Brief overview
- Description: Scar pain manifests as stinging, pulling, itching, tingling or numbness in the area of scar tissue.
- Causes: inflammation, weather changes, allergic reaction, scar hernia, among others.
- When to see a doctor? When scar pain becomes regular, more frequent and/or more severe.
- Medical treatment: depending on the cause of the scar pain, with medication (e.g. scar gel, antibiotics, local anesthetic), cold or heat treatment, surgery.
- Prevention: The best way to avoid scar pain is through consistent scar care from the beginning.
Scar pain: Causes
While some scars hurt, itch, tingle, pull or feel numb, other scars are never noticeable. Why this is the case is still not fully understood. One possible trigger for scar pain could be that the connective tissue with which the body has filled the skin injury that preceded the scar contracts or hardens.
- Allergic reaction: It can occur, for example, when the affected person tries to cover the scar with makeup whose ingredients he or she does not tolerate. This can cause itching and redness.
- Inflammation: Especially in the case of fresh scars resulting from surgery, it is normal for them to hurt for the first few days or even weeks. This may be due, for example, to the fact that the scar tissue is (still) inflamed.
- Tension or pressure: Scars that have an altered skin structure (e.g., indurations or bulges) are more likely to hurt when the tissue is under tension or pressure.
- Damage to nerve endings: If nerve endings in the area of the scar are damaged, it can cause discomfort such as numbness or itching.
- Weather: In some cases, the scar only becomes noticeable when the weather changes. Usually, sufferers then report itching, and sometimes a stinging or pulling sensation in the scar area. Why scars can be sensitive to the weather has not yet been conclusively clarified.
Scar pain: Treatment by the doctor
If the scar pain has lasted for a long time, is very severe and there are no other complications, the doctor can inject a local anesthetic. It reduces the sensation of pain in the affected area.
So-called electroacupuncture may help against scar pain after burns.
Scar pain: What you can do yourself
You can also do something yourself to relieve scar pain – provided the doctor has previously ruled out inflammation, scar hernia and other causes that require treatment.
In addition to heat or cold applications mentioned above, as well as regular application of scar gel, you can try the following to manage scar pain:
- Aloe vera: Preparations with aloe vera are said to have an anti-inflammatory effect and provide moisture, which can soften the scar and reduce irritation.
- Onion extract: The anti-inflammatory ingredients of the onion can be applied to the scar area, for example as a gel or compress.
- Massage: Massaging the scar stimulates blood circulation and can make the scar tissue more elastic.
- Alternative medicine: If you want to try homeopathy, you can use Hypericum, for example. Followers of Bach flower therapy often use Rescue cream for scars.
Home remedies have their limits. The effectiveness of homeopathy as well as Bach flower therapy are controversial and not clearly proven by studies. If the complaints persist over a long period of time, do not improve or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
If you experience scar pain on a regular basis or the discomfort becomes more severe and/or frequent, you should have a doctor determine the cause. In this case, a dermatologist is the right person to contact.
Scar pain: examinations
Prevent scar pain
Scars should be well taken care of from the beginning. That is:
- keep the scar clean so that it does not become inflamed
- Apply cream to the scar regularly and massage it to keep the tissue supple.
- do not expose the scar to direct sunlight
- do not wear tight, abrasive clothing in the area of the scar
These measures can significantly help prevent scar pain.
