Your Cell Phone Really Is Aging Your Skin.

In 2014, Dr. Luc Duteil of the Center of Clinical Pharmacology Applied to Dermatology, partnered with a team of scientists to demonstrate that cell phone use does not harm skin. What they found instead should concern the over 90% of Americans who own one or more cellular phones.

Almost all cell phones use LED’s for lighting their screens. LED’s are cheap and use little power, but they also emit a type of high energy visible light often called blue light. Dr. Duteil and his team examined how the skin responded differently to low energy red light vs blue light. What did they find? “The blue-violet light induced a significantly more pronounced hyperpigmentation [compared to red light] that lasted up to 3 months.”

In fact, the free radical damage done by blue light can be so intense that it can cause the same damaging effects as too much sun: hyperpigmentation, sunspots, wrinkles, or sagging.

What can we do?

Thankfully, a lot. Most of us know high SPF lotion protects skin from UV radiation (including blue light), but does that mean you’re supposed to apply sunscreen every time you pick up your phone?

No, it turns out antioxidants like Vitamin C are actually the preferred defense. Not only that, but topical Vitamin C can also help reverse visible signs of aging.

In a study that references Dr. Duteil’s work, topical Vitamin C not only protected skin from UV radiation (like blue light), it also reduced wrinkle formation and increased collagen. If you’re interested in protecting yourself with Vitamin C, ask your skincare provider for good options because, as we all know, all skincare is not created equal.

Is Vitamin C the missing link to a perfect skincare routine? Probably not, but considering none of us are putting our cell phones away anytime soon, it might be a good addition.

Thank you for reading “Your Cell Phone Really Is Aging Your Skin.” Check out our other articles for more beauty related topics.