Scar Management
Your questions answered
Types of Scars
Surgical, hypertrophic, keloid, burn and adhesion scars explained simply
Care by stage
What to do in the early weeks, and what changes as healing continues
When to seek help
Signs that a scar needs specialist attention rather than home care
Types of scars
Keloid Scars
A keloid scar develops when the body keeps producing collagen after a wound has already closed, so the scar tissue grows past the edges of the original injury and keeps building on itself. It often looks raised, shiny and firm, and can feel itchy, tender or sensitive to touch. It can also keep changing for months or years, so a keloid that seems small at first can become much larger and firmer over time. Keloids tend to appear on the chest, shoulders, earlobes and jawline, and they're more likely in people with a family history of keloid scarring or with darker skin tones. Almost any injury can start one, including piercings, acne, surgery or even a small cut. Early support helps here, so options like silicone sheeting, steroid injections or specialist scar therapy are worth looking into as soon as a scar starts behaving this way.
Contracture Scars
A contracture scar forms when skin pulls tightly together as it heals, usually after a burn or a wound that's covered a larger area of skin. It can develop anywhere on the body, and the scar tissue shortens and tightens as it forms, drawing the surrounding skin inward and restricting movement in that area. This type of scarring can reach beneath the surface, sometimes involving the muscles, tendons or nerves underneath, so its effects go beyond how the skin looks. Early, consistent support matters here, gentle stretching, movement work and scar therapy all help keep the area mobile as it heals, and getting specialist input early gives the best chance of maintaining full range of motion long term.
Hypertrophic Scars
A hypertrophic scar is a raised, red and often thick scar that forms within the first few weeks after an injury and stays within the boundary of the original wound. It can look angry and feel firm or itchy in its early months, and it tends to settle gradually over one to two years, softening and flattening as the tissue matures. These scars form most often over areas where the skin is under tension as it heals, joints, the chest, shoulders and places near a burn or surgical incision are common sites. Movement, pressure and time all play a part in how a hypertrophic scar settles, and hands-on support such as scar massage, silicone gel or sheeting, and gentle stretching helps the tissue soften and move well as it heals.
Stretch Marks (Striae)
Stretch marks form when the skin is stretched faster than its collagen and elastin fibres can keep up with, often during growth spurts, pregnancy or a period of weight change. The fibres tear slightly beneath the surface, leaving streaks that can look pink, red or purple to begin with and lighten to a silvery white as they mature. They tend to appear on the abdomen, thighs, hips, breasts and upper arms, anywhere the skin has expanded quickly. Early ones often respond well to consistent moisturising and gentle massage, and treatments like microneedling or laser can improve their texture and colour further down the line, though they usually stay a permanent part of the skin's story rather than disappearing completely.
Atrophic Scars
An atrophic scar sits below the surrounding skin rather than above it, caused by a loss of collagen, fat or tissue underneath as the area heals. It often looks pitted, indented or thin, and the skin can feel soft or slightly fragile to the touch. Acne, chickenpox, some surgical wounds and other injuries that damage deeper layers of skin can all leave this kind of scarring behind. Because the tissue here has lost volume rather than built up excess, care tends to focus on stimulating new collagen and improving the texture and mobility of the area. Options like microneedling, certain fillers and laser resurfacing are commonly used, and scar therapy can support this by improving circulation and softening any tightness around the indentation as the skin continues to respond over time.
Fine line scars
A fine line scar is the most common outcome of a well-healed wound, starting out pink, slightly raised and a little sensitive before gradually settling over twelve to eighteen months into a thin, pale line that follows the skin's natural tension lines. Most surgical incisions and minor cuts mature into this type of scar when the wound has closed cleanly and healed without complication. Even though this is considered the ideal healing outcome, the maturing months still benefit from gentle attention, especially if there's any tightness, itching or sensitivity as the tissue settles. Consistent, gentle care during this window, along with sun protection, supports the scar reaching its flattest and palest form.
Caring for your scar
Homecare and timeline
What should I do in the first few weeks after a wound closes?
In the early weeks, the priority is protecting the new skin rather than working on it. Keep the area clean, moisturised and out of direct sun, and follow whatever guidance your surgeon or GP gave you about dressings or stitches. The tissue is still fragile at this stage, so any hands-on scar work needs to wait until the wound has properly closed over. Gentle movement of the surrounding area is usually fine and often encouraged, it keeps circulation going and stops the surrounding muscles and joints from stiffening while the scar itself finishes closing. Once you get the go-ahead that the wound is fully healed, that's the point to start introducing scar massage.
When can I start massaging a scar?
Once a wound has fully closed, gentle touch around the area, not directly on the scar itself, can begin early to reintroduce the skin to touch and ease any sensitivity. Working directly on the scar tissue needs longer, since the deeper layers are still forming and remodelling underneath. Most scars are ready for proper scar massage around eight weeks post-surgery, though this depends on the size and location of the wound, and it's always worth checking with your surgeon or GP first for your particular case. Starting gently at that point still matters, small circular motions with light pressure are enough to begin with, building up pressure and duration gradually over the following weeks as the tissue tolerates it. Warmth, redness or tenderness in the area are signs to hold off and check in with whoever treated you, rather than pushing on a scar that isn't ready yet.
What products actually help scar healing?
