Ways your phone may be contributing to the damage of your skin

With most of us either glued to the computer or TV, it is near impossible to live without our phones in this modern day. Research shows that we are more nervous and less happy when we are without our phones. They have been proven to also have other effects such as sleeplessness and loneliness.

Our phones are also not very friendly to our skin as they emit rays that can damage our skin.

To prove it to you how problematic it maybe, here are three ways your screen time might be damaging your skin.

Your phone emits a blue light known as high-energy visible (HEV) light. This light is believed to penetrate the skin even more deeply than UV rays. HEV can lead to the damage of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

Evidence also indicates that this light can lead to worsening of pigmentation problems such as melasma.  Unfortunately, there are not many ways to protect against HEV light as research on this is still quite new.

Most of the time we use our phones we are often looking down at the screen.  This can lead to development of permanent wrinkles on your neck and chin. This is due to the repetitive movement over time.

It can also lead to sagging skin and drooping jowls (lower part of the cheek), a problem that is now more common in women in their 30s. This problem is hard to reverse and would require aggressive treatments like lasers. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you hold up your phone instead of looking down at it.

According to a microbiologist in University of Arizona, your cell phone carries 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats. The cell phone is constantly warm due to usage and it is worth noting that microbes multiply in warm places.

We transfer bacteria from our hands, to our phones, to our faces. Even with a clean phone, you can still get acne from cell phone use. This is because when you are constantly holding up your phone to your face and pushing it into your cheeks, you irritate and clog the pores.

The pressure also pushes dirt, makeup and bacteria into your pores where they get trapped. The best way to avoid this is to use the speaker button or hold your phone away from your cheek.