Isabel Bäring pitched her company idea in the “Lion’s Den” on Monday. The majority of potential investors were skeptical, but Nils Glagau invested in their cream. It is designed to protect the skin from harmful blue light. But does Blue Light really make you old and wrinkled? That’s what experts say.
It should protect the skin cells and protect against negative influences and oxidative stress, especially from blue light: “Mijasi”, the fluid that founder Isabel Bäring presented on Monday in the investor show “Die Höhle der Löwen” promises protection against digital screen radiation and premature aging skin.
Most of the lions were skeptical on the TV show. Not so, however, health entrepreneur Nils Glagau. The “Orthomol” boss invested in the skin cream with a blue light filter. But how harmful is “Blue Light” really? FOCUS Online provides an overview of the current state of knowledge.
There are two types of blue light, natural and artificial.
Blue light, like UV light, is considered to be particularly high-energy. It is therefore suspected of stimulating skin aging and wrinkling. The theory that it can affect the eyes and sleep is also discussed again and again.
Founder Isabel Bäring claimed on Monday evening that hours of exposure to blue light from laptops, smartphones and televisions weaken our cells, stress our skin and can lead to premature skin aging. However, experts disagree with this theory. Chemist Thomas Jüstel from the Münster University of Applied Sciences explains the effect using an example:
“Our skin definitely doesn’t age as a result,” he sums up. “So if you spend your entire working life in front of a computer screen, you don’t have to worry about skin aging caused by blue light. Extremely long sunbaths would be worse.”
Similarly, dermatologist Yael Adler at “Stern” assesses the risk of screens on skin aging. “The screen work shouldn’t really be dangerous.” A study has shown that. “Anyone who then goes for a walk outside in Hamburg at lunchtime will get a lot more daylight, which also contains blue light, within a few minutes than if they worked at a computer screen for weeks or months.”
According to dermatologist Yael Adler, there is no meaningful data that creams really help against blue light radiation. True, the use of such products does not harm. For example, antioxidants are often added to these creams, which are good for the skin and set repair mechanisms in motion. The fluid presented in the “Lion’s Den” also advertises protection against oxidative stress. From the dermatologist’s point of view, consumers could usually save themselves the money for special creams with blue light filters. Instead, Adler recommends a colorful, plant-based diet that provides many antioxidants on its own.
Not only the skin is suspected of being damaged by blue light. Previous studies have primarily examined the harmful effects that blue light can have on the eyes and retina. That’s why some people have been using glasses with blue light filters for a number of years to protect their eyes. Others use filtering foils for laptop screens or smartphones, for example. But even that is not necessary from a medical point of view, as the German Ophthalmological Society explained last autumn.
“The light intensity when using electronic devices is far too low to cause damage to the retina of the eyes,” said vision researcher Michael Bach from the University Hospital Freiburg. Studies have also shown that contact lenses with a blue light filter do not protect against fatigue when working on a computer screen.
The blue light receptors in our eyes also regulate our melatonin levels. Initial laboratory studies indicate that the blue light could inhibit the formation of the sleep hormone, which causes a feeling of tiredness. Experts therefore advise against using a smartphone just before going to bed. However, there are also studies that show such an effect in bright light without an increased proportion of blue light.
Chemist Jüstel therefore advises: “It is best to read a good book, ideally by candlelight or halogen lamp light – then falling asleep shouldn’t be a problem. If they do, it’s definitely not because of the lighting conditions.”
