Sleep cap leaves a mark on my forehead - any way to get it to go away quicker?

[heatherovka]

This is silly. I made a shower cap style sleep cap with silk and elastic. The elastic seems just tight enough to keep it on my head while I sleep. I can feel it but it isn't painful or irritating. But when I wake up in the morning I have a big mark where the elastic was. I got up four hours ago and I can still see it! Is there anything I can do to make it fade faster? I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to go somewhere first thing in the morning with this big indent on my head! :no: :rolleyes:

[Sillage]

Try massaging your skin maybe?

[heatherovka]

I'll try it! And maybe some some eyebrow raising exercises too. Lol.

[Annibelle]

Keeping hydrated by drinking a lot of water will help with your skin's elasticity. If you're already well-hydrated, I don't think there's anything else you can do. :shrug:

[dollyfish]

All I can think of is to either get or make another sleep cap (which is just as hit-or-miss), or you could try to deal with the mark. Totally agree with the other things here; massaging the skin and flexing those muscles would probably help you. I also think soaking your forehead in water would help. The reason your fingertips get prune-y in the bath or shower isn't because of water leaving, it's because of the dry "dead" layers of skin soaking up water and inflating. The skin is much thinner elsewhere on your body (which is why your arms don't get as prune-y lol) but I bet it would help speed up the process. Take a shower in the morning, and I bet the water will help and possibly the heat as well. Or, if you either don't want to or don't have time, I think a face towel soaked in really hot water held on the forehead would help too. Massage with hot water, maybe? Combine all the techniques?

Because it's sort of on topic: does anyone know of a good sleep cap (purchasable online) that doesn't do this?? I have the exact same problem and am not at all crafty enough to make my own. My sleep cap is way too tight, so not only does it leave a mark but it's painful to wear for the entire night :(

EDIT: or maybe a pattern and instructions to make a good sleep cap simple enough for a small child to use? :lol:

[PinkyCat]

The reason your fingertips get prune-y in the bath or shower isn't because of water leaving, it's because of the dry "dead" layers of skin soaking up water and inflating.

*Hijack*
Actually I read somewhere, or heard somewhere, or otherwise randomly picked up that the reason your fingers and toes get pruny is your body's built-in equivalent of the treads on an all-terrain tire - so you don't slip or drop stuff in wet conditions.

*End hijack*

[heatherovka]

maybe a pattern and instructions to make a good sleep cap simple enough for a small child to use? :lol:


What I did was very simple. I couldn't find a good big round template so I sacrificed a cheap plastic showercap. I just cut the elastic off so I had a big flat circle (mine happened to be oval, but it could be that I didn't cut it carefully enough). Laid it out on the fabric and drew around it with chalk. Cut it out. Folded over 1/2 inch, ironed, then another 1/2 inch. Sewed a channel leaving the end open, threaded elastic thru, stitched elastic together, then closed the channel. You can make the elastic as tight or loose as you want, just put it around your head and cut what length you want.

Folding over the channel can be tricky because you're working with a round shape (and probably slippery fabric). Mine was very un-perfect but I'm just sleeping in it. ;) Other than that it was a quick and easy project.

[MaryMarx]

*Hijack*
Actually I read somewhere, or heard somewhere, or otherwise randomly picked up that the reason your fingers and toes get pruny is your body's built-in equivalent of the treads on an all-terrain tire - so you don't slip or drop stuff in wet conditions.

*End hijack*

That's really cool, I hope that's the reason! :D

[shutterpillar]

This is the main reason that I have not gotten a sleep cap yet. I'll definitely be watching this thread to find out how you get it worked out. :)

[Kyaatje]

This is the main reason that I have not gotten a sleep cap yet. I'll definitely be watching this thread to find out how you get it worked out. :)

same here :)

[Fantak]

Maybe you could change the elastic to ribbon? That way you could tie it in a small bow (or knot, bows are cuter though ^.^) to your size and there wont be any pressure on your skin like there would be from the elastic
.

[dollyfish]

*Hijack*
Actually I read somewhere, or heard somewhere, or otherwise randomly picked up that the reason your fingers and toes get pruny is your body's built-in equivalent of the treads on an all-terrain tire - so you don't slip or drop stuff in wet conditions.

*End hijack*


Haha, yes, well that is one fitness benefit. Along this line, the reason we have "fingerprints" on our finger and toe pads is for grip! This is a primate thing :) The grip is accentuated when the whorl pattern is swollen with water, which is a nice coincidence as wet surfaces are more slippery! It all works out for the better.

[faithsdaisy421]

I use this:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/Large-Sleep-Bonnet/SBS-480776,default,pd.html?cgid=Hair15-1
The Sallys in my city carries them in store. They last me 3 or 4 months before I need to get a new one, and I have never had a problem with it leaving a line on my head.
Good luck!

[kaydana]

Wearing a thick fabric headband underneath the band of the nightcap would probably do the trick, but that might result in it not staying on so well.

[Zesty]

I use a Pretty Anntoinet (http://prettyanntoinets.com/category_19/Solid-Charmeuse-Bonnets.htm, in black) sleep bonnet, and the elastic in it is sort of soft. It left a mark maybe the first five nights max, and then the elastic loosened up and I have no problems at all anymore. I learned to keep it on at night while it had stronger elastic (and was less likely to come off) and now that it's a lot looser it doesn't matter because I've adjusted to it. (If it ever gets to the point that the elastic is super loose, I'm planning on either re-elasticking it or threading a ribbon through.)

