7 min read
Most of us carry a scar or two. They tell a tale of our history and the things we’ve undergone. But scar tissue can be a problem in its own right – both physically, as the scar pulls, sticks and restricts us, and psychologically, bearing testimony to our trauma. Whether you have scars from surgery or injuries, Scar Therapy is a safe, non-invasive and effective route to scar reduction. It can help hypertrophic and keloid scars, and even long-term scars. Although prompt treatment is most effective, no scar is too old to benefit!
What does Scar Therapy do?
Scar Therapy gently stretches, lifts and eases scar tissue and underlying fibrosis and adhesions.
It can help in a number of ways:
- Stimulates optimal healing
- Eases tightness that can be uncomfortable and limit mobility
- Softens and flattens scars, improving appearance
- Normalises sensation in irritated tissue
- Supports psychological recovery after trauma or surgery
To see some examples of scar improvement with Scar Therapy, take a look at the gallery on the Restore Therapy website.
How does Scar Therapy work?
Scar Therapy promotes good healing and integration of scar tissue. It boosts blood and lymph circulation, reduces tension and helps normalise alignment of fibres in the scar tissue and fascia.
The techniques are gentle – you should never feel more than mild discomfort. Therapy moves at your pace, according to what you’re comfortable with.
Therapists select from a dozen techniques, adapted to suit all types of scar, whether lumpy, tight or puckered, new or old, flat or raised.
Along with gentle massage and scar manipulation, Scar Therapy uses tools such as silicone cups and K-Tape. These apply a mild traction to the scar, lifting the upper layers and producing a gapping effect underneath. This creates space for circulation and fluid drainage and promotes healing.
What kind of scars respond to Scar Therapy?
All kinds of scars can benefit from Scar Therapy. You’ll notice softer tissue, less scar prominence and better movement often within one or two sessions.
Keloid scars are harder to treat and can take longer to see results, but they are still amenable to treatment.
Scar Therapy can help:
- C-section scars
- Breast surgery scars
- Scars related to other pelvic or abdominal surgery
- Joint replacement scarring
- Back surgery scars
- Chest, neck and facial scars
- Trauma, accident and injury scars
- Hypertrophic and keloid scars
Most troublesome scars can benefit from therapy. If you’re unsure whether Scar Therapy is right for you, please get in touch to discuss your situation.
Is it too late (or too soon) for my scar?
In the first eight weeks following injury, a new scar is fragile, so it’s best to wait until after this period before starting treatment.
The ideal time for Scar Therapy treatment is during the ‘proliferative’ phase, when cellular activity in the scar is high. This lasts for around 4 to 6 months, and the scar is raised and reddish during this time.
After that, the scar moves into a less active phase, as the collagen remodels. It starts to become flatter and paler, eventually fully maturing around 18 to 24 months.
Although we see the best cosmetic and functional improvements in the earlier stages, even long-standing, mature scars can benefit from Scar Therapy, as cells are constantly renewing.
Treatment can loosen tight tissue to ease discomfort and improve mobility, reduce pain, sensitivity and numbness, and stimulate cellular changes to ease fibrosis and adhesions.
Is Scar Therapy suitable for anyone?
Yes, both adults and children can safely receive Scar Therapy.
Children heal faster than adults. Scar Therapy can help promote the healing process and encourage the scar to move into the matured phase, where it becomes flat and pale.
Scar Therapy is an ideal way to improve the look of scars, or to help reduce symptoms like pain, sensitivity, numbness, tightness and restriction.
Scar tissue is different from other tissue
Your body is incredibly clever at dealing with wounds.
At first, blood clots to block the wound, and inflammation clears out dead cells and invading organisms.
Then, cells around the wound produce new collagen to repair the skin and other tissues, as well as new blood vessels. The scar often looks red or pink, raised, and sometimes puckered.
Finally, the wound closes and the scar matures, strengthening, flattening and changing to become pale or silvery.
The whole process can take several years if the wound is severe. But wounds are usually safely closed in about eight weeks.
However, the makeup of scar tissue is not the same as the surrounding tissue. It is weaker and more rigid, only regaining around 80 percent of the original tissue strength.
Scars look and feel different from normal skin. That’s because the repair work has been done in a hurry, and where the collagen fibres in normal skin are arranged in a random criss-crossing pattern, in scar tissue, they are in bunches of parallel fibres.
Scars, then, need a gentle touch. Special scar massage techniques can ease tightness and improve appearance.
Physical issues of scarring
Scar tissue is the body’s rapid response for closing wounds. It’s not built with the same care and precision as other tissues.
The new collagen acts like glue to close the wound. But glue can stick to other structures, and if the wound goes deep, that can include fascia, muscle and even organs.
These adhesions can be like clingfilm or like fibrous bands. They can affect movement, posture, and normal organ function.
People who have undergone mastectomy or other breast surgery, for example, commonly find their scars lead to chronic shoulder restrictions.
Sensation around scar tissue can change, too. People may find their scar is itchy or numb. This is often part of the healing process, but for some, the change remains.
And sometimes, a disruption in the normal healing process causes excessive scar formation: these are known as hypertrophic scars or keloid scars.
Hypertrophic and keloid scars
Hypertrophic and keloid scars develop when the body overproduces collagen at the scar site. This may be due to genetics, infection, or systemic inflammation. Hypertrophic scars are more common with burn wounds and in areas of taut skin.
These scars are raised and pink or red. Keloid scars tend to be darker than hypertrophic scars. People who develop keloid scars also have a greater chance of developing certain types of cancer, including skin cancers and pancreatic cancer.
Where hypertrophic scars develop soon after injury and remain within the wound site, keloid scars can continue to grow over months or years, and they spread beyond the injury, sometimes growing very large.
Early treatment is key for scars that are becoming keloid, so if you think this might be the case, get in touch today.
Psychological issues of scarring
Every scar is the result of some kind of trauma. And sometimes, that trauma remains deeply held. The scar acts as a constant reminder of pain and distress.
It’s not uncommon for people to have difficulty looking at or touching their own scars, as it can trigger feelings of upset.
The change in appearance can be hard to deal with; there may be a sense of loss regarding the way you used to look.
A scar is very personal – everyone responds in their own way.
Scar Therapy can help address that trauma. By reducing a scar’s visibility and releasing the surrounding tissue, Scar Therapy lessens the impact of the scar on both the body and the mind.
Scar Therapy at The College Practice
Our massage therapist, Emmanuel, has completed training with Restore Scar Therapy, a pioneering approach to scar treatment in the UK.
His sensitive approach and gentle hands bring pain relief and better movement to people with scars of all types.
If you’d like to find out how he can help you with Scar Therapy, get in touch or book online today.
