Can Scar Tissue Massage Really Make a Difference? Exploring its Effectiveness
- Julian Simpson
- Oct 2, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 23, 2025
Can Scar Tissue Massage Really Make a Difference? Exploring its Effectiveness
The skin is a protective barrier of the body against external factors, and its damage leads to a loss of integrity. Scars are formed as an effect of damaging the skin
Among the factors increasing the risk of pathological scarring, we can distinguish: age, anatomic location, race, and type of trauma
What is the normal wound healing process ?
The normal wound healing process is a strictly controlled state of balance between the process of disintegration of the structure of the damaged tissue and the repair consisting in the synthesis and formation of a new, correct one.
Mediators, blood cells, extracellular matrix cells, and parenchymal cells are involved in the process.
Increased activation and migration of fibroblasts to the wound bed regulated deposition of the extracellular matrix and its shrinkage are responsible for the proper healing of the skin
What are the four stages of wound healing ?
During the wound healing, four phases overlapping each other in time and closely related to each other are distinguished.
The first phase occurring immediately after the damage is the hemostasis phase;
the second phase is the inflammatory phase lasting from 24 to 72 h, which can extend from 5 to 7 days.
In the third phase- From 1 to 3 weeks after the damage, there is a phase of proliferation and repair of the damaged tissue lasting about 3–4 weeks.
In the fourth stage of the healing process, remodeling takes place, and this phase can be extended from 3 weeks to several years, during which the wound will mature and reach the final strength
What is scar tissue massage?
Scar tissue therapy is a treatment for reducing pain and functional limitations, improving pliability, it can reduce hyperpigmentation, pruritus, fascial adhesions, it can also reduce scar thickness and smooth surface area.
Scar tissue massage is a form of rehabilitation that uses pulling and stretching to remodel scar
tissue.
To increase the effectiveness of the scar therapy, it is advisable to use combined treatment.
Manual work often proceeds alternately or together with cupping, dry needling, kinesiotaping, instrument therapy, electrodermal therapy, exercises, compression, pharmacotherapy, and other
Scar massage helps regain mobility and strength in damaged tissue. After a few minutes of mechanical stimuli directly in the scar, a release in the tissue can be observed.
How does cupping therapy work in Scar Tissue Massage therapy ?
Cupping is a supporting method used in scar treatment. Subatmospheric pressure suction affected by cup, promote peripheral blood circulation, and improve tissue elasticity. Cupping therapy can be used with caution only in the remodeling phase of the wound healing and in old scars treatment.
How does Kinesotaping work with Scar Tissue Massage Therapy ?
Kinesiotaping takes advantage of the physical properties of elastic therapeutic tapes and specific methods of its applications. Mechanism of this treatment is based on lifting skin microscopically and improving blood and lymph circulation
Tapes were mostly applied on 3–5 days with 2–3 days breaks for 12 weeks. The stretch of the tape ranged from 25% to 100%
How does dry needling work with Scar Tissue Massage Therapy ?
Dry needling is a method applied to decrease pain and improve scar mobility
. The classic technique is named “surrounding the dragon” that involves encircling the problem area with needles. The mechanism of action remains unclear(welcome to science , its very frustrating!).
Needles (0.25 mm × 30 mm) should be placed along the entire scar in 0.5–1.0 cm increments. Needles should be inserted at a distance of 0.5–1.0 cm from the scar angled 30°–45° toward the scar
How often did the science suggest you needed the massage to get effective results ?
The treatment protocol includes the scar massage in combination with other manual technique, 30 min, two times per week for 8 weeks
Massage Therapy
Q: What types of massage are offered?We provide remedial massage, relaxation massage, and chiropractic massage.
Q: How does massage help chiropractic care?It relaxes tight muscles, making adjustments more effective.
Q: Can massage therapy relieve stress?Yes, massage helps reduce muscle tension and promote relaxation.
Q: Is massage covered by health insurance?Many private health funds cover remedial massage.
For more information about how we can help. Please call Health Wise Chiropractic 03 9467 7889 or book online to see one of our Chiropractors in Sunbury or Melton/Strathtulloh Today!
We are also really proud to offer our patients an APP for their Mobile- iPad. With access to your rehab exercises and our health tip blogs with over 500 articles.
Chiropractic has moved online. We offer our online program -STAND CORRECTED- To help you through the day.
We have over 30 programs on different health conditions
Each program contains
- Information about the conditions
- things to do and things to avoid
- nutrition advice
- all the stretches that are needed to help
Reference
Lubczyńska A, Garncarczyk A, Wcisło-Dziadecka D. Effectiveness of various methods of manual scar therapy. Skin Res Technol. 2023 Mar;29(3):e13272. doi: 10.1111/srt.13272. PMID: 36973982; PMCID: PMC10155853.
Lin TR, Chou FH, Wang HH, Wang RH. Effects of scar massage on burn scars: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Nurs. 2023 Jul;32(13-14):3144-3154. doi: 10.1111/jocn.16420. Epub 2022 Jun 27. PMID: 35758338.
Shin TM, Bordeaux JS. The role of massage in scar management: a literature review. Dermatol Surg. 2012 Mar;38(3):414-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02201.x. Epub 2011 Nov 7. PMID: 22093081.
Comments