Early-morning light benefits your skin and eyes, as well as your artistry

So many people are asking me about the benefits of red light on the skin since Costco and other retailers have begun selling red-light masks.

I was looking into the effects of light on skin and found an interesting fact that overlaps with my love of oil painting and gardening. It turns out the sunrise sun has many benefits. I try to water my plants in the morning before it gets too hot, but now I know this has more benefits than I realized.

If you wake up and go outside to experience the sunrise, you will be getting blue and red light exposure. But this is the interesting part – your eyes and brain need these lights more than your skin does.

Artificial lighting in your home or office

The LED light that we use in our homes and offices leaves out important light wavelengths. I know this as an artist because I need to buy special bulbs to give me the full spectrum of light when I paint. (Yes, they have special bulbs for painters!)

Your retinas also need the full spectrum of light. The red and blue lights send signals to the brain that affect mood, cognition and help your cell’s mitochondria make energy. This can have an anti-aging effect!

Natural light includes the full spectrum of light but also has ultraviolet UVA and UVB that can damage our skin. The first light of the day has more blue and red light and less UVB light, which is why the sunrise can be so healthy to witness.

Effects of natural light on retinas

Our retinas and skin benefit from light because it boosts our mitochondria, or the “engines” of our cells. Mitochondria play a role in many important skin functions because they make cellular energy known as ATP, which is needed for DNA repair, making collagen and wound repair.

We need exposure to natural light to boost these processes. However, it is still essential to wear SPF.

We have known for decades that blue light improves your mood, but recently learned that it benefits color perception as well. Older eyes cannot see color as well as younger eyes.

As a painter and a dermatologist, color perception matters a lot. Natural blue and red light help to boost your color perception. For any painters out there, try it and let me know if you can tell a difference in your painting abilities! (Come tell me on Reddit in my community r/skintypesolutions.)

Bottom line

It turns out that when I go outside in the morning when the sun is coming up to water my plants, I’m helping the mitochondria in my retinas and maybe my skin. This boosts my color perception, mood and anti-aging mechanisms.

How amazing is that? My gardening is helping my painting and ability to observe colors. Now I just need to figure out how to handle all those iguanas feasting on my plants.

I am seeing patients on Wednesdays at Body + Beauty Lab in Bay Harbor. My sabbatical is over but my oil painting continues.