Going through tough treatments after getting severe injuries is itself traumatic. But experiencing pain, tenderness, itching, and swelling that leads to difficulty moving and living a normal life due to scar tissue is even tougher, right? Although scar tissue is a natural healing process that cures your injuries, it can still cause a thousand troubles.
Therefore, I have curated a list of various methods to help you understand "how to break up scar tissue.” I would have given you a one-liner answer, but treating scar tissue requires your attention and time to avoid any potential consequences. So, let's dig in and find the easiest methods you can try to get rid of irritating scar tissue.
Table of Contents
Understanding Internal Scar Tissue Physiology
Before I jump into discussing the various ways to help you know how to heal internal scar tissue naturally, let's quickly discuss why it is formed in the first place and its underlying mechanisms. So you can treat it effectively. As I said earlier, internal scar tissue is part of the body's healing process. And when you experience trauma or injury or undergo surgery that wounds your skin, the body releases certain proteins called Collagen. It aids in repairing the skin and hence results in the formation of a scar.
A scar is predominantly nothing but fibrous tissue instead of healthy skin tissue. You may wonder if scar formation helps us heal our wounds, why we need to get rid of it, and if internal scar tissue is dangerous. But let’s just get familiarized with the real deal behind scar formation. And the thing is, it becomes problematic as soon as it starts affecting your appearance, for instance, scars on your face, hands, legs, and back, or when you develop keloid or hypertrophic scarring. Before you further think about how internal scar tissue can be removed. Let’s discuss ways to manage your scars depending on their location, color, and size.
Ways To Manage Internal Scar Tissue
Now that you know how an internal scar is formed, let’s dive into different ways to get rid of scar tissue. I have divided natural and medical ways to give you a better insight while providing details about each method so you can easily opt for the one that suits you better.
Natural Methods
Before I share the medical intervention, natural remedies should be our first priority to heal or even eliminate internal tissue scarring. The reason is simple: natural ways are more easily doable and affordable. Moreover, this approach is more accessible for most people. It usually carries minimal to no side effects compared to medical intervention.
1- Dietary Modifications
Our diet influences our bodies in ways we don't even realize. As Hippocrates (a famous ancient Greek philosopher) said:
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
We can heal our bodies through the gift of food. Therefore, while understanding how to get rid of scar tissue naturally, your first step should be the right consumption of anti-inflammatory foods. Since scarring results from the inflammatory process, foods like oily fish, avocado, and green leafy vegetables can help combat inflammation. Moreover, supplementing these anti-inflammatory-rich foods with vitamins like E and C supports additional healing.
2- Physical Therapy
The next method that you can utilize to manage scar tissue is the magic of physical therapy. It also plays a pivotal role in the healing and management of internal scar tissue. Certain times, the scars are so extensive that they hinder a wide range of motion and affect your ability to perform basic day-to-day chores. Especially the scars that result from burns, severe injuries, or cover a large joint or bone.
In such cases, you should go for physical therapy. A trained professional physical therapist will evaluate your condition and help perform massages, stretching, or specific exercises to lessen pain and restore your movement.
3- Usage Of Essential Oils
Last but not least, the power of essential oils to get rid of internal scars naturally is not something you should ignore. Over the past couple of years, these oils have gained so much popularity for its healing benefits. Therefore, you should also try to heal your scar naturally by applying these.
One of the most effective ones is Helichrysum essential oil, which is loaded with anti-inflammatory benefits. It also augments collagen production, which in turn leads to better healing. The other essential oil you need to try is Carrot essential oil. It targets and promotes the healing of old scars. So, if you are struggling with some old scarring, grabbing a good quality carrot essential oil will help you immensely.
Table Showing Natural Methods To Manage Internal Scar Tissue
Methods | Procedures |
| Dietary Modifications: | In order to heal scar tissue, one has to consume anti-inflammatory foods naturally, such as oily fish, avocado, and green leafy vegetables with vitamins E and C added. |
| Physical Therapy: | Treatment of significant scar tissue restricting mobility by physiotherapy sessions, including massages, stretching, and specific exercises. |
| Usage Of Essential Oils: | Use the healing powers of essential oils, especially Helichrysum and Carrot essential oils, as they have anti-inflammatory properties and stimulate collagen production, which leads to natural scar healing. |
Medical Intervention
After pondering natural ways to get rid of internal scar tissue after surgery, I believe it is time to shed light on medical intervention and its role in eliminating scars. As much as I love talking about natural approaches to healing and solving our health problems, I can’t deny the role of medicine in making our lives better. That said, let’s talk about the options in medicine to get rid of internal scars.
1- Topical Ointments
There is no doubt that topical ointments are a staple when it comes to treating internal scars. But the main thing that affects the effectiveness of these ointments is the condition of the scar. For instance, ointments can be highly effective if you have a mild scar; otherwise, they’ll have no benefit. The recommended topical ointments that have gained popularity for their healing characteristics are Silicone gel products. These play a very effective role in the prevention and management of scars.
