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Can Silk Pillowcases Cause Acne

Can Silk Pillowcases Cause Acne

As from the previous article we have tackled about silk and satin pillowcases, it was mentioned before that silk is beneficial both for your hair and skin by making shinier and can lessen your facial lines and wrinkles.

We often wonder whether this pillowcase might also be good for acne-prone skin, or it can cause the other way around. Well, you may continue reading below to find out…

A silk pillowcase is healthy for your skin in general, and it does not cause acne. Since silk came from natural fiber, it does not clog pores; therefore, it is ideal for people with acne-prone skin.

Moreover, silk can help in relaxing your facial tissues, making it soft and smooth. Hence, think silk pillowcases as an add-on on your daily skincare routine.

Even though silk pillowcases are a bit pricey, more people are investing in this type of fabric, because of the potential benefits it can give to your skin, hair, and even in your sleep.

Just imagine your face gliding on a smooth, soft, and shiny pillowcase feels like you are on cloud nine. LOL.

However, there are still people doubting the wonders of silk pillowcases; therefore, I have listed below some of the notable questions about silk pillowcases, and we will try to give our utmost opinion about them.

Silk Pillowcases Benefits

The series of questions you will be reading below are based on the topmost search questions on the internet about silk pillowcases.

Can silk pillowcases prevent acne?

Well, not solely pillowcase can prevent acne; instead, it can be a great help in preventing acne since it does not absorb much moisture just like your ordinary cotton pillowcases.

However, you should NOT expect that it would totally clear your skin because of that; hence, you may commit doing daily skincare routine and used anti-acne products prescribed by your dermatologist to clear your skin from blemishes. (Stop touching your face!)

Can silk pillowcases reduce fine lines?

Hmm, kinda? Since friction from your ordinary pillowcases can cause facial folds, creases, and some fine wrinkles around the eye while you are sleep.

Unlike with silk pillowcase, they are naturally soft, smooth, and shiny that can make your face smoother as well since there will be less friction between your face and the pillow, therefore, your face will instantly glide on the pillow without any pressure.

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.

Can silk pillowcase straighten hair?

If you are thinking about salon-rebonded hair, I think we are not on the same page. Instead of making your hair straighter, silk pillowcases can make your hair tangle-free and less frizzy.

This is because silk can resist the friction that your hair has been experiencing with your old and rough pillowcase making it less frizzy.

In addition to this, silk pillowcases can make your hair shaft even shinier, and it can maintain your hairstyle look good when you wake up in the morning.

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.

Are silk pillowcases good for sensitive skin?

Compared to rough cotton pillowcases, silk pillowcases are way gentler and softer on the skin for people with acne-prone or sensitive skin. Moreover, silk is known for being naturally hypoallergenic unless you are allergic to silk itself.

If you just imagine your skin is terrible breaking out every other day yet, you are still lying on a rough pillowcase.

The tendency is that it will cause more lesions that can open more and spread acne-causing bacteria all over your pillow.

On the other hand, if you lay on a silk pillowcase, there will be less rubbing, therefore, less irritation on your sensitive skin.

Differences Between Silk and Cotton Pillowcases

When it comes to a pillowcase, the traditional and rough cotton pillowcase has been known and used in every household before the silk pillowcase emerges and changes everything.

Even though it is more expensive than the traditional cotton pillowcase, it cannot deny the fact that it is more beneficial and much better.

Hence, here is the comparison between cotton and silk pillowcase and see whether now is the right time to change your pillowcase into silk because it is totally a bomb!

Cotton Pillowcases

In spite of its variety of use, cotton is not an appropriate material of choice in making a pillowcase. Here are the reasons why:

A cotton pillowcase makes your skin dry

Aside from your hair, cotton can really make your skin dry and dehydrated. Since cotton is a good absorbent, it can absorb five times more moisture than a silk pillowcase leaving your skin dry in the morning.

In addition to this, when your skin gets dry, it can easily make your skin look old, and some wrinkles may form around your eye area may appear instantly.

Cotton pillowcase is not good for sensitive and acne-prone skin

As I said a while ago, due to cotton's rough texture, it can cause more abrasion to the pores where your acne is actively breaking out.

Thus, this may cause more irritation to your skin leading to a more severe skin condition. If this happens, pus and some dirt may spread all over your pillow, making it dirty and later on may promote acne breakouts.

A cotton pillowcase can damage your hair

Due to their good absorbing properties, the cotton pillowcase can absorb moisture and natural oils from your hair, making it dry and brittle. This further leads to breakage and falling hair.

Aside from absorbing moisture and oil, your hair rubs against the coarse and rough texture of the cotton fibers promoting friction, which can also cause your hair to become frizzy and breakable.

Silk Pillowcases

There is no other fabric more luxurious than silk; hence, with its smooth and soft appearance, you may connote right away that it will bring a lot of benefits to sleepers.

Hence, here are some of the few reasons why you must shift your pillowcase into silk if you have not yet owned one since there are hundreds of reasons why you should be using silk pillowcases.

Silk pillowcase can keep your skin healthy

Your face gets the most contact on your silk pillowcase since you will be laying your head on an average of eight hours each night.

Silk works by keeping the natural moisture on your skin, leaving your skin well hydrated when you wake up in the morning.

In addition to this, silk is known to be naturally hypoallergenic; therefore, it can resist dust, molds, dust mites, and other types of allergens to your skin that can irritate your skin.

Well, some silk users claimed that they have to save money from buying moisturizing creams since sleeping on silk pillowcases retain their natural moisture on their faces.

Silk pillowcases are good for people with sensitive skin

Well, this one depends if the user has an allergy to silk itself; nonetheless, silk pillowcases are recommended for people with sensitive skin, especially those who break out too much.

