What can be more pleasant than to have a good night’s sleep pampered between cool, smooth, and shiny sheets? The saying “soft as silk” was invented for a reason. Sheets made of this fine fabric have been among the most coveted for a long time.
The benefits of silk pillowcases extend beyond making you feel like royalty when using them. More specifically, pillowcases made from this material may help clear your complexion and make your locks smoother and shinier. So if you suffer from dry brittle hair falling out or have sensitive skin, switching to a silk pillowcase may be the answer.
How do silk pillowcases work? The science behind the fabric
When we think about healthy, protective fabrics, the first thing that comes to mind is cotton. Cotton is a natural fibre that allows our skin to breathe. However, what is good for our body is not necessarily also the best option for our face and hair.
Cotton captures moisture and traps it inside. This may be great to keep us dry during the day, but sleeping on a cotton pillowcase can promote skin inflammation and acne. When it comes to hair, the fibres of cotton pillowcases grind against our locks creating frail, dry, and frizzy hair.
Silk, on the other hand, is made of continuous filament fibre which makes stitching unnecessary. The surface of the fabric is perfectly smooth, giving it a frictionless feeling against your hair. This is what makes it feel cool, which helps regulate skin temperature. It also makes it soft and gentle, which keeps it from absorbing moisture.
Having your complexion exposed to less friction and moisture during your sleep has been shown to reduce acne [1]. It can also prevent hair breakage and reduce tangling.
Silk pillowcase benefits for hair
Why splurge money on a silk pillowcase? Well, if you are concerned about the health of your hair, buying a silk pillowcase is an excellent investment for a variety of reasons.
Silk pillowcases can help reduce hair loss
Sleeping on such a smooth surface will protect already dry and brittle hair from suffering any more friction damage. Rougher fabrics rubbing against it during involuntary nocturnal movement can cause sensitive strands to split and break, which is why you may find loose hairs on your pillow in the morning. Silk pillowcases benefit your hair, gently caressing it instead of tearing it off.
Your hair will be smooth as silk
No more morning bedhead for those who choose to sleep on silk pillowcases. Their soft slickness helps your locks glide on their surface without rubbing against it or getting charged up with static electricity. This means that one of the benefits of silk pillowcases is that you will wake up with a smoother, less frazzled mane, easier to style and tame. This is especially important after a hair transplant when you’re trying to protect your new hair. Learn more about post-hair transplant styling.
Say goodbye to tortuous tangles
Brushing one’s hair in the morning is a dreaded moment for everyone with long locks, especially after sleeping on rougher fibres. That is because friction does not only harm your hair, it also makes it tangle. However, of the greatest silk pillowcase benefits is that it prevents your locks from becoming knotted, leaving them smoother and easier to comb and style after you wake up. The simple fact that they can reduce the pain and frustration that you have to deal with during morning brushing is reason enough to think that silk pillowcases are worth it.
Silk pillowcase benefits for your skin
Those with sensitive skin who would like to wake up after a night of beauty sleep to a clean and clear face may wish to invest in a high-quality silk pillowcase. There are many ways that a quality silk pillowcase can benefit your complexion as well as your hair.
Silk pillowcases can help relieve acne
Cotton bedding absorbs the oily moisture from your skin, as well as the bacteria that cause acne, exposing your face to them all through the night. This can increase inflammation of the skin and make it break out. If you are looking for smoother skin or if you have very sensitive skin, you might want to consider trying out a silk pillowcase as the silk fabric prevents dirt and moisture from seeping through and irritating the skin on your face.
Your face will be silky smooth with fewer wrinkles
Dermatologists confirm that sleeping on silk pillowcases can not only prevent the formation of new wrinkles, it can also help clear existing fine lines. Silk pillowcases prevent wrinkles by allowing the skin to move freely on the surface, preventing crushed wrinkles caused by friction.
Better skin hydration can be achieved
Your complexion needs all the hydration it can get, especially if you have dry skin. That is why bedding made from very absorbent fabrics can be the wrong option for you. Silk pillowcases keep the moisture where it is most needed – within your hydrated skin instead of inside your pillow.
