Action News Jax Investigates: How is blue light from cellphones, TV, tablets affecting your skin?

Your cellphone could be prematurely aging you and dermatologists are now calling for more research on the effects of cell phone light on your skin.

According recent data, the average American looks at their phone 46 times a day and that's double for millennials. That's why scientists now want to know more how HEV light is effecting us

High-energy visible light -- we're exposed to it every day -- and for some of us -- all the time.

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"Reporter: How much time are you on your computer, phone, tablets, you think in a day?

"Seven hours a day, I swear,” said Kara Skonieczny.

The blue light from your cellphone, computers and TV is very close to UV light in the electromagnetic spectrum. Although, not nearly as dangerous, HEV light does penetrate your skin. Its effects are concern for dermatologists.

"Not only do I not know, but nobody really knows right now,” said Dr. Jonathan Kantor, the medical director at Florida Center for Dermatology.

Dr. Kantor said HEV light is understudied and we don't know the long term effects blue light has on our skin.

"This is a science absolutely in its infancy. We really don't know what's going to happen two years, 10 years, five years down the road,” Kantor said.

Kantor said there is some research that suggests chronic exposure to blue light could speed up the aging process.

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"Certainly there is some very early data to suggest that you could get a little bit of increased pigmentation," Kantor said.

Michelle Menzer knows blue light can keep you up at night and strain your eyes, but was surprised to hear it could age your skin.

"Super surprising. I would have never guessed a cellphone could cause skin damage. That would have never been on my radar," Menzer said.
  
Protecting against UV rays will keep the sunburn away, but until researchers unlock the secrets of blue light, your constant exposure could be changing your skin's DNA.

Cox Media Group