According to the Nielsen Total Audience Report for 2018, American adults spent over 9 hours per day in front of a digital device on average.
Most of us aren’t average… A typical day includes: 5-8 hours on the computer during the day for class or work, 1-2 hours of YouTube and easily 3-4 hours of Instagram or TikTok scrolling. Add an hour if you’re on Snapchat. Add 3-4 hours if it’s finals week or you have a term paper.
On the short side that equates to 9 hours; but it may add up to 17 hours per day. That leaves you with 7 hours for sleeping (though you may sleep with the TV on). We rarely escape our screens!
What does this have to do with my skincare routine?
Our digital devices emit High Energy Visible (HEV) light. HEV light is light in the visible violet/blue band and is just as damaging to the skin as the UVA and UVB rays you get from sun exposure.
In fact, HEV light exposure promotes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are unstable molecules containing oxygen that easily react with other cellular molecules. ROS damages our DNA and breaks down collagen and elastin in the dermal layer of the skin (the second layer of your skin that helps to produce sweat, grow hair and make oil).
The amount of ROS produced by HEV light is the same as that produced by UVA and UVB rays combined! Basically, HEV blue light from your devices can cause just as much damage to your skin’s composition as sun exposure leading to premature aging in the form of hyperpigmentation otherwise known as dark spots or freckles, fine lines and wrinkles!
Next time you visit your dermatologist or esthetician, try this: ask them to guess which hand holds your phone most often. A skillfully trained eye can tell which side of your face gets the most exposure to HEV light based on the appearance of your skin. With exposure to HEV light, your skin takes on a dull, sallow and dirty appearance that looks different than your skin’s exposure to the sun.
We’ve got you covered (both literally and figuratively)
We added fractionated melanin to our vitamin infused hydrating lotion CRAM SESSION® Blue Light Blocking Moisturizer to protect your skin from the damaging effects of HEV blue light.
Melanin is a photo-protective pigment (contributing to our skin color) found in both plants and animals that absorbs all light wavelengths of the spectrum. Melanin is released from melanocytes, which are your melanin-forming cells that contribute to skin color. These cells are your first line of defense against exposure to damaging light waves and rays.
While melanin is naturally produced in the skin, the ability to absorb HEV light waves is relatively low and cannot effectively protect the skin from the HEV light produced from your devices. Fractionated melanin, however, is an ingredient synthesized from corn and specifically designed to absorb HEV’s harmful rays. Fractionated melanin does not penetrate the skin, which means it will not contribute to hyperpigmentation, but it does allow beneficial light to penetrate the skin.
We added fractionated melanin to our formulation of CRAM SESSION® to stand as your first defense against the damaging effects of your tech devices. This lightweight hydrating lotion is loaded with vitamins A, C and E to protect the skin by limiting the production of free radicals, which can cause cell damage over time.
Say “no” to screen face.
