Science says blue light from our phones is damaging our skin

We were recently told by The Skin Nerd that wearing SPF every single day is vitally important, but we had huge misconceptions about light, the sun and skincare. 

First of all, we assumed you had to be on a beach in a country over 30 degrees to even contemplate using SPF, but it turns out our own phones could be damaging our skin with blue light.

Sh*t craic, that is. Taking a selfie is damaging in even more ways now, even ones with our pets.

Avon released research indicating that the blue light emitted on our mobile phones can damage skin hugely for millennials, who check their phones constantly. (Statistics say it's 157 times a day…)

Pollution, smoking, insomnia, crowded urban places and alcohol can harm our skin, but SPF is the priority it seems.

According to Glamour UK, a quarter of 18 to 34 year olds spend seven hours or more per day on their phones, and sixteen percent of women spend almost one-third of their waking day on their phones. 

Only one-in-ten people knew that the light from a mobile phone can actually age you. Our skin plays such a huge part in our lives, it's an organ for Gawd's Sake, and we need to value it.

23 percent of the same young age group refuse to post an image of themselves online with no filter, purely because of their skin.

All blue light screens apparently "reflect UB rays and may indirectly trigger damage" to our skin, with experiments performed by scientists on a mannequin wearing a UV sensor.

Co-author of the study, Mary Logue of the University of New Mexico, said:

"These devices are generally used for communication or entertainment, so it can be easy to overlook their reflective properties unless you happen to catch the glare off a screen."

The study suggests the light may significantly affect skin and stop it from healing – and the consequences on DNA have led experts to believe it could speed up the ageing process.

Researchers at the University of New Mexico warn that people may be putting themselves at risk of getting skin cancer by going outside to use their smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Broad spectrum is that which protects from both UVA and UVB rays, and we need to be wearing it on our face, neck and décollage every single damn day.  

Invest in screen glasses to protect you against high-energy visible light (HEVL) at work.

For SPF skincare products, we highly recommend The Skin Nerd's brand new Skingredients treatment; 'Skin Shield'. 

IMAGE Skincare Prevention+ Daily Hydrating Moisturiser is also a great product,

Enjoy the sun, gals, but don't forget about your skin. Make SPF part of your daily morning routine so you won't feel guilty every time you check your phone or laptop, you won't regret it.