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Natural Ways to Remove Scars From Mature Skin

Scars can be an ugly reminder of an injury. Massage therapy is a natural way for one to rid the body of that embarrasing sign. If you're looking to heal and relieve the pain of a mature scar, several methods of massage therapy can help.

  1. What are Mature Scars?

    • While scars are the skin's natural way of dealing with some sort of trauma -- say burns or lacerations -- they are usually considered an ugly embarrassment to the person who has suffered the scar.

      There are two types of scars -- immature and mature -- defined by how long ago the wound occurred. Immature scars form right after the wound took place and it can be painful, itchy and/or sensitive. Mature scars take longer to form, anytime between three and 18 months after the wound.

    A Natural Way to Get Rid of Scars

    • One natural way to rid one's self of scars is through massage therapy, according to www.integrative-healthcare.org, which is the website for the Institute for Integrative Health Studies. Massage therapy is done gently at first and consists of six techniques.

    Manual Lymph Drainage

    • This type of massage therapy concentrates of the lymph tissue and the circulation of the scar area. The therapist puts fingers and pressure on the scar and makes circular motions around the scar to drain it, almost without any pain.

    Myofacial Release

    • To ease constriction, the therapist starts to stretch the skin and the scar with his fingers and repeats this with a parallel region of scar tissue. The fingers can be moved by the therapist both clockwise and counterclockwise.

    Deep Transverse Friction

    • The therapist performs this to prevent adhesion formations and rupturing already existing formations. This technique is a deep tissue massage technique and should only be performed if the patient is ready for it and never beyond what a patient says he can tolerate.

    Lubrication

    • By using lotion, castor oil, vitamin E oil or other kinds of oil, this therapy retains the softness of the tissue and the texture remains malleable. This can also help the scar stay moist and not crack open.

    Stretch

    • This helps rejuvenate the area's movement, especially when the scar is near a joint, such as the elbow or knee. In addition, the tissue, when also combined with a massage and stretched for several seconds, will lengthen.

    Apply Heat

    • Using a moist heat pack, paraffin wax or even ultrasound can improve the malleability and movement of the scar.

    Make the Right Choice for You

    • When picking a massage therapist, make sure, of course, that you select one who has used these techniques and exercises his best judgment in knowing if you are a good candidate for scar massage. And like anything else, when in doubt, contact your doctor.

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