Another tip: use a silk or satin pillowcase as well and the looser fit won't matter as much because there will be less friction trying to pull the cap off your head, as well as backup in case it slips.

For those of you who make your own, maybe you could buy thinner/weaker elastic for the same effect? I've also heard of using a buff under the sleep cap, so that might be an option.

[dollyfish]

I use this:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/Large-Sleep-Bonnet/SBS-480776,default,pd.html?cgid=Hair15-1
The Sallys in my city carries them in store. They last me 3 or 4 months before I need to get a new one, and I have never had a problem with it leaving a line on my head.
Good luck!


lol I think this is the exact cap I have. They can be found on amazon for about the same price, if anyone wants to buy one online. It's WAY too tight for me though (which is surprising because hats are usually loose on me).

[shutterpillar]

Oooo, Zesty! It could just be the blissed-out model doing her job right, but that sleep cap does look very comfortable.

[silkreel]

Line the elastic section with a thick, wide strip of fabric like fleece... the widened part will distribute the stress of the elastic on your skin better. I recommend felt/fleece because its edges are not likely to make a band, or if so, one that will last shorter than in the past with just an elastic.

[LakeofGlass]

Honestly, I bought a nice satin sleep cap for about $5. I'm one to recycle things for better use, but in this case, you'll love a sleep cap better. Otherwise, how much water you drink per day depends on how fast this mark on your forehead will go away. Besides massaging the area, only time can really make it leave. If you drink water regularly, and don't just drink when thirsty, it should go away in a couple hours. Your water in-take does have an effect on how your body reacts to things worn tight. I notice it myself if I leave a hairtie on my wrist for too long.

[QMacrocarpa]

I would be concerned about a regular dent in my forehead leading to some kind of permanent wrinkle, so I wouldn't use something that left a dent all the time. Protecting my hair is good, but not at the expense of my face (such as it is).

In the winter I wear a watch-cap style fleece nightcap which has no elastic edge (and often clip my braid on top of my head to keep it inside). A big squashy cap of this kind can accomodate a fair amount of hair. Fleece is certainly not a low-friction fabric, but for me it does seem to reduce braid-frizz and linty-ness by protecting my hair from all my tossing-and-turning on my pillow (we use flannel pillowcases in winter). I hand-sewed my fleece nightcap from a commercial pattern, but there are also simple patterns available online:
http://craftstew.com/sewing/free-fleece-hats

In the summer I'm too hot at night to consider any sort of sleep cap, or even a satin pillowcase!

[QMacrocarpa]

I would be concerned about a regular dent in my forehead leading to some kind of permanent wrinkle, so I wouldn't use something that left a dent all the time. Protecting my hair is good, but not at the expense of my face (such as it is).

In the winter I wear a watch-cap style fleece nightcap which has no elastic edge (and often clip my braid on top of my head to keep it inside). A big squashy cap of this kind can accomodate a fair amount of hair. Fleece is certainly not a low-friction fabric, but for me it does seem to reduce braid-frizz and linty-ness by protecting my hair from all my tossing-and-turning on my pillow (we use flannel pillowcases in winter). I hand-sewed my fleece nightcap from a simple commercial pattern, but there are also patterns available online:
http://craftstew.com/sewing/free-fleece-hats

In the summer I'm too hot at night to consider any sort of sleep cap, or even a satin pillowcase!

[RubyTuesday]

The only thing that I have found helps a tiny bit with marks on your face (I sometimes get them from wrinkled pillows...:hmm:) is massaging moisturiser in to my skin or having a warm/hot shower and then the steam can sort of puff out your skin a bit. That is the scientific explanation - lol

[Angelica]

I'm glad that other people are having this problem. I gave up on sleep bonnets a while ago because of this. At first they left a deep mark and then the elastic became too loose so it didn't stay on my head anyway. On top of that I fancied I looked like a medieval wench who should be serving at an inn, so i didn't like the way it looked.

[RubyTuesday]

I would NEVER wear a sleep cap around a man. Ooooh I think they are deeply unattractive. Not sexy at all. Too Little House on the Prairie :)

[heatherovka]

Thanks for all the great ideas, everyone. I did consider putting in a ribbon instead, but I move a lot while I sleep and didn't think it would hold. Last night I was more careful about where I left the elastic part - I slid it all the way up to my hairline, and then some, and the line is much, much less noticeable this morning.

I don't care about wearing it around my husband... He suffers through all my crazy hair stuff. No it isn't sexy, at all, but I only wear it when eyes are closed anyway. ;)

[melusine963]

I would NEVER wear a sleep cap around a man. Ooooh I think they are deeply unattractive. Not sexy at all. Too Little House on the Prairie :)

This is what I picture every time I read the word. :)

[June]

When I had long hair and used a silk sleep cap (in combination with a silk pillow cover) I positioned it high on my forehead, so that the elastic sat at the hairline

[turtlelover]

They are all too small for me and squish my head, resulting in a headache and red marks that look utterly ridiculous. I guess I have a huge head or something!!!! :headache:

[LakeofGlass]

I've never had a problem with it leaving a dent on my forehead, nor any pain. I bought one from Wal-Mart, of all places. The elastic portion is this soft fabric band. It's loose enough. The cap portion is satin, and the elastic portion reminds me of a fabric headband. I never liked the idea of sleepcaps, but this one has been good to me. I think that, over time, it did stretch out a bit. And my man thinks I'm still sexy even with it on. ;) I try to keep the forehead side pulled down a bit more. Somehow I think that makes it feel more relaxed. But I guess not everyone can do it, just like some people have problems with contacts or glasses on, or can't wear certain jeans.