Are Blue Light Sunscreens Worth It If You Work From Home All Day?
We spend a lot of time with our eyes on screens. We look at our phones when we wake up. We work on computers all day. We watch TV to relax at night. These screens give off something called blue light. You have probably heard that this light can make it hard to sleep and might be tough on your eyes. But a new question is popping up: What is all this screen time doing to our skin?
This question has led to a new product you might see on shelves called blue light sunscreen. It’s made to protect your skin from the light that comes from your digital devices. But is this something you actually need? Let’s talk about what blue light is, what it does, and how you can best care for your skin in our very digital world.
What Exactly Is Blue Light?
Visible light is made up of a whole rainbow of colors. Blue light is just one of those colors. It has a very short wavelength, which means it carries a lot of energy.
Where does it come from? The biggest source of blue light by far is the sun. Being outside on a sunny day exposes you to much more blue light than sitting in front of a computer. However, we are also surrounded by man-made sources of it. This includes our smartphones, laptops, tablets, and even the energy-saving lightbulbs in our lamps. Because we hold these devices so close to our faces and use them for many hours each day, people are starting to wonder about the long-term effects.
The Impact of Blue Light on Your Body
We already know for sure that blue light has an effect on our bodies. The most well-known impact is on our sleep. Your brain sees blue light and thinks it’s daytime. This can mess with your body’s natural clock and make it harder to fall asleep if you’re scrolling on your phone right before bed.
The effect of blue light on the skin is a newer area of study, and scientists are still learning. This is an important point because when it comes to your health, you want information you can trust. The information around blue light and skin is still growing. One study did find a connection between blue light exposure and some changes in the skin. People in the study showed signs of:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Pigment changes
“Pigment changes” means the color of your skin can change, sometimes leading to dark spots or what is known as hyperpigmentation. This is especially a concern for people with darker skin tones, who may be more prone to these changes. Some experts believe that over a long time, this kind of light could also contribute to wrinkles and aging, but more research is needed to be sure.
How Does Blue Light Sunscreen Work?
Because of these growing concerns, some skincare companies have created blue light sunscreen. These products are designed to offer protection that goes beyond what traditional sunscreens do.
The key ingredient that makes this possible is often iron oxide. Iron oxides are minerals that give tinted sunscreens their color. It turns out they are also very good at blocking visible light, including blue light. Most regular sunscreens are great at blocking the sun’s invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays—UVA and UVB—which are known to cause sunburn and skin cancer. However, they don’t always block the light we can see.
By adding iron oxides, a sunscreen can offer a broader shield of protection. One popular brand, Supergoop, has a product that specifically mentions it filters blue light in addition to UVA and UVB rays. This type of product has become very popular, showing that many people are looking for this kind of protection.
Is Blue Light Sunscreen a Necessity?
This is the big question. Since this is a topic related to your health and what you spend money on, it’s important to look at it from all sides. To build trust, you need the full story.
On one hand, many of us are spending more time than ever in front of screens. More than one in four people now work from home, making screen time a mandatory part of the day. If you spend eight or more hours a day in front of a computer, you might want that extra layer of defense against potential skin damage. A blue light sunscreen that contains iron oxides can give you peace of mind.
On the other hand, it’s important to remember that the sun is the most powerful source of blue light. The amount you get from your screen is very small in comparison. For this reason, the most important thing you can do for your skin is to wear a regular, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every single day. This protects you from the sun’s very powerful UV rays, which are proven to cause skin aging and cancer.
The best advice is to make a broad-spectrum sunscreen your top priority. If you want to add another layer of protection because of your screen-heavy lifestyle, choosing a sunscreen that also contains iron oxides is a reasonable next step.
More Than Just Sunscreen The Trend of Blue Light Protection
The interest in blue light sunscreen is part of a much larger trend. People are becoming more aware of both the mental and physical effects of so much screen time.
The term “digital detox” gets thousands of searches online every month, which shows that people are actively trying to step away from their devices. Nearly half of young adults have tried to cut back on their digital activity. At the same time, it can be very hard to do.
This has created a growing market for products designed to help us manage our blue light exposure. This market goes far beyond sunscreen.
- Blue Light Glasses: Searches for these have gone up dramatically over the last few years. These glasses have special lenses that filter out blue light before it reaches your eyes. They have become very popular, with some brands making hundreds of thousands of dollars a month on Amazon.
- Blue Light Screen Protectors: You can also buy screen covers for your phone or laptop that filter blue light at the source. Brands like Eyesafe make protectors that reduce the amount of blue light your screen gives off without changing the colors you see.
The rise of all these products shows a clear trend. We are living our lives online, and we are looking for ways to do it more safely.
Simple Things You Can Do to Protect Yourself
Feeling worried about blue light is understandable, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money to start protecting yourself. Here are a few simple, expert-approved steps you can take.
- Use Your Device’s Settings. Most smartphones and computers have a built-in feature to warm up the color of your screen and reduce blue light. This is often called “Night Shift” or “Night Light.” Turning this on, especially in the evening, is a free and easy way to reduce your exposure.
- Follow the 20-20-20 Rule. For every 20 minutes you spend looking at a screen, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away. This is mainly to help with eye strain, but it’s also a great way to build breaks from screen time into your day.
- Prioritize Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen. This is the most important step for your skin’s health. Make it a habit to apply sunscreen every morning, whether you are going outside or not. This protects you from the sun’s UV rays, which can come through windows.
- Hold Your Phone Farther Away. The closer a device is to your face, the more intense the light exposure is. Simply holding your phone a little farther from your face can make a small difference.
- Consider an Upgrade. If you are still concerned after taking these steps, you can then explore products like a blue light sunscreen with iron oxides, blue light glasses, or screen protectors. Think of these as extra tools in your toolbox for a digital lifestyle.
We are still learning about all the ways our digital lives affect our physical health. When it comes to blue light and your skin, the science is still developing. A balanced approach is your best bet. Protect yourself from the sun first, then take simple steps to manage your screen time.