They Reduce Friction And Irritation
Using a silk pillowcase for acne can reduce friction between your skin and the pillowcase fabric. As your skin touches the silk, it glides onto the surface, which means less friction and irritation.
Cotton can actually make things worse if you struggle with acne as it absorbs all the dirt and sebum from your skin every night. As soon as your skin touches the pillowcase, it comes in contact with accumulated dirt, oil, and bacteria, which leads to even more acne.
This is one of the main reasons why your pillowcase fabric matters for your skin health and why you should consider a silk pillowcase to reduce acne and improve the appearance of your skin.
Pillowcase Care And Maintenance Tips
Regardless of a pillowcases material composition, sleepers with acne can keep their cases hygienic and relatively oil-free by following these care and maintenance steps:
- Launder the pillowcases once to twice per week. Defer to the pillowcases care tag for specific instructions. The best practice for synthetic fabrics is to wash in cold or warm water, then tumble dry on a low setting. If the pillowcase is made from natural fibers that are prone to damage from machine washing, consider hand-washing in warm water. This will be somewhat time-consuming, but ultimately much less expensive than weekly dry cleaning.
- Flip the pillowcase throughout the week. This will help maintain optimal hygiene on both sides
- For machine washing, consider placing the pillowcases in a mesh bag. This will prevent the cases from snagging on other garments or parts of the machine, which can compromise their shape and surface feel.
- Use odor-free detergent because detergents with perfumes and aromatic dyes can irritate sensitive skin. Fabric softener slips may also produce some irritation.
- However the pillowcase is washed, make sure it is completely dry before re-covering the pillow. Moisture can damage pillow materials and lead to mold infestation.
- Always store unused pillowcases in cool, dry spaces where they wont be exposed to excessive moisture or humidity.
For more information about pillowcase materials and acne issues for sleepers, please visit the following guides on Tuck.com.
Are Silk Pillowcases Good For Your Skin Yes
Regardless of your personal skin concerns, silk pillowcases are something that many individuals today are considering a silk pillowcase to combat their skin or hair troubles. Today were going to try and answer the question: Are silk pillowcases good for your skin? To help us out, weve enlisted the assistance of Dr. Jeannette Graf, a Board-Certified Dermatologist and Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mt Sinai School of Medicine.
Are silk pillowcases good for your skin?
Women and men around the world today have started to use silk pillowcases in the hope that theyll improve acne and other skin concerns. Silk pillowcases have not been scientifically proven to improve acne overall, however, there is enough evidence to suggest that sleeping with a silk pillowcase can help decrease the transfer of skin products to the pillow fabric. Dr. Jeannette Graf shares. By using silk pillowcases for skin, your skincare products will stay on your face, as opposed to transferring to your pillow. If you are using the right products to target your personal skincare concerns, such as acne or aging, youll find that this can assist with promoting good skin health.
Silk Pillowcases for Acne
Do silk pillowcases prevent wrinkles?
Silk vs Cotton Pillowcases
Switching Over to Silk Pillowcases
Also Check: What Make Acne Scars Go Away
Best For Skin: Fishers Finery 25mm 100% Pure Mulberry Silk Pillowcase
This pillowcase is made from 100 percent mulberry silk and has a high 25 momme density, making it one of the softest options on the market. Thanks to its weight and natural materials, its an option that will do well with all skin typeseven acne-prone skin. The high density assures moisture stays in your hair so you wont wake up with messy tangles, frizz, or fuss.
Silk is among the softest and most gentle fibers available, which is why silk pillowcases are often used as a part of an anti-aging routine. They can be used across all skin types, even those with ultra sensitive skin, Joshua Zeichner MD, the Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, tells Verywell Health.
These handmade Acne Fighting Silver Ionic Pillowcases by HyGenie are made with silver ionic technology that create a sanitary, microbe-free sleeping surface. Not only does this pillowcase offer the luxurious slippery texture you want in a silk option, its also packed with anti-inflammatory silver in the fabric that kills 99.9 percent of bacteria.
Dr. Houshmand advises people with acne prone skin to wash their faces well before going to bed to make the best use of these pillows, and to make sure hair is free of products that contain ingredients like oil or silicone that can cause inflammation.
Keep Skin & Hair Hydrated
On average, skin has a 30-45% moisture content. Keeping that moisture locked in is vital for having healthy, vibrant-looking skin. Everyone knows that drinking plenty of water and applying moisturizing skin lotion daily are absolute musts for keeping skin vivacious, especially as you age. However, few are aware that the type of pillowcase you sleep on matters for keeping your skin, as well as your hair, full of much-needed moisture.
Cotton is a material meant to absorb moisture, and it will do just that to your hair, hairstylist Ali Batista says, and this is just as bad for your hair as it is your skin. As Batista explains, Hairstyles that lack moisture tend to appear frizzy, lifeless, and more prone to static.
Silk is a much less absorbent material than other common pillowcase fabrics, like cotton, that actually suck moisture out of your hair and skin as you sleep. Sleeping on a smooth, 100% silk pillowcase means less moisture will be drawn out of your face and hair each night, giving you more hydrated, beautiful skin and tresses.
