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But what about blue light?
Yiu Yu Hoi / Getty Images
Do you gotta worry about that having unpleasant effects on your skin too?
What exactly is blue light?
These occupy wavelengths of light that we cant see.
We know that both UVB and UVA rays can harm skin.
We can see it!
Most of us can see wavelengthsbetween about 380 and 700 nm.
In particular, some studies suggest that it can cause or exacerbate signs of aging and hyperpigmentation, particularlymelasma.
But your devices laptops, phones, TVs, tablets, etc.
also produce blue light.
Can blue light really cause wrinkles and hyperpigmentation?
Unfortunately, this isnt an easy question to answer.
In some cases, there are studies in humans, but theyre generally smaller.
The researchers measured the amount of free radicals the skin produced in response to the light exposure.
They also measured the extent to which a sunscreen could protect the skin from free-radical formation.
Their results showed that both UV and visible light could trigger the formation of free radicals in the skin.
But the visible light produced less of an effect than the UV light.
But there are some obvious limitations to this study.
Most obvious is that these are just samples of skin in a lab, not full participants.
So its not clear that these results would be replicated with an actual human being.
The researchers exposed participants lower backs to both UV light and visible light seven times over a two-week period.
However, those with lighter skin did not show any hyperpigmentation after visible light exposure.
A larger, more recent study,publishedin 2013 inPhotodermatology, Photoimmunology, and Photomedicine,found similar results.
All participants also got a topical hydroquinone treatment to use on their melasma.
This receptor, opsin-3, is similar to the light-sensitive receptors in your eyes.
Interestingly, UV light seems to increase pigmentation in the skin via melanocytereceptorsand different types ofskin cells.
But all of these previous studies involved high intensity doses of UV and visible light.
But only one half of their faces was exposed.
Who should actually worry about blue light?
But should some people, particularly those who are prone to hyperpigmentation, take precautionary measures?
Remember that the most significant source of visible light in our lives is the sun not your devices.
So its always important to balance the pros and cons for any possible treatment.
If you want to, heres the best way to protect yourself from blue light.
This isnt a replacement for sunscreen, and remember thatthe FDA does not regulate the supplement industry tightly.
