Scars are remarkable, as they provide a stability to an area of the body that needs it.
However, this part of the body could benefit from some gentle massage, or scar care. Adhesions form beneath the surface and act like glue, making the layers of muscle and skin difficult to move.
Scar care helps to mobilize and increase blood flow to expedite healing. After the wound is fully healed, the massage and soft-tissue strategies inside can prevent the build-up of adhesions that may lead to problems such as pelvic pain, incontinence, reduced sensation, and a sense of restriction.
The good news is that you can do this preventative work yourself or hire a postpartum specialist ! Here is how to heal C-section and Perineum Scars :
Scar Care:
Bowel Stimulation
- Massage in circles with counter clockwise motion starting by the right hip, going up towards the ribs on the right side, across the body and down the left hip. This encourages the correct movement of gas and feces and is especially helpful in the first few weeks to release gas bubbles.
Daily Habits
- Minimize straining with bowel movements and urination; try diaphragm breathing instead.
- Drink water; half of your body weight in ounces daily.
- Sleep whenever you can — the body regenerates more quickly during sleep and it helps speed tissue repair. Enlist help if possible and make it a priority.
General Abdominal Massage
Lubricate your hands with natural moisturizer or massage oil and begin with a gentle massage on your abdomen. Make circles in any direction. This will warm up your tissues, loosen up areas of tightness, and bring in oxygen and nutrients. You may do this massage close to the scar after the scab has fallen off. Applying massage strokes to the areas around your hipbones is also beneficial for recovery – it’s all connected!
1.Circles
Move you hands in a circular motion across the length of the scar. Do this in both directions, begin gently, and increase pressure as you get more comfortable.
2 Push and Pull
Place two fingers directly on the scar and move them straight up toward your ribs. When the skin stops moving, continue holding firm pressure on the scar for 1-2 minutes. This should be a strong pulling sensation, but it should not cause sharp pain. Then push firmly down toward the pubic bone and hold again. Repeat to the left and to the right in a similar manner. You may notice that one or two directions that feel especially “stuck.” Spend a little more time holding in those directions if possible in order to free up the stuck tissue.
3. Skin Rolling
Pinch the skin on either side of the scar, lifting the skin up. Start at either end and move forward and backward, rolling and raising the skin as you move. A free scar bulges upward. A stuck scar dimples inward
For Perineum specifically
Put one minute of gentle pressure directly on the scar between your rectal and vaginal opening (perineum). Using healthy, natural lubrication, move your finger up and down and left and right and feel for which direction is the most restricted or gives you the most sensation. Continue for a few minutes, a few times a week.
Source: The Functional Pelvis
