Scar Management & Physiotherapy

Yes, pain/discomfort are two of the main symptoms that physiotherapy can help with. Scars that are tight, itching, sensitive, sore and stuck can cause significant concerns; physiotherapy techniques can reduce pain by reducing the sensitivity of a scar and improving the movement and flexibility of the affected bodily part.

Our physiotherapist will take a full history of how you got the scar, what treatments you have already had and what your concerns and expectations are. Your scar will be then fully assessed; this involves touching and moving the scar and if necessary, the surrounding body parts/areas. If affected by your scar, your movement and posture will also be examined The physiotherapist will then discuss the findings, outline recommendations and will draw a treatment plan considering your timescale and expectations.

Often the most effective time to treat a scar with physiotherapy is within the first 2 years after injury. However, our physiotherapist can achieve great results with older scars too. The only scars that our physiotherapist does not treat are acne scars and keloid scars (although there are some exceptions). Scar physiotherapy can’t change the colour (pigmentation) of a scar.

Physiotherapy treatments are not painful in general and many patients report a feeling of increased comfort following sessions. However, sometimes stretching a scar can be tender; tight or sensitive scars may hurt when touched. However, our physiotherapist is very familiar with the feelings patients may experience and how to manage discomfort effectively.

At the London Scar Clinic, physiotherapy does not involve needles or medications, our physiotherapist works by using her hands and encourages you to move and help yourself. She works very closely with the surgeons, if she thinks minimally invasive techniques or surgery options will be beneficial for your scar, with your consent, she will refer you to another team member.

Although you may not know too many other people with scars or anyone with a scar like yours, our physiotherapist has treated thousands of scars. She is very familiar with treating large and troublesome scars that cover nearly the whole body, through to scars that are barely visible.

The focus of physiotherapy is often on improving the feel rather than the look of your scar. However, if scars are tight and stuck this can also affect how the surrounding area appears. Often there can be an improvement in how the scar looks with physiotherapy, as well as in how it feels.

If your scar is very recent it may be best to see a physiotherapist first as it may be too early to do invasive treatments. At the early stages of a scar, or after a newly healed wound, the focus is often on advice to help you know what to do to get the best outcome. We can advise you on how to clean the area, what silicone or creams to use, whether or how to massage the area, what to expect the scar to look like over time and what treatments may be helpful in the future. If the physiotherapist feels that you would also benefit from advice about invasive procedures or from the specialism of another team members, she will recommend which team member would help. Invasive treatments, particularly lasers are increasingly used soon after healing. Often scars need input from more than one speciality.

If you are mainly concerned about the look of your scar, especially if it is more than 2 years after injury, then we are most likely to recommend that you see a plastic surgeon. If you see a surgeon first and your scar would also benefit from a physiotherapy treatment such as scar massage, then you may be referred to our physiotherapist by the surgeon. We also offer joint assessments with two or more of our specialists in one consultation.

At 152 physiotherapy does not involve needles or medications, our physiotherapist works through advice, her hands and encourages you to move and help yourself. Our physiotherapist works very closely with the surgeons, if she thinks needles or medications will be beneficial for your scar, with your consent, she will refer you to a team member.

Although you may not know too many other people with scars or anyone with a scar like yours, our physiotherapist has treated thousands of scars. She is very familiar with treating huge scars that cover nearly the whole body, through to scars that are barely visible.

The focus of physiotherapy is often on improving the feel rather than the look of your scar. However, if scars are tight and stuck this can also affect how they or the surrounding area appears. Often there can be an improvement in how the scar looks with physiotherapy, as well as in how it feels.

If your scar is very recent it may be best to see a physiotherapist first as it may be too early to do invasive treatments. At the early stages of a scar, or after a newly healed wound the focus is often on advice to help you know what to do to get the best outcome. We can advise you on how to clean the area, what silicone or creams to use, whether or how to massage the area, what to expect the scar to look like over time and what treatments may be helpful in the future. If the physiotherapist feels that you would also benefit from advice about invasive procedures or from the specialism of another team member, she will suggest which team member could also help. Invasive treatments, particularly lasers are increasingly also used early on. Often scars need input from more than one speciality.

If you are mainly concerned about the look of your scar, especially if it is more than 2 years after injury, then we are most likely to recommend that you see a plastic surgeon. If you see a surgeon first and your scar would also benefit from a physiotherapy treatment such as scar massage, then you may be referred to physiotherapist by the surgeon. We also offer joint assessments with two or more of our specialists in one consultation.