There are few things better—especially for hygge enthusiasts—than retreating to the coziness of your bed at the end of the day. (Or for a nap!) But if you’re not washing your pillowcases regularly, you might be sharing your shut-eye sesh with some unwelcome company: mites—setting up their own micro Zen dens right above your nose (on your eyelashes).
A woman in China hadn’t washed her pillowcases in five years. Doctors discovered at least 100 mites living in her eyelashes.
According to The Sun, this horror-movie–worthy situation happened IRL to a woman in Hubei, China. She hadn’t washed her pillowcases in five years and only discovered the mites after visiting the doctor when her eyes became so swollen that she couldn’t even open them. Doctors discovered at least 100 mites living in her eyelashes. #yikes.
It turns out that having some mites in and around your hair follicles (yes, including your face and eyelashes) is NBD. But when they overpopulate—often as a result of less-than-stellar hygiene practices—they can cause serious issues, like what this woman in China experienced. Regularly washing your bedding, towels, and makeup brushes is your best defense against eye infections or other bacteria-laden problems (like cysts) can be caused by excess mites living on your skin.
And PS, Gwen Whiting, co-founder of The Laundress suggests washing pillowcases weekly. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some laundry to do.
Kayla Itsines goes above and beyond to protect her skin, even while traveling—she has a strict BYO pillowcase policy. In the mood for some serious cleaning now? These were the top healthy home hacks of 2017.
Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter
Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.
Got it, you've been added to our email list.
