Sitting all day in a closed office? This is the worrying thing happening to your facial skin

In recent years, when we talk about an essential skincare routine, most of us immediately think of weather hazards, air pollution in the street, or the damage of the burning Israeli sun. In practice, however, a huge part of the dermatological damage does not happen outdoors at all. It happens indoors, right in front of our eyes, while we sit in an air–conditioned, closed space. Meet the phenomenon that is troubling the beauty–tech world: "Digital acne".

Many women and men, especially office workers, managers, and high–tech industry personnel, arrive for a skin diagnosis feeling frustrated. They suffer from sudden breakouts of stubborn pimples, sub–cutaneous inflammations, extreme dryness, and a dull, lifeless skin appearance. They do not understand how their skin is going wrong precisely when they maintain a strict diet, stay away from the scorching sun rays, and spend most hours of the day under the protection of the air conditioner. The clear and scientific answer to this mystery is hidden in the blue light emitted relentlessly from the computer screens, tablets, and smartphones that surround us.

Beyond this digital aging, screen radiation has a direct impact on the development of acne. Blue light actively disrupts the natural protective barrier of the skin and damages the balance of its microbiome. As a result, the skin enters a defensive state and drastically increases the secretion of sebum (skin oil). The excess oil, together with dead cells and dust particles that are attracted to the electrostatic computer screen and from there to our face, clogs the pores. This environment, which becomes warm and inflammatory due to the radiation, constitutes a fertile breeding ground for the proliferation of acne bacteria. The result is painful inflammatory pimples, which often appear specifically in the areas of the cheeks and the jawline, which are the closest areas to our mobile phone.

• Choose a sunscreen with high–quality blocking ingredients such as: Zinc oxide or titanium, which act as a physical protective wall that reflects radiation back from the screens.

• Incorporate antioxidants: It is mandatory to combine serums containing powerful antioxidants, such as vitamin C, into the morning routine, which neutralize free radicals the moment they strike the skin.

• Disinfect the mobile screen: Make sure to clean your mobile phone screen with a disinfectant wipe every day, as it transfers bacteria directly to the inflamed facial skin.

• Change digital settings – Activating a blue light filter in the built–in screens of phones and computers. This not only protects the eyes and sleep, but physically reduces the intensity of the HEV radiation that damages the skin.

• Importance of double cleansing in the evening: Because computer screens are charged with static electricity and magnetize dust and dirt particles that get trapped in the oil of the skin, a light rinse with water is not enough. It is mandatory to perform a thorough cleansing in the evening to prevent the clogging of pores.

• Professional treatments: Devices based on advanced technologies treat the chronic sub–cutaneous inflammation that screen radiation generates. The phototherapy method alongside various oxidation technologies make it possible to soothe the sebaceous glands, kill bacterial activity, encourage the skin to heal itself from within, and renew the destroyed collagen reserves.