Sleep Wrinkles vs. Aging Wrinkles: What You Need to Know

Sleep Wrinkles vs. Aging Wrinkles: What You Need to Know

When most people think of wrinkles, they immediately associate them with aging. While fine lines and folds caused by a natural loss of collagen, elastin, and fat are indeed a normal part of the aging process, there is another lesser-known type of wrinkle called sleep wrinkles. These lines form not from time itself, but from repeated pressure and compression of the skin during sleep.

Understanding the difference between aging wrinkles and sleep wrinkles is important, as prevention strategies are quite different for each.

How Sleep Wrinkles Form

Sleep wrinkles develop when the skin is compressed against a pillow or bedding for several hours each night. Unlike expression lines, which form due to repeated muscle movements such as smiling or frowning, sleep wrinkles are created by external pressure.

Over time, this pressure can cause vertical or diagonal lines to appear on the cheeks, around the mouth, or even on the chest. These wrinkles can become more pronounced as the skin naturally loses elasticity with age.

The Difference Between Sleep Wrinkles and Aging Wrinkles

  • Aging wrinkles: Caused by a gradual reduction in collagen, elastin, and fat in the skin, combined with repetitive facial expressions. They usually appear as fine lines around the eyes, forehead, and mouth.
  • Sleep wrinkles: Caused by external mechanical forces during sleep, particularly from side or stomach sleeping. They are often deeper, more vertical or diagonal in orientation, and not linked to muscle movement.

Lifestyle Changes to Help Prevent Sleep Wrinkles

While you cannot control natural aging, you can reduce the risk of sleep wrinkles with simple lifestyle adjustments:

  • Sleep on your back: This position minimises direct pressure on the face and chest.
  • Use a silk or satin pillowcase: These fabrics reduce friction and allow the skin to glide more easily, decreasing the chance of creasing.
  • Try silicone patches at night: These patches keep the skin smooth and hydrated while acting as a barrier against creasing during sleep.
  • Consider supportive antiaging pillows: For side sleepers, pillows designed with a concavity in the middle reduce direct pressure on the cheeks while still providing comfort and support.
  • Maintain skin hydration: Well-hydrated skin is more resilient to external pressure. Incorporate a quality moisturiser and consider medical-grade skincare to support elasticity.
  • Avoid alcohol and smoking: Both can dehydrate the skin and accelerate the breakdown of collagen, making sleep wrinkles more likely to set in.

Final Thoughts

Sleep wrinkles may not be caused by aging, but over time they can add to the overall appearance of tired or creased skin. Fortunately, small changes to your sleep habits, along with options such as silicone patches and supportive pillows, can help reduce their formation.

For clients already noticing sleep wrinkles, cosmetic treatments such as collagen-stimulating procedures, and advanced skin therapies may help restore smoothness and support youthful skin.

  • At our clinic, we offer personalised treatment plans designed to address both aging and sleep-related wrinkles.

 

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FAQ

How does muscle relaxing toxin injection work?

It works by relaxing facial muscles, thereby temporarily reducing and smoothing dynamic frown lines and wrinkles, i.e. those lines caused by movement of the muscles.

Who should not take botulinum toxin?

  • Had an allergic reaction to any of the botulinum toxin products or their ingredients.
  • Have a skin infection at the planned injection site.
  • A disease that affects your muscles and nerves (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease], myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome).
  • Had any side effect from the product product in the past.
  • A breathing problem, such as asthma or emphysema.
  • Swallowing problems.
  • Bleeding problems.
  • Plans to have surgery.
  • Had surgery on your face.
  • Weakness of your forehead muscles, such as trouble raising your eyebrows.
  • Drooping eyelids.
  • Any other change in the way your face normally looks.
  • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
  • Are breast-feeding or plan to breastfeed.

Do treatment results differ?

Yes, individual results may vary. To get the best results, it's important to go to a doctor who is experienced in administering these injections.

What conditions can be treated effectively with laser therapy?

  • Vascular lesions

Well-defined lesions (abnormalities of the tissue, in this case the skin) that contain blood are usually amenable to laser therapy. These include unwanted blood vessels (‘broken capillaries’) on the face, and birth marks such as port wine stains. Depending on the size of the lesion, the number of laser treatments that are needed can range from 2 to 10 or more.

Laser therapy is also sometimes used for small varicose veins and spider veins.

  • Pigmented lesions

Pigmented lesions that can be treated include: freckles; solar lentigos (liver, or age, spots); flat, pigmented seborrhoeic keratoses (age warts); and café au lait spots (light-tan spots). Laser treatments for pigmented lesions are generally spaced 6 or more weeks apart, to allow your body to get rid of the dispersed pigment.

  • Tattoos/Not currently available

The principle of laser tattoo removal is basically the same as that of the removal of pigmented lesions, but the wavelength of the light beam needs to vary depending on the different ink pigments used in the tattoo. In general, homemade Indian ink tattoos and black tattoos respond most readily to laser removal. White tattoos do not usually respond to treatment. Red is relatively easy to remove, while yellow, orange and green are more difficult.

Skin that has been stained from nasal piercing or from iron injections also usually responds well to laser treatment.

  • Hair removal

Laser-assisted hair removal is both efficient and long term. It works best on thicker, darker hairs, as these hair follicles absorb more light than do smaller, paler hair follicles. Most people find that the amount of hair is reduced by 70 per cent or more after the course of treatment. Laser hair removal also avoids the possibility of ingrown hairs. Sweating changes are sometimes noticed in the treated area.

  • Signs of ageing

Laser resurfacing is used to help reverse the signs of ageing caused by sun damage. Signs of ageing include fine wrinkles and crinkly skin. Resurfacing is also useful in reducing the appearance of acne scars. Following treatment, your skin often takes several weeks to recover.

Laser resurfacing is a safer and more refined procedure than it used to be, but it is still not recommended for people with olive or pigmented skin because of the possibility of uneven skin tone or loss of colour from the skin after treatment.

  • Scars

Whether scars of previous surgery, acne or post burn scar, can all be minimised by laser resurfacing, CO2 fractionated laser is in particular useful for these conditions.

Who can be a good candidate for PDO Lift?

PDO procedures are safe for adults with mild to moderate skin laxity, who keep up with healthy lifestyles and have maintained their weight for at least three months.

Who can be a good candidate for Double chin Treatment ?

The best candidate is an adult 18 years or older with moderate to severe fat beneath the chin. You might not be a good candidate if you have had or are planning to have facial surgery, if you have trouble swallowing, are pregnant or nursing, or have an infection or medical condition in or near the planned injection site.