Your scars are evidence of battles you’ve fought and survived, whether it’s from an accident, a surgery, or even something like stretch marks from pregnancy. Still, visible scars can make you feel self-conscious, so people are often looking for ways to reduce the appearance of their scars. Let’s look at how massage can help to get rid of scars.
How do scars form?
After damage occurs to the skin in the form of a cut, for example, the body works hard to repair the damage. The scar that’s left behind is a result of this healing process. A wound triggers your immune system to protect the body from further damage or infection. Initially, the blood clots and a scab is formed, preventing bacteria from entering the wound. Inflammation also occurs as white blood cells are sent to the site to fight bacteria and infection from within.
Cells are then sent to the site of the wound to produce collagen, a connective tissue that acts to essentially fill and close the wound. What’s left behind is an area of skin that’s often slightly paler than the surrounding skin and may be raised, depending on how much inflammation occurred. The scar will fade over time on its own, but won’t completely disappear unless the wound was only minor.
How can massage help?
Massage can help to break down scar tissue, both internally and externally. For example, a joint injury may be caused or exacerbated by scar tissue around the joint and in surrounding tissues, inside your body. Treatment such as deep tissue massage can help to break down this scar tissue, reducing pain, increasing mobility, and speeding up recovery.
This same process can treat scars on your skin, too. When done the right way, massage helps to break down the collagen fibers that form your scar, helping to realign the tissues and reduce the size or appearance of the scar over time. Massage can also be used to reduce the initial formation of a scar after a surgery or injury by reducing inflammation and speeding up recovery. This can also help to reduce or manage the pain caused by the healing process and scar formation.
If you want to try massage for scar reduction or for whatever reason, such as relaxation or injury recovery, then contact us at Moonstone Massage to find out about the massage services we offer in Winston Salem, NC, or book your massage appointment online.