The use of technology and social media has made it easier than ever to connect with family and friends and to know what’s going on in the world with just a single swipe on a phone screen.
However, the use of certain gadgets—and even social media fads—have been proven to cause harm to a person’s health and even to one’s looks.
Smartphone and social media usage are at a record high in the United States, with 77% of Americans owning a smartphone. It has also been found that 92% of the 18 to 29 age group owns a smartphone, and these are the people who are very vulnerable to negative side effects brought about by the use gadgets.
We’re all too familiar with how the use of tech devices can affect safety as they can be a distraction while on the road, but very few people know about the ill effects of these devices on the skin.
Here are some ways technology is harming your skin.
Acne
If you always get acne along your temple, cheek, chin, and jaw, your smartphone may be the culprit. Your mobile phone carries more bacteria than a public toilet seat. Think about all the dirt, makeup, and oils that get stuck to your screen after a long phone conversation.
If you also have a habit of taking your phone with you to the bathroom, leaving your phone screen down on tables or other flat surfaces, or constantly checking your social media feeds while you’re eating, then it’s likely that your phone is now a literal hotbed of germs.
Keep your phone clean by wiping it regularly with a lint-free cloth or a microfiber cloth. You can also get a monitor or screen cleaning solution, but make sure that the liquid doesn’t get into the crevices of your phone.
If you’re always on the phone, consider doing a quick cleanse midday. You can use a toner on the areas which are always in contact with the phone, so that would be your cheeks, chin, and temples.
It’s a no-fuss way to clean your face of dirt and bacteria without disturbing your eye makeup. Plus, you don’t need to rinse it off, so you can do a quick cleanse at your office’s or school’s bathroom.
“Tech neck” wrinkles
Repeatedly staring down at your phone can cause you more harm than you think. This constant motion causes “tech neck,” which is a combination of wrinkles under the chin and neck, drooping jowls, sagging skin, and a crease above the clavicle bone.
Having tech neck makes you look older than you really are, and it’s a common condition among 18 to 39-year-olds.
Apart from this skin condition, squinting at your phone screen can cause crow’s feet, which are fine lines around your eyes.
To prevent tech neck, hold your phone up so that you don’t have to look down to check your messages. You can also adjust the font size of your phone to avoid squinting when trying to read small characters.
In addition, using a good Korean eye cream can do wonders for your face as it helps you get rid of dark circles, wrinkles, and puffy eyes.
Dark spots and discoloration
We all know that smartphones and tablets can get hot while we’re using them. If you’ve ever felt your phone get warm during a phone conversation, that warmth can cause dark spots and discolorations on your skin.
To prevent this from happening, put your phone in speaker mode when you’re at home. You could also use Bluetooth headsets when you’re in public.
It can age your skin
The blue light emitted by your devices not only keeps you awake at night, but this high-energy visible (HEV) light may be more damaging to your skin than the sun’s UV rays.
Experts say that the blue light from your phone, computer screen, or tablet penetrates more deeply into layers of the skin than UVA or UVB rays. This causes premature aging as the blue light damages the skin layers where collagen or elastin reside. These two proteins are responsible for the skin’s resilience and suppleness.
Meanwhile, if your computer screen is from circa 1999, you might want to upgrade to a newer model as older and bulkier monitors are said to emit UV radiation.
If you’re working long hours in front of an old monitor and can’t replace it as soon as you can, then you should take measures to protect yourself by applying a daily moisturizer with a minimum SPF of 30.
It is recommended that you step away from your monitor every once a while if you spend a lot of time working on your computer.
It can cause dark circles under your eyes
If you always make it a habit to bring your phone or e-reader to bed, you’ll find that these gadgets have affected the way that you sleep.
The blue light emanating from these devices have been proven to affect people’s internal sleep rhythm, which can result in chronic insomnia or sleep deprivation.
Lack of sleep can cause dark circles to form under your eyes. Moreover, it may even cause acne and skin aging.
Worse, losing out on sleep can lead to weight gain, chronic health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease, and impaired attention and concentration, among others.
As technology is here to stay, it’s important to know all about how certain devices can harm your skin and overall health.
Keep smartphone use to a minimum, and if possible, take frequent breaks if you’re working in front of a computer the whole day. Your skin will thank you for it.
Author Bio
This is a guest post by Jenny, the dedicated blogger behind Support Your Beauty. She found her passion in inspiring people to feel free and confident with their looks after years of practice in the beauty niche and many trials and errors. Jenny believes in the inner radiance that every human carries within, and she shares an in-depth knowledge of the ingredients. Check out her latest articles on SupportYourBeauty.com.
