A post-c-section massage is one of the most important things you can do to care for and heal your scar after having a c-section. Scar tissue can be painful at first, and if left alone, it can cause difficulties in your pelvic floor muscles and abdominal wall. A scar massage and c-section massage tool might help you avoid these difficulties and cure your scar.
Massage can help with c-section scars in what ways?
Massage is excellent for your cesarean-section scar because it prevents scar tissue from forming in undesirable places, smoothes out thick scars, and increases blood flow, all of which aid in c-section scar healing. The healing process takes time and is divided into four stages:
Stage 1: Hemostasis is the initial stage in which clotting factors in your blood stop the bleeding.
Stage 2: Scabbing over and clearing out poisons and pathogens is the second stage (inflammation).
Stage 3: The third phase (proliferation stage) is the rebuilding stage. This is when massaging your scar will be most beneficial. It may feel uncomfortable and sensitive once healed and developed because the nerve endings within the tissue are actively repairing. When pressed on, it may feel numb, tingling, or even painful in some areas. It is still red, but it will fade to a normal skin tone with time.
Stage 4: The scar strengthens during the fourth stage (maturation). Scar tissue can form up to a year following your C-Section. The scar is mature when the body no longer creates scar tissue. Massage can still be helpful.
How do you massage a C-section scar?
Massage your scar with a soft oil, such as coconut oil or vitamin E oil, or by using a c-section massage tool. Soft oil in the markets is excellent for reducing the appearance of scars and relaxing scar tissue. When you’re ready, apply oil on your index fingers, then use your thumb and fingers to massage in small circular strokes. Apply gentle pressure so that the scar moves but is not unpleasant. Massage the area around the scar after rubbing the scar itself by gently pulling the skin while providing pressure. To put it another way, give yourself a light belly massage. The goal is to separate the scar from the tissue.
How should a C-section scar be massaged?
You should be gentle when massaging your scar in the beginning until it gets less red and unpleasant.
The skin
After your 6-week check-up, or sooner if the scar is judged well-healed, you can begin the gentle massage. Initially, the scar may be tender, red, and painful, depending on the length of the scar. It may be best to work around it, massaging the tissues above and below it.
As the scar softens, you can repeat this method with your fingers immediately on top of the scar:
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows easy access to the scar area and keeps your legs straight and relaxed.
- First, gently massage the oil into the skin around the scar.
- Place your fingertips lightly on the skin above the scar and move them up and down to see how mobile the skin is.
- It’s normal for it to move down more than up; try to move it upward more.
Does it go faster on one side than the other? Is one side of your body achy? This is also acceptable. Discomfort is okay, but not excessive discomfort. Try to relax.
- Maintain your hold on a stiff or tight zone and breathe – you may feel a release or the loosening of the tissues.
- Move your fingers up and down, side to side, and in little circles over your skin.
- Begin by working the tissues around the scar, then progress to the tissues on top of the scar as your pain and tenderness allow.
- You will eventually be able to pick up the scarred skin and roll it between your fingertips.
Muscle layer
The muscular layer is beneath the skin and fat, and you may or may not feel your abdominal muscles. It is normal to feel slightly uneasy during this massage, but it should not be painful. Allow your fingers to melt deeper into your abdomen and observe the movement of this layer of tissues.
It is typical for one side to move less than the other. Most individuals notice one side of the scar is more constrained than the other. It could be that the knot from the stitches ended on that side or that some nerves were squeezed, but there was a hurting side.
- As you move your fingers up, down, side to side, and in little circles around the scar, keep them deep and stuck in the flesh.
- Put your fingertips as close to the scar as the tenderness allows.
- Adhesions can form where the scar tissue adheres to your colon, allowing you to work further out and around the scar as desired.
- Focus on any tightness to stimulate movement in that direction by gently pulling the tissues to where they don’t want to go and holding them there for a few seconds.
- You may get a mild burning sensation, which is common during tissue stretching. Hold until you feel the tissues dissolving or melting, or the scar tissue releasing a little under your fingers.
- Don’t be overly aggressive with the massage.
- Continue at your own pace until you notice softening and improvement in the region under your fingers.
