen and elastin, which furthers skin laxity, early aging of the skin, and wrinkles. In skin cells, blue light activates the enzyme matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which have been shown to break down collagen and speed up the aging process. These MMPs not only break down the existing collagen but also impede the synthesis of new collagen, preventing healing. Antioxidant levels in cells with ROS are also affected. These species are eliminated by antioxidants in the skin, thus after exposure to blue light, they become depleted in the body. It could take up to 24 h for the endogenous repair. Exogenous antioxidants used topically, orally, or both have been found to be advantageous in the case of UV radiation; however, the impact of blue light has not yet been established. The majority of superoxide is quickly changed into hydrogen peroxide. Blue light may not primarily harm cells by overpowering their antioxidant defenses, but rather by continuously producing small amounts of radicals that may slip past the body's regular defenses and harm DNA permanently.”

Backup… ROS, enzyme matrix metalloproteinases, exogenous antioxidants, what does this all mean?

We understand, that was a lot. Here is a more digestible breakdown:

• Extended exposure to Blue Light leads to the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which are unstable molecules that mess with our skin cells. 
• An example of ROS is superoxide, a highly reactive molecule. Research suggests that superoxide production from Blue Light might be a big reason why our skin ages faster. Ever wonder why your Investment Banker friends look 35 when they’re in their 20’s? (Hours in front of a screen stack up!)
• Too much exposure from ROS leads to skin damage, wrinkles, pigmentation problem, and even inflammation
• Another issue with Blue Light is that is activates enzymes called Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) that breakdown collage. 
• The same collagen that your doctor and skincare specialist recommend you take to keep your skin looking healthy…

A breakdown of collagen could make your skin saggy and wrinkly

• Usually, antioxidants in our skin help get rid of these ROS, but when you’re exposed to a lot of Blue Light, it can use up those antioxidants faster than they can be replaced. This leaves your skin vulnerable.

Now, normally a little exposure won’t hurt you, but if you’re looking at screens all day (and night), this could be a problem. The constant exposure of small amounts could produce these harmful molecules and get past your body’s natural defenses. We recommend checking your daily screen time if you want a reality check on how much Blue Light you’re getting every day.

I don’t want to look old or have saggy skin, how can I protect myself?

That’s where we come in! Besides creams and lotions to keep your skin young, you could also attack the problem from the source - by blocking Blue Light from your phone. Night Shift mode (that makes your screen yellow) could be useful but has been proven to not be too effective. What are your other options?

Try BlueBuffer, a Blue Light blocking iPhone screen protector. With one simple application on your phone, you can protect your screen AND your skin. The glass is specifically tempered to block Blue Light (don’t take our word for it, check it out here in real time). 

If you think protecting your skin is worthwhile, you may want to check us out. Thank you so much for reading this article! You can find countless more on our blog here.