Easy ways to ward off diabetes

Q:

I know that the blue light emitted by my phone and laptop is harmful to vision and can disrupt sleep, but a co-worker told me that it can also damage your skin. Should I be concerned about this?

A:

Preliminary evidence suggests exposure to blue light may indeed damage the skin. But the good news is that the effect is quite slow and happens gradually over time. Plus, there are easy ways to protect yourself.

We hear a lot about electronic devices giving off blue light, but we actually get more blue light exposure from the sun. In fact, it takes 36 hours of computer time to get the same blue light exposure you’d get from 20 minutes in the midday sun. The issue, however, is that your screens are so close to you that the blue light they emit can penetrate more deeply into your skin. Over time, scientists say this can cause DNA damage that breaks down collagen, triggering skin aging and wrinkles. But thankfully, the small tweaks you’ve heard about for protecting your eyes from blue light will also keep your skin safe.

One quick fix is to cover your screen with a blue light protector. Made in different sizes to fit a variety of screens, these protectors work like regular screen protectors that we use to prevent cracks and scratches, but they’re also coated with a material that filters out much of the blue light the devices emit—similar to the way sunglasses filter UV light. Ocushield (Ocushield.com) is a brand that gets good consumer reviews.

You also have the option to change settings on your smartphone and computer to “night mode” or “night shift.” This easy switch prompts your device to use warmer tones, which reduces the amount of blue light it gives off. And despite the name, you can set these filters to be on 24/7.