Q&A Series #101

A: For most of us, sitting in front of a computer screen or staring at laptop, tablet and cell phone screens has become our daily routine and occupied a large portion of our days.

Older desktop computers have been shown to emit UV light, which can lead to premature skin aging with early occurrence of lines, wrinkles and skin damage including pigmentation.

The good news is newer computers and laptops (with LCD or LED screens) don’t emit UV light at all. While computer, laptop, tablet and cell phone screens don’t emit harmful UV radiation themselves, use of these devices outdoors in the sun or near a window could put your skin at a greater risk of skin damage. This is because your screens can act like a mirror and reflect UV light from the sun onto your skin.

Although digital screens do not emit UV light, the bad news is they emit #blue light, also called HEV light for “high-energy visible” light.

Like UVA rays, HEV Light generates free radicals (also known as ROS – Reactive Oxygen Species). These free radicals cause skin cells to produce enzymes that break down the collagen and elastin that give skin its plump, youthful appearance. This process is often called oxidative stress and it’s what causes skin to photoage (age prematurely as a result of light exposure).

Alongside UVA and UVB, HEV Light can induce uneven skin pigmentation (often referred to as hyperpigmentation) and may contribute to conditions such as age spots (also known as sun spots) and melasma, the pigmentation condition that leads to the sun spots often seen in darker skins.

While UVB rays penetrate the outermost layers of skin (the epidermis), HEV Light, like UVA rays, penetrates into the lower layers of skin (the dermis):

UVB rays are responsible for sunburn. HEV Light has not been associated with sunburn.

UVB rays and, to a lesser extent, UVA rays have been linked to DNA damage which can cause skin cancer. HEV Light is not associated with skin cancer.

Both UVA rays and HEV Light can cause skin to age prematurely (photoage).

UVA rays are the primary cause of sun allergies. UVB rays can also cause sun allergies, but to a lesser extent.

UVA, UVB and HEV Light can induce hyperpigmentation and may contribute to conditions such as age spots (also known as sun spots) and melasma.

When choosing appropriate sun care products, the priority is still to give your skin the very best protection against UVA and UVB rays, but choosing products that also combat the oxidative stress caused also by HEV Light will further help to prevent photo-aging and may reduce hyperpigmentation.

Many modern sun creams and lotions offer effective protection against UVA and UVB rays, but the chemicals and pigments used to filter UVA and UVB do not filter HEV.

For this reason, we recommend that you look out for products that contain antioxidants and other specific ingredients that work against oxidative stress. Antioxidants like L-ascorbic acid have been proven to work to protect skin cells in the deeper epidermal layers from sun-induced damage. That is why we always encourage our patients to use a medical or pharmaceutical formulation of #vitamin C topically for their skin along with their sunscreen.

This shows how important it is that you need to wear sunscreen with antioxidant even if you are just staying indoors