Can over exfoliating cause broken capillaries?

Author: Miss Vickie Hermiston Jr.  |  Last update: Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Over-Exfoliation If you're using harsh manual scrubs and abrasive skin care brushes to exfoliate, this can cause broken capillaries because you're inducing trauma to the skin barrier, which leads to inflammation and popped blood vessels.

Can over-exfoliation cause broken capillaries?

``People who tend to get broken capillaries are those with lighter and usually more sensitive skin,'' Zeichner tells Allure. ``For those people, we tend to recommend avoidance of exfoliation and microdermabrasion as it leads to inflammation that can promote the development of more broken capillaries.''

Why am I suddenly getting broken capillaries?

Sun exposure: Sun damage can enlarge the blood vessels, potentially resulting in visible capillaries. Changes in blood pressure: Sudden, extreme changes in blood pressure may cause small broken blood vessels to appear. An exceptionally hard sneeze or vomiting can cause this change in pressure.

What happens if you exfoliate too much?

While getting rid of skin impurities on a regular basis is good, doing it too much can aggravate the skin. Over-exfoliation can lead to redness, irritation, and may leave the skin inworse condition than what you started with. To achieve clearer, brighter skin, exfoliation on a consistent basis is what works well.

What does overexfoliation look like?

Believe it or not, over-exfoliating can lead to stubborn breakouts that just won't seem to go away. These may sometimes show up as small, red, bumpy blemishes that give the appearance of an uneven, rash-like texture.

How To Heal Damaged Skin Barrier | How to treat broken skin barrier | Nipun Kapur

How do you fix Overexfoliation?

Use Soothing Moisturizers

"Use a gentle cleanser (or just rinse with water!), use a thick moisturizing cream and sunscreen," suggests Finney. "Things that are anti-inflammatory, hydrating, or that help repair the barrier of your skin are necessary."

What does exfoliate dermatitis look like?

It causes redness and scaling of the skin. This starts in patches and spreads over the body. The skin begins to peel (slough) off. This leads to problems with your ability to manage body temperature.

How to tell if you're over-exfoliating your face?

Your Skin Looks Red and Irritated

Red, irritated skin is likely the first sign that you exfoliate too much. Immediately after any exfoliation, the skin will appear slightly red and puffy. However, if the redness and irritation linger for hours or into the next day, you can be sure that you've gone a bit too far.

Can over-exfoliating cause hyperpigmentation?

The Risks of Over-Exfoliation

Too much exfoliation can also be harmful. Over-exfoliating can lead to skin irritation, redness, and sensitivity. It can worsen pigmentation issues or even cause new ones. Hence, it's essential to find the right balance in your exfoliation routine, tailored to your skin's needs.

Can skin heal from over-exfoliation?

If you've gone too fast and too hard on the exfoliation, you must stop and reassess your routine until your skin returns to its usual texture. Now's the time to be gentle on your skin. Your skin will heal but it needs time and proper care.

Can you reverse broken capillaries?

Treating broken capillaries with options like laser therapy can reduce the appearance of these blood vessels. “We use specific wavelengths of laser light,” Dr. Tournas said. “It's like creating a controlled injury to the blood vessel, so the walls of the vessel get inflamed and irritated, and then they close.”

Why do I get broken blood vessels so easily?

As a person ages, the skin becomes less flexible and thinner because there is less fat under the skin. The cushioning effect of the skin decreases as the fat under the skin decreases. These changes, along with skin damage from exposure to the sun, cause blood vessels to break easily.

Why am I getting broken capillaries on my face?

Capillary walls in the skin tend to expand and contract when exposed to hot and cold temperatures. These can lead to increased visibility of broken capillaries on your face. Minimise this risk by protecting your face from harsh weather conditions.

Can exfoliating cause spots?

For some people, especially those with darker skin tones, more aggressive forms of exfoliation may result in dark spots on the skin. Be gentle to your skin. If you use a scrub or chemical exfoliator, apply the product gently using small, circular motions.

Is hyaluronic acid good for over exfoliated skin?

Treating Over-Exfoliated Skin

Prioritize hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and make sure to use SPF. Keep exfoliating to a minimum, 1-3x a week, depending on your skin type.

Is it normal for skin to look worse after exfoliating?

As your over-exfoliation worsens, your skin can become dry and flaky. Dry skin builds up dead skin cells faster, so you're more likely to see a layer of dead skin over the surface of your skin. This layer of dead skin can cause dry skin to look very dull. You may also see more redness than usual with dry skin.

How often should you exfoliate?

Dry, sensitive skin

For people with dry or sensitive skin, exfoliating twice a week is the maximum frequency dermatologists recommend. You may want to exfoliate only once a week or even every other week if you use products that can cause dryness and irritation, such as retinoids.

What happens if you exfoliate wrong?

Aggressive scrubbing with harsh facial exfoliants can micro-tear the skin and exacerbate issues like acne and irritation. Choose formulas with gentle ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids or fruit enzymes to avoid over-sensitizing the skin.

How long does it take to recover from over-exfoliation?

After four to six weeks, you should hopefully start to see signs of your skin improving. The symptoms of over-exfoliation should begin to die down, and your skin will slowly take on a healthier and brighter appearance. At this point, you can start to consider introducing exfoliation back into your skin care routine.

What happens if you don't moisturize after exfoliating?

While one exfoliation won't completely strip your skin of all of its oil, it will remove most of it, leaving the surface dry. Therefore, exfoliating without applying a good moisturizer is guaranteed to leave the face drier than it was before exfoliation.

Can exfoliating cause dark spots?

Over-exfoliating can cause inflammation, which may result in hyperpigmentation, leaving you with uneven skin tone and dark spots. Persistently irritating your skin through over-exfoliation can lead to chronic inflammation, which can exacerbate existing skin conditions like eczema or rosacea.

What does dress syndrome look like?

Parts of the skin may become purple and bruised-looking during the course of illness. Edema (swelling) of the face and extremities will often present in the acute phase of DRESS, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin) is often seen due to liver injury.

What does papular dermatitis look like?

It is primarily characterized by the presence of small, raised bumps on the skin, known as papules. These papules are typically red, itchy, and inflamed.

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