I’m such a baby when I sleep. Every night, I curl in a fetal position, knees gently pulled up towards my chest. It’s so warm and cozy. But, it also means those pesky wrinkles are gonna get me sooner rather than later.
It doesn’t matter how soft your pillow is, it puts pressure on your face every night and that’s no good for your skin.
Why? I’ll let derm Neal Schultz explain this one: “If you sleep on your side or front, rather than your back, it’s like you’re folding over your skin – except it’s sustained pressure. It’s breaking the collagen, which can give you wrinkles and make your skin look saggy.”
So, just sleep on your back. Easy peasy.
Except, I can’t. Oh, I’ve tried. But after a few minutes, I always curl back on my side. Always. Sleeping on my back is just too uncomfortable.
Maybe I’m doing it wrong. But, I’d very much like to keep sleeping on my side without doing any harm to my skin. Am I asking too much?
Maybe not. Word on the street is, a satin pillow can prevent wrinkles, no matter what position you sleep in. Is it too good to be true?
Let’s find out:
Can A Pillow Prevent Wrinkles?
If sleeping on your side puts pressure on your face and causes wrinkles, then anything that helps you sleep on your back should prevent all that damage in the first place.
But, how do you know that just because you fall asleep on your back, you’re gonna wake up like that? People move during sleep. Heck, I woke up upside down once!
Some pillows have a C-shape at the edges to help with this. If you want to turn on your side or stomach, place your head at the edge of the C curve, so the top part of the pillow can support your head and the bottom part your chin.
Sounds good if you’re still half-awake. But in deep sleep? Can’t see that happen…
But let’s say that you can sleep in the same position all night. It still takes way more of a pillow to prevent wrinkles.
Up to 90% of premature wrinkles are caused by UV rays. Even in the best case scenario, a pillow can only prevent a negligible %.
Bottom line: stop worrying about your pillow and pile on the sunscreen.
Related: Treatment VS Prevention: What Really Works Against Wrinkles
Struggling to put together an anti-aging skincare routine that really works? Download the “Best Anti-Aging Skincare Routine” cheatsheet to find out. It includes product recommendations + right application order:
Can A Pillow Make Skincare Products Work Better?
I know what you’re thinking. How can a pillow help your skincare products work better?!
This makes sense, I promise. Just hear me out.
If you go to bed before your lotions and options have completely sunk into your skin, they’ll rub off on your pillow. All those goodies go to waste on a piece of satin that has no use for them.
Sleeping on your back, on the other hand, makes sure your moisturizer stays where it’s supposed to. And you won’t even have to wash your pillowcase as often. Win win.
Plus, the pillow helps you eyelash extensions and derma fillers last longer. If you’re a fan of fillers, you’ve probably annoyed at how one side of the face always loses its fullness faster. Sleeping on your side’s the culprit. This prevents that, too.
Related: 4 Ways To Help Your Skincare Products Better Penetrate Skin
Can A Pillow Prevent Eye Puffiness?
That depends. There are a gazillion things that cause puffy eyes.
Are yours due to fluid retention? That happens when you keep your head flat during sleep. It’s a position that allows fluids to nicely poll together in the tissue around your eyes, making it swell.
The fix? Sleep with your head slightly raised. The Wrinkle Prevention Pillow is taller than a regular pillow so it does the trick just fine.
By the way, if your puffy eyes are caused by anything else – let’s say allergies or diet – this pillow will be useless.
Related: How To Treat Puffy Eyes
What Are The Best Pillows To Prevent Wrinkles?
- Nurse Jamie Beauty Bar Age Delay Pillow (£64.00): Available at Cult Beauty
- YourFacePillow ($109.47): Available at Walmart
Should You Invest In A Wrinkle-Prevention Pillow?
I haven’t made the investment yet. Yep, there is some evidence that sleeping on your back, with your head slightly raised, can prevent wrinkles and some types of puffy eyes while allowing your skincare products to work their best. But, I have yet to see one scientific study singing its praises.
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. If you’ve always wanted to sleep on your back but struggled too, this’ll make it easier to get into the habit. And you may get fewer wrinkles as a reward.
I think I’ve resigned myself to getting old and getting wrinkles, there’s only so much preventative work I can be bothered to put the effort (and money!) into doing.
Katie, I hear you! Preventing aging is a full time job and one we are bound to fail at. I think it’s useful to know what causes wrinkles and how we can prevent them from developing too soon, but we shouldn’t become obsessed with it. Let’s just do what we can, and enjoy our lives. 🙂
This is so helpful as I’ve been curious about this and silk pillowcases for a while. I’m a side sleeper and I had heard it’s bad for your skin…maybe this pillow is the way to go since you can still sleep on your side with it. Thank you for the thorough investigation!!
p.s. unrelated but I loved your Italian food and table customs list in the Sunday Random Ramblings – I’m going to Rome in a few weeks so it was really helpful…I’d love to see more about Italian cultural norms so I don’t make a total fool of myself there, haha!!
Hillary, glad you enjoyed both posts. I like the idea of this pillow. I wish someone did a study just to confirm its benefits, but if you really can’t sleep on your back with a normal pillow, it may be worth a try.
Enjoy your trip to Rome! It’s a beautiful city, and there’s just so much to see and do. Is there anything in particular you’d like to know about Italy? You can also shoot me an email, if you prefer. 🙂
Interesting. Wonder if it really works the same for everyone?
Beauty & Colour
Caitlin, I think it should.
i have heard that too. I sleep on my stomach or side, and I dislike sleeping on my back. I had no wrinkles at all till I went through menopause. I’m not losing sleep over this one 😉
Allison, love your attitude. I think if you can sleep on your back, the better. But I doubt this is one of the main causes of aging, so if you already follow a good skincare routine and have a healthy lifestyle, you shouldn’t worry too much about it. It’s more of a little extra to help skin age better than a necessity.
You know you could also just put 1 pillow on top of another so your head is raised when you sleep.That’s what I do when I get sick with a stuffy cold and have a harder time breathing while laying flat.
Hannah, that’s a great hack! You’re always so full of ideas. 🙂
Great review! Do you think silk pillowcases are worth investing in or if I sleep on my side it won’t matter what material the pillowcase is? thanks 🙂
Maya, a silk pillowcase could help a bit as it doesn’t create as much friction as a cotton pillowcase. It’s also not as absorbent so it won’t rob your skin of your skincare products. But it can quite slippery!
I’m also a side sleeper. I sleep on my left side, and for some time I’ve noticed that the lines on the left side of my face are much deeper than those on the right. I wondered if there was a correlation, so I began to research it. I was pretty excited to find the pillows, but I couldn’t believe the price! So, instead of spending so much without knowing whether or not they really work, I’ve decided to test the concept using my travel neck pillow in a satin pillowcase. You can get both online for less than $10 each. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Dani, oh yes, please do let me know. I’m curious. I really hope it works. It would save everyone so much money.