Digital Exposure and Skin Health in Children and Adolescents: A State-of-the-Art Review
Abstract
The rapid expansion of digital technology has led to unprecedented levels of screen exposure among children and adolescents, raising concerns regarding its potential impact on dermatologic health. This state-of-the-art review aims to synthesize current evidence regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical manifestations, and preventive strategies associated with digital exposure in pediatric populations. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar from inception through January 2026 using terms related to digital exposure, screen time, blue light, pediatric dermatology, circadian rhythm disruption, and psychodermatology. Evidence from experimental, clinical, and epidemiological studies was thematically analyzed. Available evidence suggests that excessive digital exposure may influence skin health through multiple interconnected mechanisms, including reactive oxygen species-mediated oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, circadian rhythm disruption, impaired skin barrier integrity, and neuroendocrine activation. Indirect lifestyle factors associated with prolonged screen use, such as sleep disturbance, psychological stress, sedentary behavior, unhealthy dietary patterns, poor hydration habits, and reduced outdoor activity, may further contribute to systemic inflammation and metabolic dysregulation. Pediatric skin, characterized by an immature epidermal barrier, evolving immune responses, and heightened sensitivity…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Tryptophan Metabolism and Gut-Brain Homeostasis
- Rationale for a Multi-Factorial Approach for the Reversal of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease and MCI: A Review
- Prioritized Research for the Prevention, Treatment, and Reversal of Chronic Disease: Recommendations From the Lifestyle Medicine Research Summit
- Relationship between sleep disorders and gut dysbiosis: what affects what?
- The role of CLOCK gene in psychiatric disorders: Evidence from human and animal research
- Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.