{By: Dr. Vasim Chauhan}
 
Millennials are nearly tied to their smartphones 24 hours a day, so it's a little worrying that the majority of us probably don't care about the filth and grime on our displays as much as we should.
 
Do you recall the day you acquired your sparkling new toy? Your gadget was clean before it developed nicks and cracks from dropping it on the floor, and fingerprints discoloured the screen.
 
If you take a careful look at it now, you would be surprised to see the dirt and smudge brought about by the foundation that you may have used last night or the dust that could have come from keeping it at every possible place right from your office desk to a public restroom floor.  
 
You are constantly touching your dirty cell phone. If your fingers hit the screen continuously all day and you have an itch on your forehead, or a midafternoon face wipe leaves you feeling drained, you can only imagine the kind of bacteria settling into your pores throughout the day and wreaking havoc on your complexion.
 

Effects Of Selfies, Long Video Calls, Bed-Time Scrolling

Experts have recently detected increasing dullness and pigmentation in people who use their phones on a regular basis, and while this could be due to a variety of things, your fixation with taking selfies may be one of them.
 
Often, we find ourselves standing outside, angling our face to catch the perfect light. But just like those old-school aluminum reflectors, your phone captures and bounces the sun’s UV rays right back onto your skin — amplifying exposure without you even realising it.
 
In other words, selfies are a double-negative when taken in natural sunshine because dangerous UVA and UVB rays combine with the high-energy visible light rays emitted by your phone, exacerbating the impact of both light sources on your face.
 
Adding to this concern, recent studies suggest that exposure to blue light; the kind emitted from your phone’s screen can stimulate the production of melanin, the natural pigment that gives your skin its colour. Too much blue light can potentially worsen hyperpigmentation, leading to dark spots on the skin, especially in individuals with deeper skin tones. So yes, that seemingly harmless scroll session before bed or that long video call could be silently impacting your skin tone.
 
To be honest, it's difficult to stay relevant in today's environment without glancing at your phone from time to time. Furthermore, landlines are gradually becoming obsolete, so how else will you call and check in with your parents? So, no, I'm not going to tell you to give up your cellular gadgets for the sake of clean skin, but what I do recommend is to reduce your usage a little - that means less texting, calling, scrolling, and all that nice stuff.
 
You can even consider buying a phone that is less cumbersome. Phone size also has a role in skin health, which makes sense because the larger the phone, the more face-to-screen contact you'll have. However, if you're not interested in downsizing, the best thing you can do is just keep your phone away from your face as much as possible, either by using bluetooth, headphones, or dropping calls and texting instead.

Wipe Down Your Smart Phone

Your cell phone, like your computer, can harbour dirt, dust, and bacteria, making it much worse for your skin than your laptop due to frequent use on potentially contaminated surfaces.
 
Every time you place your mobile phone on a table, chair, or any surface, it picks up a cocktail of grime, oil from your skin, dust from the environment, and bacteria from just about everywhere. And here’s the disturbing part, studies have shown that your phone may harbour more microbes than a public toilet. Yes, you read that right, a public toilet. So, the next time you press your phone to your cheek, just think about what else might be tagging along.
 
Do yourself and your skin a favour and stock up on some handy phone wipes or a UV cell phone sanitiser that will do the dirty-ridding thing.
 
Add this simple step to your nighttime routine: wipe down your phone before bed. That way, you can start the next morning with a clean device and cleaner skin.
 
The author, Dr. Vasim Chauhan is Consultant Dermatologist at Kaya Limited.
 
[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]