Wellness

Wellness: Spending more time on screen? You might face digital ageing!

Dharitri Ganguly

Given how much time we now spend in front of screens, be it laptops, desktops, tabs or those unavoidable smartphones, our skin's deadliest enemy is not just UV radiation but also blue light.

“When we talk about skin protection, we usually discuss the need of protecting our skin from the sun and other environmental elements. We neglect the fact that we are exposed to blue light, emitted by electronic gadgets, which is far more harmful than we are to sunlight. Blue light has also been linked to photoaging, oxidative stress, and skin pigmentation, just like UV radiation,” says Dr Shareefa Chause, a dermatologist at Apollo Spectra, Mumbai.

Prolonged screen time can lead to ageing

Blue-violet light, sometimes referred to as High Energy Visible Light (HEV), enters our skin through smartphones, computers, and LED lights. These HEV rays have a substantial role in skin damage and early skin ageing. "Our skin ages due to artificial light as much as sunshine,” informs Dr Rinky Kapoor, a consultant dermatologist at The Esthetic Clinics, Mumbai. 

Because HEV penetrates the skin more deeply than UV and Infrared light, it will raise the quantity of degrading cells and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) or free radicals in our skin, slowing down the cell regeneration cycle and thereby accelerating ageing. Additionally, HEV impairs the barrier function of our skin, increasing water loss, which causes dryness, dehydration, sensitivity, inflammation, and redness. Each of these accelerates the process of digital ageing.

Prolonged screen time can lead to ageing

Precautionary measures

While avoiding electronic gadgets completely is just not an option in today’s world, wearing blue light-protective eyewear, using a light, chemical-free sunscreen, installing a blue light-protective screen on your laptop or switching to dark mode are all further precautions that can help minimise the impacts of digital ageing, suggest experts.

To keep your skin moisturised, one may add moisturisers containing ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Also, one can also apply vitamin C as it helps decrease oxidative stress and also decreases hyperpigmentation. Dermatologists also advise using specialised blue light blockers and a vitamin C serum in the morning to counteract blue light’s oxidative damage and prevent the signs of digital ageing. Use sunscreen even while indoors and choose a formulation that offers UVA and UVB protection. At night, you can also opt for probiotic sleep masks, under-eye creams, night repair serums or bluelight repair serum products.

Signs of ageing

Identifying the signs of digital ageing

  • Fine lines
  • Crow's feet
  • Wrinkles
  • Dullness of skin
  • Uneven skin tone
  • Dry skin
  • Blotchiness 
  • Age spots
  • Rough skin texture
  • Visible pores