Everything you need to know about scar tissue

When you undergo a surgical procedure or when you injure a soft tissue structure like muscles or tendons, or even when you cut your skin open, your body’s immune inflammatory system will take over and begin the tissue healing process. This process involves creating new and healthy cells to replace the ones that were damaged or lost. Some of the newly created cells are formed with collagen, this would promote strength within those tissues under normal circumstances. Collagen is a very important protein that is found in all of your soft tissues.

However, when your body undergoes trauma like surgery or skin wound or any significant injury, these collagen cells can clump up together in a very abnormal way which eventually causes the scar tissue to form replacing the normal skin. Scar tissues have a different composition from normal healthy connective tissue. It can harden, shrink, and interfere with normal tissue mobility. Often times, it is the scar tissue that can cause problems around the area, if it is treated properly, the injured tissue will be remodelled into healthy tissue which means that the normal behaviour of tissue is restored.

• Scar tissue has less elasticity and is not as strong as a normal tissue.
• Scar tissue doesn’t oxygenate well.
• Scar tissue can transmit pain faster compared to normal tissue and with more intensity.
• Scars tissue are much less resistant to UV light (which means you need to apply sunblock on scar tissue area).
• Scar tissue does not contain any sweat glands or hair follicles.
• Scar tissue is more prone to injury compare to normal tissue.

Scar tissue built up can cause pain, and create stiffness or tightness around the area as it can limit your range of motion, and might affect your daily activities. In addition, it can also leave long-lasting and unsightly marks (stretch marks). However, there are a few scar treatment methods that can either helps to reduce or eliminate the scar tissues in your body.

1. Manual Therapy
   Our Chiropractors at Lakeside chiropractic Joondalup utilise manual therapy like massage, cupping, myofascial release, dry needling, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization are able to help to break down the tough fibers in scar tissue and fascia to align the collagen fibers together and promote the healing process.
2. Cold Laser Therapy
   At Lakeside Chiropractic we use cold laser therapy is a non-invasive therapy compared to the more common approach like cosmetic surgery. Cold laser therapy requires multiple treatment sessions over a period of time. Depending on the size and severity of the scar tissue, cold laser therapy can reduce the size of old scar tissue but it is rare that it completely removes the scar. Laser therapy helps to breaks down the damaged tissue and creates a new wound, allowing the new tissue to be built upon the old. This happens so that the new skin can form and reduce the size of existing scars
3. Surgery
   It is common to have scar revision surgery to remove the effects of a previous surgery, but scar tissue on the skin could be reduced or eliminated through a cosmetic surgery. Scar tissue removal is a more common choice among people who have suffered severe burns or disease or intense accidents. Of course, with any surgical procedure, there is a risk for additional scar formation and other side effects. You should always consult with a healthcare provider before making a decision on the surgery.
4. Compression
   Compression wraps can help decrease the inflammation around the affected tissues, while also reducing pain. However, consult a healthcare provider before applying any wrapping so that you are aware that applying with wrong pressure might affect and causes discomfort.
5. Steroid Injection
   Steroids are a powerful anti-inflammatory, but injections could also damage the surrounding skin which may slow down the healing process.

Here in Lakeside Chiropractic located in Joondalup, all of our Chiropractors are cold laser therapists and are able to provide cold laser therapy for scar tissue treatments. If you have any further questions or would like to book an appointment, give us a call on 9300 0095 or head to our website to book at www.lakesidechiro.com.au