Beware! Excessive gadget use could stimulate early ageing: Doctors

New Delhi: Calling all electronic geeks and gizmo freaks! If techno-world is your favourite place to be, then you might want to pay attention to this one.

Health experts have warned that gadget freaks may begin to show signs of ageing sooner than those who don't indulge in this practice.

Excessive use of electronic gadgets like tablets, mobile phones, have been shown to cause what medical professionals are calling 'tech neck', which leads to sagging skin, dropping jowls, and creases above the clavicle, while also affecting one's facial looks, like frown lines, under-eye bags, and horizontal lines on the neck along with fat prominences.

"People who bend down constantly for long hours while using any handheld electronic device, like smartphones, tablet or computers, are more likely to get wrinkles. The bending position while texting on mobile phones can cause neck, back and shoulder pain, apart from headache, numbness, tingling in the upper limb and pain in hands, arm, elbows and wrists," said Vinod Vij, Cosmetic Surgeon, at Mumbai-based Fortis Hospital.

Mobile phone usage and users of mobile internet have recently seen a spike and is expected to grow further by reaching an estimate of 371 million by June, 2016.

As much as 40 per cent of the users consist of youngsters between the age group of 19-30.

Experts have said that the frequent forward flexion causes changes in the cervical spine, curve, supporting ligaments, tendons and musculature, as well as the bony segments, commonly causing postural change.

Mohan Thomas, Senior Cosmetic Surgeon, Cosmetic Surgery Institute, said: "As people do not realize the negativity they are causing to their neck bone and the skin, tech obsessed people should take necessary steps to avoid the overuse of the electronic gadgets."

He said the overuse of smart phones causes shortening of the neck muscles.

"Apart from shortening of the neck muscle it also increases the gravitational pull on the skin. Ultimately, this results in sagging skin, double chin, marionette lines (vertical lines from lips to chin) and loose jowls (drooping jawline). All these signs have been collectively labelled medically as "smartphone face," he said.