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Sleep wrinkles and how to prevent them

If you’re of a certain age, you may have started to notice that your skin isn’t as elastic as it used to be. Maybe you’ve got wrinkles and fine lines around your eyes, deep nasolabial folds, expression wrinkles, or even mysterious vertical lines running across your forehead and cheeks that appear deeper after you sleep.

WHAT ARE SLEEP WRINKLES?

Where do these “sleep wrinkles” come from? Researchers at the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery have done extensive research on the phenomenon of sleep wrinkles and have determined that “facial distortion in sleep contributes to the appearance of aging with the development of sleep wrinkles…” and that certain positions contribute more significantly to the appearance of sleep wrinkles than others.

Some may occur when wrinkles in the fabric of the pillowcase press up against your skin. But far more pervasive are those that occur when the skin of the face is distorted by compression, tension and shear force caused by constant tension between the skin and the pillow when you sleep on your side or back.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST CURE

So what can you do? Unfortunately, these researchers also found that treatment options for sleep wrinkles are much more limited than for expression wrinkles. Because of their nature and placement on the face, they are resistant to Botox and other fillers. And the worst part is, if you’re still sleeping on your side or back, you’re deepening these lines every night.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE SLEEP WRINKLES?

If you’re under the age of 25, you may not have noticed the effects of this distortion. But soon you’ll start to see vertical lines cropping up around your eyebrows, under your eyes, around your nasolabial fold that deepen during sleep and stop smoothing out after you wake up.

The test is simple: lay like you normally do on your pillow, or press your palm against the side of your face as if you were sleeping on your pillow. Observe the wrinkles that appear. If once you remove your palm, the wrinkles remain, these are sleep wrinkles.

HELP! I’VE GOT SLEEP WRINKLES!

Don’t panic - there are some ways you can prevent, and even reduce the appearance of existing sleep wrinkles.

Sunscreen

As always, sunscreen is a must in your skincare regime. The Skin Cancer Foundation states that daily use of SPF 15 alone can reduce your risk of developing melanoma by 50% and squamous cell carcinoma by 40%, as well as prevent sun spots, wrinkles and saggy skin. In fact, UV ray exposure is one of the prime causes of premature skin aging. So make sure you reapply regularly and cover up with a big floppy hat or a UV-protective shirt whenever possible.

Reduce contact

The best way to prevent sleep wrinkles is by reducing contact between your face and the pillow. Sleeping on your back solves this problem entirely. Of course, not many people can successfully sleep the whole night on their back. They may start in that position, but often toss and turn during the night.

If you’re not one of the purported 8% of the population who can sleep comfortably on your back, luckily, there’s still a chance for you. The Sleep&Glow pillow line is here to help. The Aula is for those who are ready to train themselves to sleep on their back. The indent in the center of the pillow helps gently hold your head in place, while the higher side bolsters support you and prevent you from tossing and turning to one side.

The Omnia is for back sleepers and side sleepers alike. The special cradles on the sides of the pillow frame your face and prevent contact between the pillowcase and skin while sleeping.

In fact, all of our pillowcases are specially tailored to fit the special anatomical design of our pillows, so that no marks or creases are left on your face after you wake up.