Let's face it - a worrying percentage of Australians are addicted to their phones.
We've all heard about the negative effects which excessive phone usage can have on our sleep, mental health and attention span.
But now it seems that long hours of scrolling could have also have serious consequences for our youthful complexions.
Ten Daily
reports that our most used possessions are making us look significantly older than we actually are, and it's all caused by the blue light coming from the screens of electronic devices.
Over-exposure to the blue light (aka High Energy Visibility Light or HEVL) beaming out from phones, TVs and tablets has been shown to
dramatically reduce
the concentration of naturally occurring carotenoids (or antioxidants) in our skin.
This causes the volume of free radicals to increase - which means our skin begins to age much, much faster.
The make up of this HEVL light from our phones reduces the overall resilience of our skin by destroying large amounts of antioxidants designed to slow the ageing process.
Because of this, we become vulnerable to a whole host of damaging rays such as UVA rays which speeds ageing and UVB which is responsible for sun damage and potentially skin cancer.
The most frightening aspect about HEV light is that it penetrates the skin's deepest layer, reaching
100 nano meters further
than UV rays.
But it's not all fire and brimstone when it comes to the pesky components of blue light.
In fact,
scientists have discovered
that blue light can actually destroy antibiotic resistant infections such as MRSA, and also has a preventive role in acne treatments.
In certain surroundings blue light has been found to
reduce stress, boost overall mood and even improve our memory and information retention.
However these benefits can only be gained
if we are exposed to HEVL during daylight hours, so it's bad news for night time social media scrolling fans.
While it is advisable to steer clear of prolonged phone usage once the sun goes down, there are a growing number of blue light-busting skincare products on the market to cater for 24/7 phone addicts.
If money is no object, a bottle of
Skinceuticals Phloretin CF
could be a good option. Made
from the bark of fruit trees such as apple, grapefruit, and pear, just a few drops of this serum contains a rich volume of antioxidants and even repairs already damaged cells.
A pocket friendly alternative is the
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturiser. With SPF 30 in every bottle and 21% more hydration than similar bases, this bargain will set you back just $30 (your skin will thank you).