Don’t Miss: What Foods To Eat To Clear Acne
Why Trust Verywell Health
As a health writer, knows just how important it is to find the right product for your body and mind. Over the years she has written about health crises, vaccines and product guides. She takes careful note of doctor recommendations, medical research and customer reviews in every product review to assure readers can choose quality products and understand the science behind them.
Silk Pillowcase Benefits For Skin
According to Heather Marianna, beauty expert and founder of Beauty Kitchen, silk pillowcases can help people with acne, since the silk pillowcase causes less friction on your face at night than cotton. “Because of how gentle a fabric it is, it provides relief even for the most sensitive of skin,” Marianna says.
When you shop for silk pillowcases, you’ll notice a lot of marketing claims that the pillowcases can help your skin look better and prevent wrinkles, but according to dermatologist Caren Campbell, the science behind the claims is not solid. While silk pillowcases haven’t been proven to reduce wrinkles, copper-infused pillowcases might, according to a small isolated study.
Campbell encourages patients to focus on overall sleep quality and skin care routines instead of pillowcases to get the results they want. “It’s more important to do good sleep hygiene and get good sleep, as not getting enough sleep shortens telomeres, which are a marker for aging on your chromosomes,” Campbell says.
When it comes to acne, “the better option is doing a good science backed skin care routine for acne that includes a retinoid and benzoyl peroxide,” Campbell says. For concern around aging skin or wrinkles she recommends “an anti-aging routine that includes a mineral sunscreen, retinoid and antioxidant as well as lifestyle choices that prevent aging, like sun avoidance, not smoking, exercise and a healthy diet,” she says.
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Also Check: How To Cover Up Acne With Makeup
Many People Claim That It Helps Prevent Breakouts But Did It Really I Put It To The Test
By now you should be accustomed to wearing a face mask whenever you leave the house as well as the slew of problems that comes with wearing a protective face covering for long intervals in a day. Im talking about breathability, design and the most heinous one of them all maskne.
Its bad enough having to deal with Singapores hot and humid climate on a daily basis. Throw in the friction and abrasion that comes from wearing a mask for an extended period of time, and youve got yourself a prime candidate for breakouts.
As someone whos able to work from home, I count myself lucky enough that I never have a face mask on longer than an hour or two. And this is usually when Im out taking public transport to meet someone or going grocery shopping.
But for someone whos been riddled with acne her whole life, sometimes these one to two hours can have devastating effects on my skin, especially if that has been a particularly sweaty one. Suffice to say, I havent been excused from acne ever since Ive started wearing a mask. So when brands started developing silk masks with claims that they could help prevent maskne, I figured why not try it out?
According to Dr Dendy Engleman, a consultant dermatologist for Elizabeth Arden and the person who coined the term maskne, silk masks are one of the best things we can do for our skin due to the smoothness of the fabric.
Disclaimer: The silk masks used were sent to me for the sole purpose of this review.
READ NEXT
Read Next
How Silk Pillowcases Can Help Acne
Acne is a common skin condition which affects many people at some point in their lives. If youve suffered before, youll know the struggle of trying out product after product to treat your spots, but there is likely one thing which youve overlooked. The one thing that touches the skin on your face every night your pillowcase.
Although it would be difficult to argue that your pillowcase is the only thing that is affecting your skin, it certainly will be a contributing factor.
Read Also: When Will My Acne Go Away
Does The Silk Pillowcase Have Thermoregulation Ability
Though silk may not be the coolest and most breathable pillowcase option, it surely helps in regulating temperature.
Silk fabrics came from natural 100 percent silkworm secretions that have an inherently temperature-control feature, which can regulate body temperature whenever the weather is cold or hot.
Unlike a cotton pillowcase that is a good absorbent of moisture, a silk pillowcase can wick moisture away, leaving you cool, dry, and comfortable throughout the night.
Common Pillowcase Fabrics And Materials
Before we discuss specific fabrics and materials, lets look at some characteristics in pillowcase materials that can affect acne symptoms:
Pillowcases can be made from dozens of different materials. The table below illustrates some key characteristics about the most common pillowcase fabrics.
| Fabric |
| Very Good |
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Rinse With White Vinegar
Adding distilled whitevinegar on the rinse cycle will help in removing any soap residue on thefabric. Thus, it can also help in eliminating musty smell trapped in yourpillowcase.
- Forhandwashing: Add about one-fourth cup of distilledwhite vinegar in the rinse water.
- Forwasher: Pour half to 1 cup of white vinegar to the dispenseror depends on the size of the washer.
How Are Silk Pillowcases Beneficial
One of the advantages of silk pillowcases is that they do not clog pores, making them healthier to sleep on than cotton sheets and pillowcases. However, its vital to note that silk pillowcases alone cannot keep acne at bay, there must be other factors at play to ensure that youre going to sleep and waking up with glistening skin .
Despite there not being any definitive scientific evidence that silk cures acne, it is still a much better option to its alternatives. When your pillowcase isnt washed frequently, you are likely to see a build-up of bacteria, oil and dirt from your pillowcase that is transferred back to your skin.