What are some other benefits of silk pillowcases?
Aside from the skin and hair beauty benefits, silk pillowcases offer a variety of other benefits for both your sleep and overall health.
Temperature regulation
The cool feel of silk can keep you comfortable during hot summer nights, but not everyone knows that this fabric is also good at retaining warmth. This means that you will not be chilly in winter either. Sheets made from silk fibre are great in any weather and can be particularly helpful to women who are struggling with hot flashes during menopause.
Allergy reduction
Mulberry silk is known to be naturally hypoallergenic, because of its properties which repel bed and dust mites. These microscopic bugs are the main reason behind dust allergies and can be quite difficult to get rid of since they live on the surface of our skin. While cotton fibre pillowcases get loaded with them quickly, silk ones do not, due to their texture and weaving, keeping them away from your airways.
Better quality of sleep
Sleeping on cool, smooth, shiny bedding gives us a luxurious feel, it makes us comfortable and helps us relax and unwind after a stressful day. Moreover, the temperature-regulating quality of silk sheets keeps us comfortable and less likely to wake up during the night feeling hot or chilly. That will lead to better sleep quality and waking up more refreshed and energised in the morning. Since lack of sleep has been linked to hair loss, this is super important for preserving your tresses. Getting a good night’s sleep is also essential after hair restoration surgery — find out how to sleep after a hair transplant.
Having the opportunity to feel pampered as we sleep in a cool and pleasant fabric is great enough on its own. But protecting our skin and hair at the same time seems like the perfect deal. Silk pillowcases are a luxurious, effortless, natural way to preserve our beauty — and deal with dry hair.
What should I consider when buying a silk pillowcase?
If you are considering buying a silk pillowcase for your beauty sleep, you might be wondering what is the best silk pillowcase to buy and what should you look out for. Here are a few things to take into consideration when out shopping:
To reap the benefits of a silk pillowcase buy 100% silk
Although marketed as silk pillowcases, some pillowcase brands are actually a blend of silk and another fabric blend. These blends do not have the same effect on the skin and hair as a pure silk pillowcase. Therefore, do your due diligence and read the fine print to make sure that the silk pillowcase brand you are buying is 100% silk.
Buy 100% mulberry silk
The best silk pillowcases out there are made from high-grade mulberry silk. Mulberry silk is considered to be the Egyptian cotton equivalent of silk fabrics. High-grade quality type of silk is strong and smooth and if cared for correctly, can last for years.
Buy high momme silk
Whereas the quality of cotton pillowcases and sheets is measured in thread count, silk is measured in momme. Momme measures the weight of the silk fabric.
Good quality silk is considered to be between 12-19 momme. Very high-quality silk is usually between 19-30 momme. Anything silk pillowcase that is below 12 momme will not be as durable and will most likely fall apart quickly.
Satin pillowcases are not the same as silk pillowcases
When out shopping, you might be tempted to buy a satin pillowcase. However, you should know that satin often refers to the weave and finish of the fabric (smooth and shiny), not necessarily the composition of the pillowcase fabric. In fact, most satin pillowcases are made out of a combination of polyester blends.
Therefore, if you want a satin-silk pillowcase, make sure to read the label to make sure that the pillowcase is made out of high-quality skin and not a polyester blend.
What else can I do to pamper my hair?
In addition to pampering your skin and hair by sleeping on a luxury silk pillowcase, you may be wondering what else you can do to improve the health of your hair.
The good news is that there are a variety of ways in which you can improve the overall health of your hair including lifestyle changes such as eating a healthier diet for your hair and changing up your hair care routine to avoid damaged hair.
However, if you notice more than the average hair shedding on your silk pillowcase and are concerned about hair loss, you might want to seek expert advice from an experienced hair loss specialist.
Here at Wimpole Clinic, our top-rated hair loss specialists dedicate themselves to providing the best in care to all of our patients including diagnosing the cause of hair loss and creating the right treatment specific to your needs and goals.
To find out more about the services we provide, contact us today for a free consultation.
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