Scar tissue is a natural part of the body’s healing process after injury or surgery. When skin or other tissues are damaged, the body repairs the wound by producing new tissue, forming a scar. Scars differ in texture, color, and appearance from surrounding tissue.
How Scar Tissue Forms and Matures
Scar tissue forms through distinct biological phases. The inflammatory phase follows injury, clearing debris and preparing the wound. Next, the proliferative phase lays down new tissue, including collagen fibers. Collagen provides structural support.
As healing progresses, the wound enters the remodeling phase, lasting months or years. Here, collagen fibers organize and strengthen. Initially, a new scar often appears red, raised, and firm. Over time, the scar typically flattens, softens, and becomes paler, blending with surrounding skin.
Ideal Time to Begin Scar Massage
Initiating scar massage at the appropriate time influences the scar’s final appearance and pliability. Massage should begin once the wound has completely closed and scabs have fallen off, typically a few weeks after injury or surgery. If the wound is still open or fragile, beginning massage too early could disrupt healing or introduce infection.
Early intervention offers several benefits. It helps align newly forming collagen fibers for a flatter, less noticeable scar. Regular massage reduces itching and discomfort. Furthermore, it improves scar tissue flexibility and elasticity, preventing tightness and restrictions in movement.
When Scar Massage May Be Less Effective
The effectiveness of scar massage diminishes as scar tissue matures. After several months to a year, its structure becomes rigid and less responsive to manipulation due to extensive collagen cross-linking. While massage may offer some benefits like improving pliability or reducing discomfort, it is less likely to alter appearance or texture compared to earlier stages.
This rigidity reduces mechanical forces’ ability to reorganize collagen fibers. A scar several years old will show minimal changes from massage alone. While continued massage might improve tissue suppleness, it cannot reverse established scar characteristics.
Certain types of scars, like keloids and hypertrophic scars, are more resistant to massage. Keloids grow beyond original wound boundaries; hypertrophic scars remain within wound margins but are raised and often red. Both have excessive collagen production and are challenging to treat with massage, often requiring other interventions.
What to Do for Mature Scars
For mature scars where massage offers limited benefits, alternative treatment strategies can improve appearance or alleviate discomfort. Silicone sheets and gels are commonly recommended; they hydrate the scar and reduce collagen production, leading to a flatter and softer scar. These products are applied daily over several months.
Other medical interventions can be considered, depending on scar characteristics. Corticosteroid injections directly into the scar reduce inflammation and flatten raised scars. Laser therapy targets redness, improves texture, or reduces bulk. Cryotherapy, or freezing the scar tissue, can flatten certain types of raised scars.
For prominent or functionally limiting mature scars, surgical revision is an option. This procedure involves excising the existing scar and re-suturing to create a less noticeable scar. Consulting a healthcare professional (dermatologist or plastic surgeon) is advisable to discuss treatment options tailored to scar type and individual needs.