Reducing Scar Tissue - Manuca Honey, Bio Oil? What do you use?

[TheSunTheMoonTheTruth]

I have a deep approx 2inch incision going down my lumbar spine following spinal surgery 8 weeks ago. it is healthy, no infection, healed over fine. I have just had physio and he said it is starting to harden underneath a little. He asked if I was using anything to massage into it, and when I said no, was a little surprised I have not been recommended to do this. He said it will stop it from hardening all the way toward my spine (that's not his technical terms, I can't remember his exact words) and will reduce any long term pain with knotting in the back, something like that - he recommended manuca honey (said this is used in France) or bio oil (said this was popularly used by physios in South Africa. Although he also said olive oil or E45 cream would be fine too.

I have been googling but not coming up with huge amounts other than manuca honey is good for reducing the visibility of the scar tissue, to reduce redness, infection etc. Well the incision is fine and I am not actually that bothered by the scar itself, other than in terms of it potentially causing it's own pain related problems if it knots too badly.

What do you recommend to reduce the scarring, in particular the more deeprooted/internal scarring?

If manuca honey, what type? there seem to be a huge choice ranging from £10 through to £30.

Can't comment on the honey but bio oil I keep hearing about.

Get a good quality lavender essential oil & put a few drops into a palmful of bio & apply it to the scar.

Might be easier if you have someone to do that bit for you if its on your spine!

I had a contracted scar in the palm of my hand, which I managed to improve hugely using massage. I don't think it's as important what you use, as the actual massage. Anything which allows enough 'lubrication' should be fine.'

If you just need to soften it, then e45 or any other moisturiser will work fine. You don't rub the scar, but put your fingers on it, and move the skin over the underlying tissue.

Bio oil did nothing at all for my scars

I will be interested in your replies and how you get on. Scar tissue around the nerve root has left me permanently disabled. Not at all saying this applies to you.

I was never advised about any form of scar massage. Tbh I can't see how applying a substance externally could affect internal scarring (epidural fibrosis).

Hope you are ok. At 8 weeks I was still in terrible pain, the damage was done. Sounds like you're doing fine.

I agree with the poster that said its the actual action of massaging that helps, particularly with reducing scarring. The action of massage brings the collagen to the surface. You need to press hard enough to make the affected area go white.

Pure essential oil of lavender can help too.

Cica gel strip . You wear itnallnday, take off rinse and repeat. Worked wonders for me

The teacher at my baby massage group says that rose oil works amazingly for scars. She used it on her thyroid scar and it has indeed almost disappeared.
www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-rose-essential-oil.html
Here there are some infos. She also says that it has to be good quality oil. I have never tried it but thought it would be good to keep it in mind

Thank you everyone, some great advice here.

In terms of timing. Have I left it too late, seeing as the physio said it is already starting to knot underneath, or is 8 weeks a good time? I will start anyway, but feel a bit gutted I didn't think to do anything to it before now! Especially as one of the biggest 'risks' or 'side effects' that can increase pain with spinal surgery is problem from the scar tissue itself due to location.

How often should I massage it/get DH to massage it? (not sure he is going to go for that, he is squeamish at the best of times) - daily? I do have some E45 cream so I will start on that until I can get some bio oil. I like the sound of mixing it with Lavender oil, as that's my favourite smell ever, so, the worst case scenario is that I will smell fab!

I am also going to google the cica gel strip. thank you!

Heal Gel from Victoria Health is brilliant for scar tissue.

Expensive but very well worth it.

It's about 30 quid for a square of it a s oh cut it into what shape you require. It then sticks to you : ) it's a clear silicon gel I think. You have to order it at the chemists

I had a cyst removed from my face earlier this year and was advised by both the plastic surgeon and the nurse I saw to remove the stitches that the most important thing is regular massage, rather than any particular product. I do it while putting moisturiser on (so twice a day - morning and before bed). I have been putting Kelocote on it after massaging anyway, and 3 months after the surgery it really isn't looking too bad.

After my second surgery (which was to remove the scar tissue which had formed around the nerve after my first op) I begged everyone, surgeons, nurses, physios for any advice about Anything I could do to prevent the scarring from reforming.

They all said the same...nothing you can do will make any difference, it either will or won't. It did, unfortunately.

I think massaging with any oil or cream will soften the surface but can't find any evidence that it will prevent epidural fibrosis.

If your pain is better or gone, sounds like you should be safe. Do hope so.

matilda that's really useful, esp to know the technical term! It hurts a little from time to time, and for example when the physic pressed onto it! But nothing I wouldn't expect from an incision scar 8 weeks on.

The only thing that helps is silicon patches talked at length with my physio about it. Also lots of massage with any oil or cream.