Satin pillowcases offer a variety of potential benefits. The glossy, smooth texture of the weave allows the head to move easily, reducing the friction that could otherwise cause wrinkles, hair frizzing, and breakage. The material is also less absorbent, which may promote hydrated skin while decreasing the risk of acne.
Which one you choose comes down to a few factors, like price and preference. "I like satin more because it's less expensive than silk, but it's also smoother than silk, reducing the friction between the hair strands and the pillowcase," says Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris, Trichologist, Ph. D.
Satin is also soft, so it won't pull at your skin or hair which means it's better compared to a cotton pillowcase and can help prevent the formation of wrinkles or reducing breakage and frizz. A satin pillowcase can easily be thrown in the wash with the rest of your laundry (silk requires more careful care).
How Often to Wash Satin Pillowcases. Pillowcases, even satin ones, come into contact with your face and skin. They gather a lot of dirt and oils on them. So, you'll want to wash them at least every seven to 14 days, more if you notice stains.
You Should Go for a Satin Pillowcase If…
You hope to clear up acne or hydrate dry skin. You notice hair breakage or tangling after sleeping. You have sensitive skin.
Bacteria and dirt will build up more slowly on silk or satin than on cotton, but you still need to wash it frequently. You don't want to be applying a fresh layer of skin irritants every time you go to sleep! For this reason, read the label carefully before deciding between silk or satin pillowcases.
If you're someone who goes to bed with wet hair often, you might want to consider resting your tresses on satin. Unlike cotton, which can cause damage to your hair if you sleep with it wet, satin pillowcases will be more forgiving and allow your wet hair to move more freely and prevent creases while you sleep.
The smooth surface of satin reduces friction between your hair and the pillow, which means less breakage. Friction can cause your hair cuticles to lift, making your hair more susceptible to damage. By sleeping on satin, you'll be protecting your hair from unnecessary stress and breakage, promoting healthier growth.
Less Friction
The satin pillowcase will allow your hair to gently glide over the top of it reducing friction, tangles, and frizz and keeping your hairstyle intact. The satin or silk pillowcase also helps prevent split ends from breaking.
The fabric of your pillowcase plays a role in the premature formation of wrinkles and overall skin health. “Silk pillowcases are better for your skin,” Dr. Michael Jacobs, medical technology director at Cortina and a clinical associate professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, previously told HuffPost.
Both satin and silk support healthy skin and hair while you sleep. Either of these materials is going to boost your beauty game more than more traditional bedding materials (ahem, cotton).
The smooth texture allows the fabric to glide against your hair cuticles, producing less friction than coarser fabrics that are more likely to snag hair. While silk does not outright prevent bedhead, the reduced friction can result in less tangling, frizziness, and breakage.
The first thing you need to know about how to dry silk pillowcases is that you should never put them in the dryer. The high heat of a dryer — even on a low setting — will destroy the silk's fiber.
Don't put silk items in the dryer. Heat can damage delicate silk fibers. If the dryer is absolutely necessary to use only 'air' setting for 15 minutes or less with NO fabric sheets or dryer balls. Remove sheets before completely dry.
We recommend using a gentle or delicate cycle, cool or cold water, and placing your pure silk bed linen in fine mesh bags to protect the delicate fabric. Lastly, we suggest using a mild detergent specially formulated to wash silk.
Here are some of the reasons we love satin: Satin is non-absorbent, and therefore helps preserve the moisture in the hair and skin. Satin also won't absorb any applied night creams. Silk (and cotton) are highly absorbent, which can rob hair and skin of their natural oils.
DO wash your silk pillowcase before using it for the first time. DON'T dry a silk pillowcase in direct sunlight or in a heated dryer cycle. If you absolutely must use the dryer, use it on the air/no-heat cycle.
The fabric is smooth, silky, and very elegant and luxurious. Your skin won't stick to satin sheets as it would on cotton. It's hypoallergenic, which also means it's more hygienic. It's cooling, which makes it perfect for hot summer nights.
As such, silk is prone to fading when exposed to direct sunlight, either indoors or outside. Even this best silk bedding will fade if left in direct sunlight. This is why we recommend always hanging your silk to dry away from the sun. Happily, your silk sheets should air dry very quickly, even indoors.
LESS DAMAGE
A super smooth silk pillowcase results in less hair damage, fewer split ends and also reduces flyaway strands and frizz. This means healthier, glossier locks for you. As your hair becomes easier to control, you can spend less of your precious time on taming it.
The texture of your pillowcase will in no way affect Male Pattern Baldness which is the most likely cause of your thinning hair. Male hair loss occurs when the testosterone by-product DHT attacks the hair follicles, causing them to gradually weaken.