# Scar tissue massage



## adagio (Jun 25, 2012)

Does anyone else hate this as much as I do? I thought it would be "no big deal", but the nerves in that area are driving me CRAZY!!!!

I get to do it "gently" this week, and I get to start applying pressure next week...and do it twice a day for five minutes for a YEAR.

Techniques? Help? Ways to not make yourself go crazy doing it? Really, I think it's just the fact that the feeling in my skin is "almost" coming back to life, but I can't quite feel much of anything _yet_ - THAT is making me crazy! It's like someone slapping your leg when it's "asleep".

:jumping0047:

(I think the above emoticon accurately describes what this feels like...)


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

A year? That's a bit excessive! I did mine for a few months. I didn't do it for five minutes either. Just a couple minutes in the morning and at night. I had developed a neuroma, so even with that little bit of massaging, it all worked out fine.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I never really did it much either time, and haven't had any problems.


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## adagio (Jun 25, 2012)

OK...good to know that I don't need to do it THAT much! Seriously, I think I'd go nuts.

Perhaps my surgeon is being overly cautious and wants the absolute best outcome. I'm with her on that, but...you know...that's A LOT of making myself crazy! I'm crazy enough as it is...


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I actually bought a daily membership to a local massage company so I could have them do my scar massage twice a day for 15 minutes at a time for a full year.

Kidding. I massaged mine just long enough to rub in some moisturizer a couple of times a day (probably a minute max), and I probably did that religiously for about 4 months, then it got old. At first, I had quite a "ridge" below my scar. It's perfectly flat now, despite my lack of extreme attention.


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## laliwheels (Jul 6, 2012)

Well to make you all feel better, my Doc never said to massage my scar. It looks really good. 2 1/2 weeks post op. 
maybe I should be. The only time I touch is when I put aquafor on


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Actually, I'm 99% sure my doctor didn't mention massaging, either, until I showed him the ridge that had developed (which is gone now). Then he suggested it, kind of as an afterthought.


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## adagio (Jun 25, 2012)

Oh, my goodness - THANK YOU! I'm so happy that I don't have to obsess over this new thing that I hate!

I have a very large (as in 3/4") ridge above my scar. It's a little uncomfortable, but not too bad. I'm hoping that it will disappear without having to rub this thing out like crazy.

Here's an image of my scar, right after I got home from my post-op appointment on Monday (and right after she took off the steri-strips). My surgeon did an awesome job, I think!!!

http://danceofthebutterfly.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/scar1.jpg

You can't really see the ridge above the scar in that light, but if you look closely, it's the greenish area just above the scar.

Thanks for your help!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Is that ridge kind of hard/firm, or is it more like a bruise? (It kind of looks like a bruise in the photo, which is a little better in my mind than the firm ridge.)


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I think it looks pretty good. In time, you won't believe how inconspicious it will look. Mine took longer than most to look normal. The ENT used the old scar which was low and to the right. My total scar is about 6 inches long. It kind of went through phases and now looks unnoticeable unless someone is scrutinizing my neck. How have your, if you have any, scars healed in the past?

I am really obsessive about using sunscreen on my scar. I spend a lot of time on the water.

Are you thinking about dusting off your dancing shoes?


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## adagio (Jun 25, 2012)

Octavia said:


> Is that ridge kind of hard/firm, or is it more like a bruise? (It kind of looks like a bruise in the photo, which is a little better in my mind than the firm ridge.)


The ridge isn't really bruised any more...it's more hard and firm than anything (and numb!)

I can only feel it when I swallow "deep"...it seems to get "stuck" in there!


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## adagio (Jun 25, 2012)

webster2 said:


> I think it looks pretty good. In time, you won't believe how inconspicious it will look. Mine took longer than most to look normal. The ENT used the old scar which was low and to the right. My total scar is about 6 inches long. It kind of went through phases and now looks unnoticeable unless someone is scrutinizing my neck. How have your, if you have any, scars healed in the past?
> 
> I am really obsessive about using sunscreen on my scar. I spend a lot of time on the water.
> 
> Are you thinking about dusting off your dancing shoes?


Even two weeks out from the surgery now, I still forget that I even HAD surgery! The scar looks way better even now. It's noticeable, but most people don't even see it unless they know it's there. YAY!!!

Scars in the past? Uh...I don't know...I have a bunch of them on my left arm from weird sores I get in the summer (gross, I know!), but they seem to just turn white. Other than that, I have no idea what to tell you!

And YES - the ballet shoes have been "dusted off", and I started taking class again on Monday! I wanted to go last Friday, but my sweet ballet teacher (who had a TT two years ago) advised that I wait a few more days. I jumped right in to the advanced class, and although she advised me to take it easy, she wasn't afraid to push me, either. (Dang, I love her!) I had another advanced class yesterday, and although I could tell that I was out of shape during the allegro portion of class (think "cardio on steroids"), I had no problems! I'm sore, but that's only because I had six weeks off. (It's "whole body" sore, not "incision/neck" sore.) Friday's class is more of an intermediate level, and will likely be a lot easier since the majority of the population of that class is not very advanced. Still, he (above-mentioned ballet teacher's husband) won't be afraid to push me.  YAY! I love getting back to normal life again!

(Normal life for me means: work, dance, eat, sleep, repeat...)


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## Tess13 (Jul 27, 2012)

I'm a month post op. After the bandage came off - about week ago - I've been applying Mederma on the scar. I got the type with the SPF in it - to keep it from getting sunburned. The doctor didn't mentioned anything about massaging anything on it either. Just told me to be careful getting out in the sun. Doing it very gently.


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## Texaschick (May 26, 2012)

Adiago - so glad to hear the dancing shoes are ready to go! Yea! My ENT told me I wouldn't even know I had a scar in time (and to be honest I told him I didn't care if I had a frankenstein stitch look just as long as the beast was gone!). I have not had any numbness but I have had every now and then a quick stingy feeling. It doesn't hurt - just a quick sting. He gave me a few suggestions of what to put on it saying that every one is different and what works for one might not work as well for someone else. He never mentioned massaging but he did stress sunscreen. I look at it and I continue to be amazed...after all the glue came off it just looks like this 2 inch pinkish line. The right side is smooth the left side isn't there yet. Its all good - we are blessed to be rid of "IT"! Y'all have a wonderful weekend!!!!!


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## adagio (Jun 25, 2012)

Glad to hear the both of you are doing well!!!

I just found an SPF 70 sunscreen sample in my purse. The northern sun is no match for that stuff!


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Glad to hear you are doing so well, and back to dancing! I use the 70 SPF and live in New England so I haven't had a problem, and I have very fair skin. Keep up the great healing!


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