Beiersdorf : Cell phone screens do not damage skin

The Beiersdorf research team headed by Dr. Ludger Kolbe, Chief Scientist Photobiology, refuted the sometimes critical voices circulating on the subject of artificial blue light. 'Public discourse has been characterized by a lack of knowledge and of scientific studies. But through our research activities, we've managed to prove that the amount of artificial blue light emitted during conventional use of electronic devices is nowhere near enough to trigger harmful skin effects,' explains Kolbe. If you were to spend an entire week in front of a monitor uninterrupted at a distance of 30 cm from the screen, this would be the same as just one minute outside on a sunny summer day in Hamburg at midday. 'Compared to the emissions of the sun's natural blue light, those of artificial blue light are virtually undetectable,' adds Kolbe. Even if you were to sit up close to the screen, this would have little impact on the results: while HEV intensity increases by a factor of 17, a ten-hour phone call on a smartphone, for example, would be the same as a minute in the sunlight on a sunny day in Hamburg. 'The much-feared negative impact of increased screen use due to the coronavirus - for example, as a result of more online meetings or increased use of smartphones - is therefore scientifically untenable. The effect on the skin is negligible, which means concerns about negative impacts on the skin are unfounded,' explains Kolbe.