We know that the blue light from our phones and tablets can disrupt our sleep. And now studies show it also penetrates deep into our skin and speeds up the skin-aging process. Blue light and skin damage is a serious matter, and we should take the necessary precautions and think of alternatives to night-time screen exposure.

It’s become a part of our night-time routine: We lay in our comfy-cozy bed with our smartphone or tablet only inches from our face, scrolling and scrolling. . . and scrolling some more. And it’s not doing us any favors. Studies have shown that blue light exposure from digital devices interrupts our sleep patterns. And now, other studies are claiming that the high-energy visible light (HEV) coming from our screens just might be speeding up the skin-aging process, too!

How Blue Light and Skin Damage Happens

Experts are finding that blue light actually penetrates the skin deeper than the sun’s ultraviolet rays. In fact, blue light goes deep enough to hit the bottom of the dermis, which happens to be where the skin keeps it anti-aging and protective qualities — namely collagen and elastin. Yep, this means scrolling on our smartphones at night, hour-after-hour, can potentially age our skin faster than a day spent under the hot sun.

How to Protect Against Blue Light and Skin Damage

First off, be smarter than your smartphone. Try reading a book instead of hitting Facebook or Instagram. But if you must scroll. . . scroll responsibly. One tip is to turn down the brightness on your device. Or better yet, pick up a blue-light filter in your app store. After all, premature aging is no fun. You’re going to want to keep that collagen as long as you possibly can — and getting screen smart could make all the difference for your skin.