Do not employ excessive force, as this can cause tissue tightness and a refusal to release. Most essential, relax, breathe, and massage to tenderness rather than acute pain.
Deep muscle
In the final step, you are working at a deep level. If you’ve ever had your belly checked for appendicitis or kidney problems, a doctor would have felt it this way. It’s a massage that firmly moves the deeper tissues.
Slacken your lower abdominal tissues by bending your legs. This allows you to massage the deepest layer of skin.
- Remember to press your fingertips further into the tissues surrounding your scar.
- Massage the scar on the surface and lower down near the pubic bone.
- Sink deeper into the muscles and see if you can move these deeper tissues from side to side and up and down.
- This deeper-level massage may help you avoid getting lower back pain or frequent urination in the future.
Make sure both sides are adequately rubbed and have equal mobility. If one side is tighter than the other, massage it in the direction it won’t move until you can’t move it any farther. Hold it there gently until you feel the tissues soften and release under your fingers. Relax and breathe deeply, then check the mobility of the tissue again to see if it feels the same from side to side.
How long should I massage the scar from my c-section?
Create a regimen that seems natural to you. Begin with 5 minutes daily for the first few weeks following the delivery until your tissues are freely moving in all directions with all three layers. This could take a few weeks or longer, depending on the individual.
Reduce to once-a-week massages, noticing any stiff or tight areas and working with them. Again, now and then, massage the affected area. The week following your period is ideal because you will have no additional soreness or irritation.
This massage practice is recommended to be performed monthly to biweekly until the child is two years old.
If you see the tissues tightening up again, resume your weekly massaging routine. You can also use our Soak for Bits, which contains Epsom salts, before your massage to assist relax the deep muscle fibers.
Whether your scar is new or a few months old, massaging it often can help prevent complications such as scar tissue release and increased mobility. If you are having problems with your scar, a postnatal or postpartum massage may aid in healing. It is a full-body massage given after the first 12 weeks of childbirth. If you need additional information, speak with your doctor or a pelvic physical therapist for personalized advice.
Benefits of massaging C-section scar
Scar tissue forms erratically. This causes several issues because scar-like tissue can form in regions such as the colon, ovary, or between the bladder and uterus.
An adhesion in these regions might cause problems that can be avoided or eased by massaging a c-section scar.
Here are some of the benefits of getting a c-section massage:
- Increases blood flow: When your scar restricts your mobility, your blood flow drops.
- This may slow the healing of your scar. You will enhance blood flow and speed up the healing process by giving daily massages.
- Aids in the prevention of infections
- Reduces sensitivity and pain in the scar area
- Limits scar growth in adjacent organs and other undesirable areas: Through massage, you can teach and train the scar where and how to lie, preventing the scar from spreading like wildfire.
- Regulates pee frequency: Some women have bladder problems after 10-15 years of having a c-section. The scar can prevent the bladder from growing, causing an increased need to urinate.
- Prevents scars from growing larger: This is accomplished by rubbing heavy scars, which will smooth them out.
- This is especially helpful in the early stages of the healing process.
- Increases mobility and elasticity: Scar tissue bands on the organs in your pelvis or any other area of your body can impede movement.
- This produces pain when engaging in sexual activity, twisting, bending, or performing other activities.
- C-section scar massage will eliminate adhesions and promote mobility, hence reducing pain.
Summary
A cesarean section (C-section) is a surgical procedure used to deliver a baby that leaves a scar across the mother’s belly. One in every three women in the United States had their infants delivered via C-section.
Massage your C-section scar to aid healing and improve its appearance. It is critical to wait until your healthcare practitioner gives you the okay to begin the massage.
It is vital to note that scar massage and using c-section massage tool has been studied and found to be beneficial in relatively few scientific studies. Researchers discovered that, while most scar massage studies were inadequate and did not yield unambiguous effects, the majority of patients experienced an improvement in the appearance and feel of their scars.
Mobilizing the skin around the scar aids in the loosening of scar tissue and the improvement of skin tightness. When you massage your scar, blood flow to the area is boosted. This promotes collagen production, which aids in scar healing.
