The Pillow Plot

Your pillow may cuddle you to sleep, but it could also be sneaking in a few wrinkles overnight

- By BINDU GOPAL RAO

Your pillow isn’t just a silent witness to late-night scrolling, bad-day tears, and lazy snuggles —it night also bs quietly sabotaging your skin. Pillowcase ageing happens when friction, pressure, and moisture absorption from the pillow gradually damage skin proteins like collagen and elastin. This leads to dryness, irritation, sleep creases, and eventually, permanent wrinkles.

“Side and stomach sleepers often develop diagonal lines that don’t match natural expression lines. These are sleep creases that can deepen into permanent wrinkles with time.”

DR NISHITA RANKA, dermatologist

“Pillowcases absorb oil, sweat and leftover skincare or hair products. Such accumulation not only leads to breakouts but also low-grade inflammation that can speed up the ageing of the skin.”