Beauty Sleep Isn’t Always Pretty

We’ve all heard the phrase “get your beauty sleep.” But did you know the way you sleep might actually be aging your skin—or even slowing down scar healing?

Research shows that certain sleep positions can lead to “sleep wrinkles” caused by repeated pressure, compression, and tension on your skin. Over time, this mechanical stress can deepen fine lines, distort scar tissue, and accelerate visible signs of aging (Anson et al., 2016).

The good news? With a few mindful adjustments—and the right skincare support—you can protect your skin while you sleep.

How Sleep Positions Cause Wrinkles and Affect Scars

• Side and Stomach Sleeping = Compression Lines
  When you press your face into the pillow, your skin folds in unnatural ways, creating vertical or diagonal lines known as “sleep wrinkles.” Unlike expression lines, which come from muscle movement, these wrinkles are caused by pressure and distortion during sleep (Sarifakioglu et al., 2004).

• Scars and Healing Tissue Are Vulnerable
  Fresh scars (from acne, surgery, or injury) are especially sensitive to repeated pulling and pressure. Studies show scar healing outcomes improve when skin isn’t exposed to constant compression during rest (Fulton & Gaminchi, 1999).

• Poor Sleep = Slower Skin Recovery
  Beyond position, overall sleep quality affects skin repair. Patients with poor sleep had significantly worse outcomes after laser scar treatments compared to those with restful sleep (Hua et al., 2024).

• Anti-Wrinkle Pillows Show Promise
  One clinical study found that specially designed pillows reduced wrinkle density by up to 12% in just 28 days, simply by eliminating direct facial pressure (Poljšak et al., 2016).

Practical Tips: Protecting Your Skin While You Sleep

1. Sleep on Your Back
   This is the best way to avoid pillow-induced wrinkles and keep scars from being distorted.

2. Switch to Silk or Satin Pillowcases
   These fabrics create less friction than cotton, minimizing tugging on delicate skin.

3. Consider Anti-Wrinkle Pillows
   Designed to support back sleeping and relieve pressure points, these pillows can make a big difference.

4. Support Skin Overnight
   Apply deeply hydrating, barrier-repairing creams before bed to give your skin resilience against nighttime stress.

How Rejûvaskin Can Help

At Rejûvaskin, we believe caring for your skin while you sleep should feel simple, safe, and effective. Our formulas are crafted with gentle botanicals and medical-grade ingredients to support healing and reduce visible signs of aging:

• Skin Recovery Cream: Rich in aloe, calendula, and hyaluronic acid, this cream calms irritation, locks in moisture, and supports collagen—perfect for sensitive or healing skin.

• Rejuvasil Scar Gel: Protects and improves the appearance of scars while helping them stay supple and less vulnerable to sleep compression.

• Stretch Mark Cream: Hydrates and strengthens skin with natural extracts, making it more resilient against stretching and pulling forces—day or night.

These products are designed not just to improve how your skin looks, but also how it feels—restored, resilient, and radiant.

Your sleep position may be silently shaping your skin. Side and stomach sleeping create sleep wrinkles and can interfere with scar healing, but with small lifestyle changes—and the right skincare—you can protect your skin overnight.

Remember: healthy, youthful skin isn’t just about what you do during the day. It’s also about how you care for it at night.

Works Cited 

• Anson, G., Kane, M., & Lambros, V. (2016). Sleep wrinkles: Facial aging and facial distortion during sleep. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 36(8), 931–940. Link

• Fulton, J., & Gaminchi, F. (1999). Sleep lines. Dermatologic Surgery, 25(1), 59–62. Link

• Hua, H., Li, M., Zhai, X., Zhou, S., Pan, Z., Hou, Z., & Zhou, B. (2024). Sleep quality correlates with effectiveness of ultrapulse fractional CO2 laser in the treatment of facial atrophic acne scars. The Journal of Dermatology. Link

• Poljšak, B., Godic, A., Starc, A., & Dahmane, R. (2016). The neglected importance of sleep on the formation and aggravation of facial wrinkles and their prevention. Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications, 6(3), 96–99. Link

• Sarifakioglu, N., Terzioglu, A., Ateş, L., & Aslan, G. (2004). A new phenomenon: “Sleep lines” on the face. Scandinavian Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Hand Surgery, 38(4), 244–247. Link