You might have noticed skincare companies claiming their products can protect you from the effects of blue light.
First, it’s crucial that you understand what blue light is.
The blue band of this visible spectrum has a particularly high energy level.
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Blue light has very short, high-energy waves.
Blue light is all around you.
The sun emits blue light.
So do fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs, mobile phones,computerscreens, and flat-screen televisions.
What are the risks?
Our researchshowed blue light can induce pigmentation (tanning) across skin types.
Our studies also showed blue light canactivate genes associated with inflammation and photoaging(skin damage).
Several studies have proved typical sunscreens do not preventblueandvisiblelight damage.
UVR accounts for around 5% of solar radiation in the UK at midday in the summer.
Blue light makes up aroundthree times more at 15%.
There are some beneficial effectsof blue light.
But the harmful effects of blue light are likely to outweigh the positives for healthy people.
Blue light can damage the skin but its less clear which sources of blue light are harmful to humans.
However, there isno regulated or standardized testto assess a products ability to prevent blue light damage.
Companies do carry out scientific tests on these products.
But they can use any number of assessments in their work.
This is very different from the regulations around sunscreen that claim to containSun protection factor (SPF).
SPF testing is closely regulated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
All products that claim to contain an SPF undergo an identical testing regime.
Traditional photoprotection products (such as sunscreens) dont typically protect you from blue light damage.
Its encouraging the skincare industry is trying to address this need.
But it is crucial that governments take the next step in the process and developindustry-wide, standardized testing.
In the meantime, it is important to remember to limit any exposure to the sun.
