Facial Skin Lifting and Brightening Following Sleep on Copper Oxide Containing Pillowcases

Copper plays a key role in many of the physiological processes that occur in the skin. Previously it was found that sleeping on pillowcases impregnated with microscopic copper oxide particles results in reduction of wrinkles and fine lines. In the current study, it was examined if sleeping on copper oxide impregnated pillowcases results also in skin lifting and skin brightness. A four week, double blind, randomized study was performed, during which 45 women, aged 37–54, slept on copper oxide containing pillowcases (test group, n = 23) or on control pillowcases without copper oxide (control group, n = 22). Facial and eye skin surface was measured using an F-ray 3D measurement system and surface analysis was conducted using Image-pro® plus. Skin brightness was measured using a tristimulus colorimeter. Sleeping on the test pillowcases resulted in statistically significant skin lifting on the cheek area (p = 0.039) and eye area (p = 0.001) after four weeks of use as compared to baseline. The mean skin brightness in those sleeping on the test pillowcases increased after two (p = 0.024) and four weeks (p = 0.008). No statistically significant changes occurred during the study in the study participants using the control pillowcases. Statistically significant differences between both groups were recorded at two and four weeks for skin brightness and skin lifting, respectively. In conclusion, sleeping on copper oxide containing pillowcases results in facial skin lifting and brightness of the skin.