Yes, there really are a few skin issues that may arise with overuse of technology. The first one that comes to mind are mimic lines between the eyebrows, as screens are in constant use (and some get smaller and smaller – think Apple watch…). Often people frown without even noticing, when concentrating on a screen, even more so if it’s small.
Also, sometimes technology makes us go to bed later and later, so that we don’t get our recommended 8 hours of sleep, which does your skin no favours either.
A study clearly linked a sound night of slumber to better skin and the ability to recover from stress. The scientists from the University Hospitals of Cleveland assessed sleep quality in women aged 30 to 50 using a special sleep questionnaire. They then compared this data to signs of the women’s internal (biological clock) and external (environmental) skin ageing and also tested their skin barrier function. What they found was that poor sleepers had significantly higher scores for internal ageing than good sleepers, who managed seven to nine hours per night. Poor sleepers also showed an impaired skin barrier function. This clearly demonstrates that people with unhealthy sleep patterns speed up their internal ageing processes.
Another problem with mobile phone or other screen use at night is that many screens emit blue light and this can upset our circadian rhythm. Upsetting our circadian rhythm should be avoided, as disturbing our biological clock is not only connected to premature ageing, but also many health issues.
As being exposed to artificial light at a time of the day when it is supposed to be dark and you are supposed to be asleep has been shown to upset the circadian rhythm, no iPhone or laptop in bed!
Lastly, for people suffering with breakouts, an accumulation of makeup, dirt and bacteria on the phone (coupled with the moist, warm atmosphere created between the phone screen and your skin over longer telephone conversations) may contribute to breakouts. So if you are breakout prone, keep your screen clean and maybe think about hands-free operation…
There you go, that’s my take on ‘Tech Face’.
Whether you have a medical skin condition which needs treatment or simply want to look your very best, our specialised dermatology team will help you achieve the very best result.
