About scar tissue
When skin is damaged it wants to heal itself but cannot re create healthy skin tissue so puts together new granulation fibrous tissue that grows in the base of wounds and fills them with thicker inferior connective tissue, eventually causing scarring 6 to 12 weeks after injury. The scar tissue acts as a barrier but does not perform the same function as the original tissue. Scar tissue has limited sensation, movement as well as circulation. Sweat glands are damages and hair follicles and hair growth are destroyed. Resistance to the sun is also very low. Scar tissue is generally lighter and denser in colour as it has restricted blood flow. Fair skinned people may find that scars are more obvious and exposure to sun can cause scar tissue to darken
There are misconceptions that scar tissue may fade off after some time but scar tissue is an injury which will always be visible to a certain extent but can be worked with in order to re-heal as effectively as possible with massage or later on surgery.
There are many factors that influence the healing of scarring, if genetically parents scar easily or conversely they are able to heal quickly and easily will influence how the offspring heal. Age is a big factor due to elasticity and collagen, the older we get the less fat tissue and elasticity we have meaning more scarring. How large and deep the damage is and if there is a lot of movement around the area of damage, the longer the healing process the more scar tissue.
Smoking or other negative environment and lifestyle choices. For example drinking alcohol and caffeine dehydrates the skin, but eating proteins found in meat, fish and dairy products give the body the building blocks to restore itself.
Massage scarring
As said previously scar tissue fills the wound becoming thicker and lumpy, or shallow and stretched while forming. The first 12 weeks the scar is considered immature and can be manipulated. After 12 weeks the scaring is considered mature which means permanent hardened scar tissue. Once the wound has healed and the skin is closed and scabbing disappeared and there is no inflammation massaging can take place, however if there is any reddening, massage should be reduced.
Massage helps to work out the lumps and thickness and keep the tissue soft and pliable relining collagen fibres into organised tissue. Performing massage as a minimum of twice a day but preferably more times with scar removing oils for up to 6 months can help reduce scarring considerably.
How to massage
Start with larger circular strokes to warm the area and bring blood flow to the surface which will moisten the surrounding tissue making the massage more effective. Then use circular motions with a firm finger motion along the lateral grain and then parallel grain of the scarring. When massaging pay extra attention to tender and lumpy parts of the scarring to work them out as this is a landmark area where scaring and adhesions are trying to form. Always make sure your fingers are well lubricated so not to cause dragging on the skin. 
definitely good to know! I hope your munchkin is doing much better these days!
ReplyDeleteoh thank you what we did helped on some of the scars and you can barely see them unless you look, but the dogs tooth went all the way through her face on some of the bites and there are very visible marks that even massage isnt helping on sadly.
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