The parts of us that touch the pillow aren’t just our hair—it’s also our neck and a lot of our face.

The main reason pillows turn yellow is all the stuff our skin produces—like oil, sweat, and dead skin cells.

The main reason pillows turn yellow is due to skin oils and sweat.

1.sebum

Our faces and backs have a lot of oil glands (sebaceous glands) that produce sebum—a natural oil that moisturizes skin and locks in moisture. 

Testosterone is the main hormone that makes these glands bigger and more active, which is why men (who naturally have higher testosterone levels) tend to produce more oil than women.

 Sebum itself is a pale yellow liquid, and some of its components—like squalene—can leave noticeable yellow stains on pillows over time.

2.sweat

Sweat is another major cause of pillow discoloration. When the temperature is below 31°C (88°F), we usually don’t see visible sweat beads—but under a microscope, you’d notice tiny droplets constantly seeping from the skin.

That’s because sweat helps cool us down and keeps skin moisturized. In other words, even while we sleep, our skin keeps producing sweat.

Over time, the acidic components in sweat can turn pillows yellow.

3.Other reason

Besides oil and sweat, pillows can also collect loose hairs, dandruff, and dried drool stains.

So basically, men's pillows turn yellow faster because of higher oil production, sweat, drool, and other natural factors. It's just how our bodies work—not much we can change about that.

But the real question is: what can we do about those stained pillows?

Here's a simple solution: Use pillowcases! They create a barrier between your skin and the pillow, so you only need to wash the case—not the whole pillow. For tough stains, soak the pillowcase in hot water with laundry detergent for about an hour, then scrub and rinse. Works like a charm!