Picture your pillowcase as the cherry on the cake after your nightly skincare routine. Silk can create a strong barrier between the transferable bacteria from, lets say, the typical cotton pillowcase to your face, as silk is a natural fibre. This means silk sheets and pillowcases cannot absorb moisture or any form of product that is put onto your face. Whats more is that silk overall does not cause rubbing to the face, which can mean that the puffiness and swelling you sometimes see when you wake up can be reduced by simply using a silk pillowcase. Its as simple as that.
So if youre desperate for better rest, reduction in puffiness and potentially less acne when you wake up, why not check out our silk pillowcases for that extra step in your nightly skincare routine?
Read Also: What Is The Best Moisturizer For Oily Skin Acne Prone
Do Silk Pillowcases Maintain Your Skin Hydrated Throughout The Night
Due to its natural softness and smoothness, silk tends to absorb less moisture from your skin, leaving it hydrated throughout the night. Unlike cotton, a pillowcase that can absorb more moisture and facial oil that can make your skin dry in the morning.
Later on, this consistent dryness on your skin can make your skin look old, and some fine lines will be visible. That is why many people shifted from the traditional cotton pillowcase to the silk pillowcase due to this reason.
The Best Pillowcase For Acne
Looking for a simple way to pamper your face and make your acne easier to control? Look beyond your medicine cabinet to your linen closet.
Your pillowcase does matter, said Sydney VanHoose, APRN, a board-certified nurse practitioner at Waters Edge Dermatology who specializes in medical and surgical dermatology. Some pillowcases hinder acne treatment, while others help.
To help you choose the best pillowcase for acne, VanHoose offered this advice.
Also Check: How To Help Get Rid Of Acne
They’re Easier To Wash
Silk pillowcases are easier to wash and dry than cotton or fabric blends. This is because silk is a naturally light material so it doesn’t retain moisture. Also, silk gets softer with each new wash, which is great news for your skin.
Silk bedding and pillowcases have specific washing and drying instructions in order to stay in their best shape. For instance, you should always wash silk by hand and avoid the washer and dryer.
Use mild detergent with no harsh chemicals to prevent even more skin irritation. Another rule for washing silk is to never wash it with hot or even warm water. Always wash your silk bedding with cold water and don’t leave it in the water to soak.
To dry your silk bedding, you can use the tumble dryer on the lowest setting and don’t mix it with other fabrics. If possible, always let silk air-dry and place it on a flat surface to avoid shrinkage and folds.
Hygenie Silver Ionic Pillowcase
Though it has a lower rating overall compared to other two brands featured, the HyGenie Silver Ionic pillowcase has been successful for some acne sufferers that didnt find relief with other pillowcases in this category.
The HyGenie is a cotton blend pillowcase embedded with ionic silver.
Ionic silver has a few advantages. Firstly it helps inhibit bacteria growth, which naturally is useful for those with acne as bacteria is the primary issue. The ionic silver also helps protect against odors and pollutants.
The odor advantage isnt too important since you should be changing your pillowcases often enough that odors shouldnt form, especially if you have acne. The pollutant protection is important, however, as contaminants can irritate the skin further. This is particularly true if you have active acne on the face already. Allergy sufferers can also find relief with this pillowcase for the same reasons.
The embedded ionic silver doesnt last forever so this pillowcase will need to be replaced. HyGenie has found that this pillowcase will withstand 30 washes before the ionic silver is affected, but only by a few percent.
Depending on how often you wash your pillowcase, you may need to replace after 4 months or so, give or take. Many customers purchase two pillowcases for this reason. Washing the HyGenie pillowcase is easy and it requires no special care. It maintains its softness perfectly as well.
Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Acne Between Eyebrows
Lilysilk Mulberry Silk Pillowcases Against Acne
Acne Is The Most Common Skin Condition In The United States, Affecting Up To 50 Million Americans Annually.
You may have tried everything to get rid of acne, such as the expensive facial treatment essence that your girlfriends use, the magical cleansing brush that influencers recommended, and the so-called highly effective acne cream that can eliminate acne overnight but still, useless.
Best Acne Pillowcases For Clearer Skin
123RF
If you havent tried out acne pillowcases, you may be ignoring a huge factor in your skincare. Acne treatments can only take you so far if youre spending six to eight hours a night with your face pressed against a bacteria-covered pillow. For a truly luxe sleeping experience, treat yourself to linen sheets.
Read Also: What’s Best For Cystic Acne
How Can A Silk Pillowcase Help
Think of your silk pillowcase as the cherry on top of your skincare routine. If you suffer from hormonal acne, a pillowcase isnt going to stop breakouts, but it will minimise the problem by making for a healthier, cleaner sleeping environment, and is a much better option than cotton. Silk is a natural fibre that does not clog pores, it wont absorb moisture or products making it healthy for the skin in general.
As silk is also smoother, tightly woven fabric, it will be smoother on your skin and cause less friction and rubbing on your skin, which can help to reduce redness. If your skin is particularly sensitive, it will help to reduce puffiness and swelling. Its not the end-all-be-all for acne-prevention but it can help in preventing it and relaxing facial skin altogether. Think of it as an extra step to your skincare routine.
