Step away from the drugstore apricot scrub. Exfoliating your skin too often or too roughly can cause significant damage.”People use physical exfoliants for too long, or they press too hard, and they exfoliate their skin away. That’s like giving yourself a first or second-degree burn,” dermatologist Neal Schultz told Reader’s Digest.Using a physical exfoliant like a sugar or coffee scrub can leave you with sensitive skin and even broken blood vessels. Apply gentle pressure when using physical exfoliants, or skip them entirely and use a mild chemical exfoliant.