Blue light may be aging your skin — here's what we know, and 3 things you can do to protect your face

Blue light in electronic devices like phones and laptops may damage your skin. More research is needed, but here's how to care for your skin.

• Blue light can be found in TVs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
• Too much of it can affect our sleep, and some believe it can cause premature skin aging.
• More research is needed, but vitamin C and sunscreen have strong anti-aging benefits.

The average American spends about seven hours a day in front of a screen. Naturally, fears about how it affects our health crop up, be it our eyesight or our skin.

Blue light, a shorter-wavelength light, can be found in everything from lightbulbs to many everyday electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, flat-screen TVs, and tablets. 

While there's evidence that blue light exposure can disrupt our sleep (hence why scrolling before bed is not recommended), how it impacts our skin is a little more complicated. 

The truth is that we don't definitively know that too much blue light accelerates aging. But that doesn't mean we can't take precautions.

Some studies suggest blue light can age your skin

According to a 2018 study on blue light and wrinkles, exposure to blue light for even an hour can cause reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is linked to premature aging in the skin.

Dr. Joshua Zeichner, an associate professor at Mount Sinai and the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, said that blue light "is associated with premature aging in the development of brown spots," though, unlike UV light, he said blue light isn't associated with the formation of skin cancer. 

A more recent 2023 study also found a link between reactive oxygen species and skin damage, suggesting a hastened aging process, but stated that "the precise process is still not fully known."

Dr. Cameron Rokhsar, a board-certified dermatologist and an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, said none of these papers conclusively point to blue light causing wrinkles and dark spots. 

For example, a 2020 study found blue light could indeed damage skin and cause photoaging, but also could have some benefits in preventing certain skin diseases. "Clinically, we have no evidence," Rokhsar said. 

3 things you can do to protect your skin from wrinkles and dark spots 

Perhaps the closest tie to blue light causing early aging is its link to poorer sleep. A 2015 study found that lack of sleep contributed to lower skin barrier recovery. So while you have less control over how much time you spend at your work computer, tapering down on TV before bed can pay off dividends. 

As for your skincare regimen, Zeichner recommended applying an antioxidant like vitamin C serum, which brightens skin and neutralizes environmental damage. 

Lastly, he suggested choosing a mineral sunscreen that physically blocks out light (don't worry, there are plenty of lightweight options out there). He also said brands like Eucerin have been developing sunscreens that address aging and UV exposure by including more antioxidants, so you can always swap your sunscreen if you want the extra protection.

What's great is that Zeichner's advice falls in line with what many dermatologists already recommend for your daily skincare routine. For example, you should be applying sunscreen even if you don't go outside because sunlight can still impact your skin indoors.

So if you've already been applying vitamin C and sunscreen in the morning, keep doing that! If you haven't (and needed a little extra motivation), there's no day like today.