Blue light that is bad for the skin. It’s true?

In an increasingly connected world, blue light issued by smartphones, tablets and other devices now in common use is often the subject of discussion about the potential damage it would cause to the skin. A relatively recent problem, which has become current especially in the last two years, when the restrictions due to the pandemic and an increasingly social life have increased the time spent in front of the screens.

Is blue light really bad for the skin?

“The blue light, also known as com blue light or with the abbreviation BL, emitted from screens, it has not been shown to cause direct skin damage in real life. It is known, however, that that emitted by the sun generates oxidative stress in the skin, as well as all other radiation of the UV spectrum, visible, infrared and neighboring ones », explains the doctor Alessandra Vasselli, member of the Steering Committee of AIDECO, the Italian Association of Dermatology and Cosmetology, and lecturer at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome.

Blue light, which can be seen but not heard

Also known as HEVacronym for High Energy Visible light, blue light is a high-energy light that is part of the solar spectrum. It owns a high energy level, between 380 and 480-500 nanometers ”, continues the specialist. “The one emanating from the displays of electronic devices is obviously less powerful than natural blue-violet light and above all it represents only 18% of the HEV rays we are subjected to daily, but the massive and continuous use of displays can still cause damage to the skin, also because it is an addition to the blue light that naturally affects us “continues the expert.

The relationship between blue light and skin aging processes

“Blue light helps to accelerate the aging process of the skin, favoring the production of free radicals that could escape natural defenses, causing permanent DNA damage, ”explains Dr. Vasselli. Damage that is the same as an incorrect exposure to the sun, from sun spots to wrinkles, up to more important problems such as skin cancers. «One of the biggest problems is not so much represented by the intensity or the wavelength, but by the fact that, not being very prepared on this front, we tend not to turn off the devices at night, or to spend too much time in front of the computer. The risk is that of long-term exposure. Although limited compared to ultraviolet, in short, blue light has potentially negative effects ».

When blue light damages the skin indirectly

Then there are the indirect damages caused by blue light, often underestimated. “Spending too much time in front of devices, as well as the habit of not turning them off at night, leads toalteration of circadian rhythms, which regulate the alternation between sleep and wakefulness “. Moreover, at night, the skin carries out its most important reparative processes, especially between 11 pm and 4 am, the time window that experts call golden hour, the best to fight free radicals because it increases the production of collagen and elastin, proteins at the base of the connective tissue. This is why sleep is the main ally of beauty and why dermatologists recommend reserving the richest treatments for the night, to support this natural regeneration. If, on the other hand, you remain awake in front of a display, this does not happen.

Cosmetics against blue light

The world of cosmetics is particularly sensitive to the theme of light, blue, so much so that in recent years there has been a boom in dedicated products. “They contain filters and sunscreens, which are able to guarantee protection that goes beyond type A ultraviolet, such as titanium oxide-based screens: they reflect radiation and also cover the blue light band”, continues the Dr. Vasselli.

Blue light that’s good for the skin

However, blue light does not only have negative aspects and should not be demonized tout courtWhy there are medical applications that are good for the skin and are able to help the patient in different clinical situations, not only purely aesthetic but also complex. “It has shown, for example, efficacy in the treatment of acne thanks to its active potential on the bacterial component of this pathology, as well as mildly anti-inflammatory on the skin”, concludes Dr. Vasselli. Obviously, it is a specialized use that allows the passage of certain bands of radiation, useful for the treatment of selected skin conditions.