Silicone, in gel or sheet form, has the strongest evidence behind it and is considered the first choice for both preventing and treating scars, especially hypertrophic and keloid scars. It works by hydrating the scar and helping regulate collagen production underneath, and consistent daily use over several weeks to months tends to bring the best results in flattening and fading a scar. Rosehip oil has genuine evidence behind it too, particularly for post-surgical scars, with studies showing better colour, texture and less atrophy when it's used consistently in the weeks after healing. Whatever product you choose, fragrance free with as few added ingredients as possible tends to be kinder to healing skin, since fragrances and long ingredient lists are common causes of irritation on tissue that's still settling. Brands like Alhydran are a good example of that kind of simple, minimal formulation. Sun protection matters here for a specific reason: a scar is essentially new skin without the sweat glands or pigment producing cells doing their usual job, so it can't regulate temperature or protect itself from UV the way the surrounding skin can. That makes it burn more easily and more likely to darken or discolour permanently, which is why covering a healing scar or using a high SPF over it is worth doing for at least a year after it forms.
How often should I work on my scar at home?​
Once a scar has the go-ahead to be worked on, around 5-10 minutes a day is what tends to work well, done consistently rather than in occasional bursts. The technique matters more than most people expect: this needs to stay gentle, almost annoyingly so, slow circular movements or light, superficial compression are enough. Scar tissue responds to a light touch rather than pressure or intensity, so gentle work done daily achieves far more than firmer sessions done occasionally. Staying this gentle can feel like it's not doing much at first, there's no instinct to push harder the way there might be with muscle work, and that restraint is exactly what lets the tissue respond well over time. Keeping the daily rhythm going matters more than increasing pressure, and easing off if the area feels sore, hot or irritated keeps things comfortable as it continues.
What products actually help scar healing?
Silicone, in gel or sheet form, has the strongest evidence behind it and is considered the first choice for both preventing and treating scars, especially hypertrophic and keloid scars. It works by hydrating the scar and helping regulate collagen production underneath, and consistent daily use over several weeks to months tends to bring the best results in flattening and fading a scar. Rosehip oil has genuine evidence behind it too, particularly for post-surgical scars, with studies showing better colour, texture and less atrophy when it's used consistently in the weeks after healing. Whatever product you choose, fragrance free with as few added ingredients as possible tends to be kinder to healing skin, since fragrances and long ingredient lists are common causes of irritation on tissue that's still settling. Brands like Alhydran are a good example of that kind of simple, minimal formulation. Sun protection matters here for a specific reason: a scar is essentially new skin without the sweat glands or pigment producing cells doing their usual job, so it can't regulate temperature or protect itself from UV the way the surrounding skin can. That makes it burn more easily and more likely to darken or discolour permanently, which is why covering a healing scar or using a high SPF over it is worth doing for at least a year after it forms.
What are the biggest misconceptions people have about scars and their treatment?
One persistent myth is that nothing can be done for a scar until a year has passed. Research points the other way: scars treated within the first eight weeks after an injury or surgery tend to respond better than ones left untreated for longer, part of why starting scar therapy early matters so much. A closely related myth is that a scar can eventually be removed altogether. Treatment can fade, flatten and soften a scar considerably. It stays part of the skin permanently, just a much quieter version of itself. A surface looking healed doesn't mean the work is finished. It's easy to assume that once a scar looks settled, there's nothing more to do. Scar therapy actually remains effective across a very long window, starting from around eight weeks after the original injury or surgery and stretching indefinitely beyond that. Scars decades old, even from thirty years back, still respond to this kind of work, so it's never too late to start. Another common assumption is that scarring is purely a cosmetic concern. Scars can be itchy, tight, tender and restrict movement, and the psychological weight of a visible scar is just as real, so treating one is about comfort and wellbeing as much as appearance. Piercings, acne, tattoos, burns and rapid skin stretching can all leave lasting marks too, alongside deep cuts and surgery. Tanning a scar to help it blend in is another myth worth retiring. Scar tissue is already more vulnerable to UV damage than the surrounding skin, so sun exposure tends to darken it further and irritate the area, working against the healing it's meant to help.
What about the emotional side of a scar?
A scar carries more than a physical record of an injury. Looking at or touching a scar can bring back something of the experience that caused it, an accident, an illness, a surgery, or something harder to name, and that processing can continue long after the wound itself has closed. Visible scars in particular can affect confidence, self-image and how safe someone feels being seen, something research on scarring backs up consistently rather than being an exaggeration people place on themselves. Gentle scar therapy can hold space for both sides of this at once, the tissue softening physically while there's room to acknowledge what the scar represents, at whatever pace feels right for that person. Some people want to talk about it as they go, others prefer the work to stay purely physical, both are completely valid ways through it.
When to get help
Signs to look out for
My scar is restricting movement. Is that normal?
Restricted movement is one sign among several that a scar may need more attention. Adhesion, where the tissue beneath a scar has bound to the layers around it, can also show up as pain, sharp or shooting sensations, burning, itching, numbness or a persistent pulling and tightness in the area. All of these point to the same underlying picture, the deeper tissue has stuck together more than it should have. This is common, and it usually responds well to targeted scar therapy. Any of these sensations are worth having assessed rather than waiting to see if they settle on their own, since they tend to need some hands-on support to properly resolve.
When should I see a specialist rather than manage it myself?
A specialist assessment is worth booking when a scar is painful, still changing noticeably after several months, restricting movement, or simply weighing on how you feel day to day. Warmth, swelling, redness spreading beyond the scar, or any discharge are signs of possible infection, and these need medical attention promptly. Beyond these clearer signals, your own sense that something isn't settling the way you'd expect is reason enough on its own, a scar that keeps growing, feels increasingly tight, or simply doesn't sit right with you deserves a proper look. A specialist can identify exactly what's happening beneath the surface and tailor treatment to it, something home care alone can't always do.