Sleeping With The Enemy: Why Your Pillow Is Making Your Skin Break Out
Think about this. Each night, your body sheds around 15 million skin cells - a feast for the microscopic dust mites that call your bed and your pillow home.
Combined with face and hair oils, sweat, drool and the residue from the cosmetics you put on your skin, your pillow becomes the perfect environment for bacteria to live and flourish. In fact, according to a 2013 study that looked at the microorganisms that are living on the surfaces of our homes; your pillow case is likely to have more bacteria living on it than your toilet seat!
So, when was the last time you changed your pillow case? The longer you go without washing your pillow case, the more dead skin cells, oil and sweat that accumulates on the surface, giving the dust mites and bacteria plenty of food to enjoy! And, if you haven’t replaced your pillow entirely within the last two years, you are probably also sleeping on a build up of mould. It sounds pretty gross right? But it is actually quite harmless and poses no real threat to healthy skin.
However, if your skin suffers from an impaired barrier function or is vulnerable to infection - such as when you have open lesions (pimples or acne), a cut, or even just sensitivity after a recent wax session or skin needling facial - then the bacteria on your pillow can cause your skin to break out.
How To Prevent Your Pillow From Causing Your Skin To Break Out
According to our sisters over at the Australian Skin Institute, frequently replacing your pillows (at least every two years) and investing in antimicrobial pillows and pillowcase is the first step in preventing your pillow from causing your skin to break out.
If you don’t have any particular skin issues such as acne/maskne, eczema or rosacea then changing your pillowcase at least once a week is recommended. However, if you have preexisting skin issues or you have recently had an advanced skin procedure such as microdermabrasion, skin needling, injectable fillers or even facial waxing - ensuring that you are sleeping on a clean and fresh pillow slip every night is a must.
You can keep the laundry pile at a minimum by following this ASI Pro Tip: Simply sleep on one side of your pillowcase the first night then flip that baby over for the second night. On the third night, swap your pillowcase out for a fresh one and start again.
LED Light Therapy For Bacteria Free Skin
As well as ensuring you give your skin a clean and fresh pillow to sleep on every night, treating your skin with LED Light Therapy is a great way to keep your skin clean and clear of bacteria.
Well known for its ability to effectively kill bacteria that proliferates within the pores and oil glands of the skin, LED Therapy uses blue and red light to also reduce oil production within the sebaceous glands while reducing inflammation and redness of the skin. Perfect for any skin suffering from active acne, eczema or rosacea, LED Light Therapy is also fantastic for calming sensitive skins and giving your skin an anti-ageing boost.
How To Incorporate LED Light Therapy Into Your Beauty Routine
Pain free, non-invasive and suitable for all skin types, LED Light Therapy is a quick and fuss-free skin treatment best done once or twice a week, when managing break out prone skin.
LED Light Therapy is also amazing when incorporated into other skin treatments such as microdermabrasion, skin needling, professional skin peels and beauty booster treatments.
Ready to get started? To book your LED Light Therapy session, simply click here or visit the Believe in Beautiful website to find out about our amazing Mix & Match Skin Memberships, which include LED Light Therapy.
We have 9 Believe in Beautiful clinics throughout Brisbane and a friendly team of experienced Dermal Therapists ready to assess your skin and talk to you about all your treatment options as well as suggest the perfect home routine using ASI’s range of cosmeceutical skincare products.
You can also download the Believe in Beautiful App and instantly earn $20.00 in loyalty points to use towards your skin treatment or ASI product purchase the next time you visit a Believe in Beautiful clinic.
Combined with face and hair oils, sweat, drool and the residue from the cosmetics you put on your skin, your pillow becomes the perfect environment for bacteria to live and flourish. In fact, according to a 2013 study that looked at the microorganisms that are living on the surfaces of our homes; your pillow case is likely to have more bacteria living on it than your toilet seat!
So, when was the last time you changed your pillow case? The longer you go without washing your pillow case, the more dead skin cells, oil and sweat that accumulates on the surface, giving the dust mites and bacteria plenty of food to enjoy! And, if you haven’t replaced your pillow entirely within the last two years, you are probably also sleeping on a build up of mould. It sounds pretty gross right? But it is actually quite harmless and poses no real threat to healthy skin.
However, if your skin suffers from an impaired barrier function or is vulnerable to infection - such as when you have open lesions (pimples or acne), a cut, or even just sensitivity after a recent wax session or skin needling facial - then the bacteria on your pillow can cause your skin to break out.
How To Prevent Your Pillow From Causing Your Skin To Break Out
According to our sisters over at the Australian Skin Institute, frequently replacing your pillows (at least every two years) and investing in antimicrobial pillows and pillowcase is the first step in preventing your pillow from causing your skin to break out.
If you don’t have any particular skin issues such as acne/maskne, eczema or rosacea then changing your pillowcase at least once a week is recommended. However, if you have preexisting skin issues or you have recently had an advanced skin procedure such as microdermabrasion, skin needling, injectable fillers or even facial waxing - ensuring that you are sleeping on a clean and fresh pillow slip every night is a must.
You can keep the laundry pile at a minimum by following this ASI Pro Tip: Simply sleep on one side of your pillowcase the first night then flip that baby over for the second night. On the third night, swap your pillowcase out for a fresh one and start again.
LED Light Therapy For Bacteria Free Skin
As well as ensuring you give your skin a clean and fresh pillow to sleep on every night, treating your skin with LED Light Therapy is a great way to keep your skin clean and clear of bacteria.
Well known for its ability to effectively kill bacteria that proliferates within the pores and oil glands of the skin, LED Therapy uses blue and red light to also reduce oil production within the sebaceous glands while reducing inflammation and redness of the skin. Perfect for any skin suffering from active acne, eczema or rosacea, LED Light Therapy is also fantastic for calming sensitive skins and giving your skin an anti-ageing boost.
How To Incorporate LED Light Therapy Into Your Beauty Routine
Pain free, non-invasive and suitable for all skin types, LED Light Therapy is a quick and fuss-free skin treatment best done once or twice a week, when managing break out prone skin.
LED Light Therapy is also amazing when incorporated into other skin treatments such as microdermabrasion, skin needling, professional skin peels and beauty booster treatments.
Ready to get started? To book your LED Light Therapy session, simply click here or visit the Believe in Beautiful website to find out about our amazing Mix & Match Skin Memberships, which include LED Light Therapy.
We have 9 Believe in Beautiful clinics throughout Brisbane and a friendly team of experienced Dermal Therapists ready to assess your skin and talk to you about all your treatment options as well as suggest the perfect home routine using ASI’s range of cosmeceutical skincare products.
You can also download the Believe in Beautiful App and instantly earn $20.00 in loyalty points to use towards your skin treatment or ASI product purchase the next time you visit a Believe in Beautiful clinic.