2- Steroid Injections
The next thing we have for getting rid of this problem is steroid injection to dissolve internal scar tissue. As mentioned earlier, scars are formed due to inflammation; therefore, steroid injections help reduce the pain and problems associated with it. For instance, these reduce inflammation by breaking down the collagen, hence assisting in shrinking the size of the scar.
So, if you have a keloid or hypertrophic scar, these injections are your best bet. One major side effect of steroid injections is they might potentially harm the surrounding tissue, so you need to keep that in mind and consult your healthcare provider for better assistance.
3- Adhesiolysis
It is a relatively safe and less invasive procedure compared to revision surgery. You can choose for adhesiolysis if you have adhesion scars, specifically on the abdomen. Apart from dissolving scar tissue, adhesiolysis also helps manage pain caused by scar formation. It can be done both ways: open and laparoscopic method. However, the potential side effects include scarring, infection, and pain.
4- Revision Surgery
The last option through which you can get rid of internal scar tissue is surgery. Since surgery is a very invasive and expensive method, you can always try the approaches mentioned above before you go for surgery. It might be an uncommon way to reduce scar through surgery, but its usage for this purpose has significantly increased over the past decade.
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Surgery for scar tissue removal also poses a further scar; hence, you need to consider both the pros and cons before you go for surgery. However, if you opt for surgery, make sure you have time because the estimated internal scar tissue removal surgery recovery time is about one to two weeks. Meanwhile, various other factors, like comorbidities, immunity, etc., also make a difference in proper recovery. But you can always be mindful of the following tips for better recovery after getting a scar revision surgery.
- Keep the treated area sufficiently moisturized, and use an antibacterial ointment to prevent infection.
- Eat a well-balanced diet full of antioxidants and ensure good hydration.
- Limit movement and try to elevate the treated area.
- Minimize stress and maintain good sleep hygiene.
- Change dressings on time, and don’t miss your follow-up appointments.
Ways | Processes |
| Topical Ointments: | Silicone gel products, which are effective for mild internal scars, are recommended for their scars healing properties of preventing and managing scars. |
| Steroid Injections: | Steroid injections are used for keloid or hypertrophic scars as they could break down collagen, potentially harming surrounding tissues that need to be consulted by a healthcare provider. |
| Adhesiolysis: | It does not require surgical incisions for abdominal adhesions and is a non-invasive technique to dissolve scar tissue and alleviate pain with potential complications, including scarring, infection, and pain. |
| Revision Surgery: | As an invasive and expensive option, the surgery is preferred for extensive internal scar tissue removal, with a recovery time of one to two weeks and taking into account the additional scarring in weighing the pros and cons. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Get Rid Of Internal Scar Tissue?
You can try natural and medical methods to get rid of internal scar tissue. Furthermore, you can go for laser therapy, revision surgery, or adhesiolysis. In some cases, even derma abrasion might be helpful. Physical therapy, like massages and stretching, can also bring a noticeable change in internal scar tissue.
How Do You Get Rid Of Internal Scar Tissue Naturally?
You can naturally manage your internal scar tissue by focusing primarily on your diet. Eat food rich in anti-inflammatory properties like fish, nuts ( almonds, walnuts), leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, etc. Also, try to couple this healthy, nutritious diet with supplements like zinc, vitamin K, vitamin A, etc. And go for effective essential oils like carrot essential oil and Helichrysum essential oil. These oils can efficiently reduce the formation of scars and minimize the size of existing ones.
What Are The Symptoms Of Internal Scar Tissue?
Internal scar tissue might not always present with symptoms. In most cases, it is quite painless. But at certain times, the scarring might be accompanied by redness, sensitivity to touch, and inflammation. Itching is also associated with scars and can cause discomfort. In severe cases, mobility of some areas might be affected because of scars.
What Supplements Are Good For Internal Scar Tissue?
The role of diet coupled with good quality supplements can play a vital role in healing scar tissues. For maximum healing with minimal scar formation, you should go for Vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A has a reparative function and increases collagen production. At the same time, vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that promotes healing. Zinc is another supplement you should definitely take because it is anti-inflammatory and reduces the size of internal scar tissue.
Does Internal Scar Tissue Hurt?
The amount of pain caused by internal scar tissue depends on various factors. It is minimal in some individuals, while it can hurt like hell in others. These factors include size, location, and area containing numerous nerve endings. Also, it is given that as the scar grows old and matures, it might become painful.
What Does Internal Scar Tissue Feel Like?
In most cases, internal scar tissue might not cause you any sensation besides the usual swelling and redness. But at certain times, itching and throbbing pain can also occur. Also, stiffness and pain can increase if a scar is formed near a joint and might limit mobility.
Conclusion
Concluding today's discussion, I trust you now possess ample information on scar tissue treatment methods and feel confident in managing it independently. If you have any confusion or need assistance with eliminating scar tissue, don't hesitate to drop your queries in the comment section below, and I'll respond promptly. Ciao for now!
