Can you get rid of internal scar tissue without surgery?

Author: Magdalen O'Keefe  |  Last update: Thursday, June 26, 2025

Internal scar tissue will never go away. However, if treated properly, you can work to restore movement and minimize pain. There are a variety of treatments for scar tissue pain – some more effective than others.

Is there a way to dissolve internal scar tissue?

The only way to break up the scar tissue is through surgery to remove the adhesions. Your healthcare provider will talk you through the potential benefits and risks of surgery based on your symptoms.

Can scar tissue be removed without surgery?

Scars may be treated with a variety of different lasers, depending on the underlying cause of the scar. Lasers may be used to smooth a scar, remove the abnormal color of a scar, or flatten a scar.

How do you get rid of internal abdominal scar tissue?

If abdominal adhesions cause symptoms or complications, doctors can release the adhesions with laparoscopic or open surgery. However, surgery to treat adhesions may cause new adhesions to form. If you have abdominal adhesions, talk with your doctor about the possible benefits and risks of surgery.

How do I know if I have internal scar tissue?

Scar tissue forms after an injury and can develop on the skin's surface or inside the body. For some people, scar tissue may cause pain, tightness, itching, or difficulty moving. Due to how scar tissue matures, these symptoms may occur years after an injury.

Get Rid of Scar Tissue - Ask Doctor Jo

When is it too late to massage scar tissue?

For best results, you should perform scar massage for at least 10 minutes, twice a day, for six months. You should only stop sooner than that if the scar starts showing signs of infection or you experience intolerable discomfort.

Will an MRI show scar tissue?

Contrast‐enhanced MRI is a reliable and reproducible technique that allows precise quantification of the amount of scar tissue2,3; moreover, the spatial resolution of MRI allows delineation of the transmurality of the infarction.

How long does internal scar tissue take to heal?

Though scar tissue may take up to 2 years to mature, prevention is much better than cure. This can be very hard work over a long period of time, but may mean avoiding further surgery in the future.

How do you flatten internal scar tissue?

Cryotherapy involves freezing the scar tissue with liquid nitrogen to flatten and soften it. Cryotherapy is most effective for more minor scars. Different types of laser treatments can also be used to target scar tissue.

Can you see scar tissue on ultrasound?

In cases of excessive scar formation, ultrasound can easily depict the typical echogenic appearance. However, in cases of minimal scars, meticulous scanning techniques may be employed. Ultrasound is less sensitive that MRI to assess muscle fatty infiltration and atrophy secondary to chronic injury.

Can I break up my own scar tissue?

Physical therapy can help break up scar tissue that has formed around a joint. Learning flexibility exercises and stretches can help to reduce stiffness and relieve some of the discomforts that scarring can bring.

What is the injection to dissolve internal scar tissue?

Dermatologists may inject a corticosteroid solution directly into a hypertrophic scar or keloid, which may help reduce its size. Steroids break the bonds between collagen fibers, which reduces the amount of scar tissue beneath the skin.

Is scar removal covered by insurance?

Surgery also can be an option to remove skin tags, moles, keloids, and other scars. Health plans often consider this type of surgery to be medically necessary, so it's typically covered by insurance. Your out-of-pocket costs may include meeting a deductible and copays or coinsurance.

Does internal scar tissue keep growing?

Why internal scars won't stop growing. Normal scar tissue forms to heal an internal wound and quietly retreats when the job is done. But in many common diseases — kidney, liver and lung fibrosis — the scar tissue goes rogue and strangles vital organs. These diseases are largely untreatable and ultimately fatal.

What foods should you avoid with adhesions?

Foods to avoid

White varieties of bread and baked goods such as wraps, crumpets, scones, chapattis (avoid any crusts). Plain cakes made with white flour, e.g. Victoria Sandwich, Madeira. Wholemeal and granary bread and baked produces, fruit scones, teacakes, fruit cakes, cakes containing nuts.

Can anything be done for internal scar tissue?

Internal scar tissue will never go away. However, if treated properly, you can work to restore movement and minimize pain. There are a variety of treatments for scar tissue pain – some more effective than others.

Can castor oil break down scar tissue?

Castor oil PLUS heat will increase circulation to the area you are trying to target. The castor oil hot pack will draw more blood to the area and encourage the breakdown of old scar tissue, improve the mobility and the appearance of the scar.

Can laser break up scar tissue?

Laser technologies have significantly changed how we approach hypertrophic scar treatment. These procedures break down scar tissue so it can heal in a smoother, flatter, and more comfortable pattern while improving the appearance of the skin.

What does internal abdominal scar tissue feel like?

Symptoms of adhesions

A person with ARD will usually experience chronic abdominal pain. Typical adhesions form within the first few days after surgery, but symptoms can last for months or even years. Symptoms may be mostly in one area of the abdomen, but are often generalised, vague, 'crampy' and difficult to define.

Does massaging a scar help flatten it?

Scar massage is a way of softening and flattening scars. It can stop scar tissue build up and help make scars less noticeable. Your scar or scars will continue to grow and change for about twelve to eighteen months, so the earlier and more regularly you massage your scar, the less the chance of long-term problems.

Does fasting get rid of scar tissue?

Previous research on intermittent fasting has demonstrated its notable impact on diabetic wound healing. It can enhance re-epithelialization and dermal regeneration while reducing scar formation.

What does scar tissue pain feel like?

It is often described as aching, burning, stabbing, throbbing, or tingling in or around the scarred area. The pain may be constant or intermittent, and its intensity can vary depending on factors such as the size and location of the scar, the extent of tissue damage, and individual pain tolerance.

What is the best scan to see scar tissue?

Often, scar tissue at the site of surgical resection or radiation treatment may appear as an abnormality on the CT scan.

Can a doctor tell how old an injury is?

Age of Injury is a correlation of findings related to the review of images and medical reports. A radiologist will attempt to tie the medical results to a specific timeframe and draw a clinical conclusion as to whether the findings described relate to the injury.

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