Pillowcases can house dirt and oil.
Like anything else that transfers dirt and oil to your skin, pillowcases can be the cause of acne mechanica. Acne Mechanica is any type of acne that is the result of material or objects touching your face. When your pillowcase isn’t laundered or changed regularly, a build-up of dirt and oil from the environment as well as your skin and hair touching the pillow is transferred back to your skin. This can clog pores and cause blemishes.”
But you can take preventative steps.
1. 1. Keep your face clean.
Whether or not you have acne, it’s important to wash your face twice daily to remove impurities, dead skin cells, and extra oil from your skin’s surface. Washing more often than twice daily is not necessarily better; it may do more harm than good. Use lukewarm water (not hot), and a mild facial cleanser. Using a harsh soap (like deodorant body soap) can hurt already inflamed skin and cause more irritation.
Avoid scrubbing your skin harshly with a washcloth, an exfoliating glove. Gently wash it with a very soft cloth or your hands. Always rinse well, and then dry your face with a clean towel. Also, use the washcloth only once.
2. Sleep on pillowcases made out of natural fabrics.
These materials themselves breathe better and transfer less oil onto the pillowcase.
3. Launder your pillowcases every two to three days.
This ensures you’re not lying on a pillowcase with several days’ worth of oil-soaked into it or pooled on the surface. Liquid fabric softener and dryer sheets leave behind a waxy residue that is highly pore-clogging. Avoid using fabric softener on your pillowcases. Fragrance-free fabric softeners aren’t any better — in this case, it’s the softening agents that are a problem for acne-prone skin.