Though it is not fully claimed that silk prevents acne breakouts, on the other hand, silk can just lessen the irritation, those people with sensitive skin are suffering.

Gee, thanks to its smoothness and soft quality, this can reduce friction by gliding it gently on your face when you move around while you are asleep. Therefore, this is how silk pillowcases work for people with sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Silk can keep your hair strands healthy

As we always notice in some advertisements that hair is always associated with the word "silky"; hence, silk has something to do good with your hair. I know it may be hard to believe that just sleeping on a silk pillowcase can make your hair healthy.

If you always wake up in bed having a bed hair day, worry not, since silk can help in controlling bed head by creating less friction on your hair and allowing your hair to sit on a gentle surface.

By reducing the tension between your hair and the pillowcase, it will no longer disrupt the cuticle of your hair, making your hair shiny, healthy, and frizz-free.

Another thing people liked about silk pillowcases is that they are easy to clean. You just need to toss them inside your washer, and you are good to go. Hence, for complete care on how to wash and clean your silk pillowcases, you may read more to this below.

How To Wash Silk Pillowcases: Ultimate Guide

person stuck in laundry mat drier

Yes, it is given that silk pillowcases are both beneficial for your skin and hair. However, to ultimately achieve this, you must also make sure that your pillowcase is clean and fresh; otherwise, it will not provide the benefits you are looking for.

Therefore, to ensure that the silk pillowcase you will be sleeping on is clean, here is a step-by-step guide you may follow.

Note: You may either machine-wash or hand wash silk pillowcases. Therefore, it depends on the availability of the materials in your household.

Things you will need:

  • Mild detergent
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Drying rack
  • Iron

Things you must remember

  • Use mild/gentle detergent
  • Water temperature: cold (never use hot water)
  • Cycle: gentle or hand wash
  • Drying: dry on clothing line
  • Special step: use mesh bag when washing silk pillowcase

Step 1: Handwashing or machine washing

Choose which method you will prefer in washing your silk pillowcase. Hence, if you decide on using your household washer, make sure you set it on a gentle cycle.

Tip: Place them in a mesh bag since this can help in protecting their zippers, loop fasteners, rough spots, and even their hooks while inside the washing machine.

For people who prefer handwashing, make sure not wring or twist the pillowcases. This is because silk fabric is weak when wet; nonetheless, it is strong when dry. Therefore, you must be cautious about this thing.

Step 2: Wash silk pillowcases with mild detergent

There are certain detergents that are too harsh to be used on silk fabrics losing its naturally smooth and soft texture. Hence, you can prevent this from happening by choosing a mild and gentle detergent that goes well with silk fabrics.

  • For handwashing: Use 1 teaspoon of mild laundry detergent in a sink or large basin
  • For machinewash: Use one-fourth cup of mild laundry detergent or depends on the size of the washer.

Step 3: Check for stains

Before you toss your silk pillowcase inside the washer or soak them in the sink, make sure to check for stains, and then you pretreat them first. You can do this by dabbing the stained area with mild detergent and then leave it for at least 15 minutes before you wash it.

By doing this, the detergent will soften or break the stain molecules that make it easier to remove during the actual washing.

Step 4: Load the washer or the sink with cold water

When washing silk fabrics, make sure you use cold water since hot water can distort and harm the silk fibers making it rough and weak.

Step 5: Rinse with white vinegar

Adding distilled white vinegar on the rinse cycle will help in removing any soap residue on the fabric. Thus, it can also help in eliminating musty smell trapped in your pillowcase.

  • For handwashing: Add about one-fourth cup of distilled white vinegar in the rinse water.
  • For washer: Pour half to 1 cup of white vinegar to the dispenser or depends on the size of the washer.

Step 6: Gentle dry your silk pillowcase

The best way to dry your silk pillowcase is to hang them on a drying rack on the shadiest area of your lawn, away from direct sunlight. Just like using hot water instead of cold water in washing silk, the heat of the sun might also ruin the quality of the fabric.

You may also use your household dryer; just make sure you set it on the lowest heat. It is advisable if you remove the silk pillowcase on the dryer while it is still damp and then hang it to air dry completely.

Step 7: Consider ironing silk pillowcase a habit

Silk tends to wrinkle after you wash them; therefore, the most effective way to remove wrinkles is to iron them. Make sure you iron the pillowcase on the lowest temperature setting since burnt silk fibers cannot be restored; that is why you must be extra careful when ironing this type of fabric.

How often should you wash silk pillowcase

Even though you shower before hitting the bed, it does not mean that you should not wash your pillowcase.

It is recommended to wash and replace your pillowcase weekly, especially if your skin is prone to acne breakouts or you have a cold or infectious disease.

It is a great idea if you have spare silk pillowcases just in case you are busy during the weekend and do not have time to launder the pillowcase.

Proper storage:

  • Do not fold silk pillowcase into tight squares with sharp creases
  • Make a soft fold or just roll the pillowcase before you place it in the shelf
  • Make sure the shelf is clean and does not get dust

Helpful tips:

  • Do not use chlorine bleach when washing silk pillowcase as this is very harmful to silk fibers and may eventually dissolve the fabric
  • Skip using stain removers for pretreatment of stains since some stain removers contain bleach that can damage and break fibers
  • When ironing pillowcases, make sure you use a pressing cloth, or you can place a clean cloth in between the iron and the silk pillowcase to avoid burning the fabric.
  • Do not press on sharp creases and make sure you iron flat
  • Never subject silk pillowcase to excessive heat

P.S

If you have already replaced your cotton pillowcase into silk pillowcase, yet you still complain of breaking out… Well, I think it is also time you also consider changing your pillow.

You may read my previous blog post if sleeping on old pillows can cause acne, plus you may also read some helpful tips on how to care for your acne-prone skin.

Image by Katniss12 from Pixabay