Twenty twenty was anything but a typical year. With a global pandemic impacting the normalcy of our day-to-day lives, it’s understandable the strategies that we once implemented to take care of ourselves don’t quite work the same. At PCMC, we have noticed that the repeated lockdowns can affect not only our relationship with ourselves and those around us but also our relationship to our botulinum toxin and filler treatments.
What once worked for us may not be enough anymore. We are all under more stress and spending more than our fair share of time staring at screens and ourselves. And with all of that concentration, we are squinting and frowning at our screens more often and for longer durations. To make matters worse, our screens emit a blue light that can cause inflammation and damage to the skin, similar to the damage caused by UV rays. As a result, the treatments that once kept us looking our best may not manage the job any longer.
So, what is the solution to maintaining healthy skin in the age of pandemics and increased screen time?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, and there are different strategies that you can implement to take care of your skin, even in the harshest of times.
1. Adjust your treatments to meet your needs.
If you are noticing more fine lines when you see yourself on-screen, and often in unflattering lighting, it might be time to adjust your treatments or that certain areas of your face need a top-up. Dermal fillers are an excellent option for a minimally-invasive, immediate-results experience for treating and preventing wrinkles and fine lines. Adjusting your treatments is a simple solution that can significantly impact the appearance of your skin. These are trying times, and it’s absolutely ok to do what you need to do to feel good in the skin that you’re in
2. Use an anti-glare screen protector on your computer monitor.
This can cut down on the blue light glare and radiation exposure that is emitting from your monitor. There are also certain apps on computers and smart devices that are blue light filters, often adding a reddish hue to your screen, but they are not as effective as blue light filter screen protectors. An anti-glare screen protector is a powerful preventative to help slow down the damaging effects of blue light
3. Invest in your skin.
Treatments, serums, moisturisers, and other products exist on the market to combat the effects of “tech face.” If lockdown had you in front of a screen more than you are used to, or if that was always your job, it’s important to invest in your skin. Invest in quality products and treatments that are created specifically to your needs, issues, and concerns. You’ve only got one body. Prevention and maintenance are essential for healthy, glowing skin for years to come
4. Cut down on screen time before bed.
This is a two-fold solution for maintaining beautiful skin when you’re around computers all day. First, sleep is a miracle in itself, an essential function of the body that helps restore, repair, and rejuvenate the body and mind. Sleep is necessary for healthy skin and a healthy, focused mind. If you’re on your screens right before bed, that pesky blue light problem comes into play. Blue light has been shown to block the release of melatonin, a hormone necessary to promote sleep.
5. Ensure you are working under optimal conditions.
What this means is noticing your work environment. Are you squinting when you’re looking at your computer? If so, make the font bigger. Do you have a blue light filter? Are you able to sit up straight while you work? Are you taking breaks from looking at your screen? Adjusting your working environment is a helpful preventative strategy for the impacts of excessive screen time. Normally, humans blink about 10 to 15 times per minute. When you’re at a computer, you tend to blink half that amount, and often the blinks are incomplete, which prevents a full spreading of the tear film across the eye. This means more touching the face, dry eyes, and other issues.
Final Thoughts
If you are feeling the pressure of these difficult times, you’re not alone. While many aspects of life are out of our control, there are plenty of things in our control. One of those being how well we take care of our mind and our body. With prevention, awareness, and choices that prioritise you, you can feel good during a time where the cons sometimes feel like they outweigh the pros. Prioritise yourself today because you’re worth it!
