There are more caesarean section deliveries than natural births in many developed countries of the world today. This means that more and more women are left with an angry scar just below their pubic bone where the incision was made to get the baby out. The scar sits pretty low on the abdomen where it can easily be covered up by your panties and bikini bottoms while you work on reducing its appearance.
Natural Remedies to Get Rid Of C-Section Scars
Know that there is really nothing you can do to make your c-section scar go away completely. It’s going to be there for life. It will, of course, fade with time even if you don’t take any steps toward that end. However, the first few days post delivery you may find the scar large, red and scary. It can be overwhelming to see it on a daily basis which is why most women want to do everything possible to make it fade as quickly as possible.
Before you start thinking about natural remedies, it is absolutely crucial to first focus on taking care of the c-section wound right after delivery. Speak to your doctor or health care practitioner to learn about c-section aftercare and follow instructions to the T.
Natural ways to Get Rid Of C-Section Scars
Do not begin scar reduction treatment of any kind – natural or otherwise – until the stitches/staples have been removed and the wound has healed completely. This cannot be stressed enough. Any attempt at fooling around with the scar site before that could result in the wound opening up again. No matter how bad it looks, scar reduction can wait – your health is more important. In fact, it is improper aftercare which can result in an even angrier scar which is darker and takes longer to fade. So your first step if you hope to make the scar disappear is taking care of the wound.
Before you begin on any natural remedy for the c-section scars, speak to your doctor and ask if it’s OK to begin. Only then commence with one or more of the options below. It’s better to err on the side of caution so if you know which of these natural remedies you are going to be using you can talk to your doctor about it first.
Massage with Any Oil
This is the number one remedy for scars of any kind. Daily, gentle massaging helps to break the collagen underneath the skin, thus helping keloid (raised) scars to flatten out and pitted scars to plump up. You need oil to massage so as to reduce the amount of friction that is generated from the repetitive motion. To begin with, massage for just a few seconds a day, but do it every day. You can increase the amount of time to one minute and then five minutes as your wound heals. Since massage can cause a wound to re-open, it is really, really important that you ensure beyond a doubt that it has healed completely before attempting this remedy.
Several women have claimed that massaging with pure olive oil has given them better results than other oils. Olive oil does indeed have both curative and beautifying properties so you may want to stick with this one if you’re not too sure about what oil to use and not too keen on experimenting. Tea tree oil too is known to soothe and aid in healing.
Aloe Vera
Long touted as one of the best natural remedies for burns, scars and general healing, aloe vera is the go-to for women looking to get rid of c-section scars. Simply apply aloe vera gel to the scar two to three times a day. Natural aloe is transparent, not green. If buying commercial aloe, ensure that you buy one that is organic-certified with no added color. A better option is to grow an aloe vera plant in your kitchen and cut the thick leaves open for fresh, all-natural aloe gel.
Vitamin E
Another winning natural remedy for healing wounds, vitamin E oil will help to speed up the process of fading your scar. You can apply vitamin E oil if you find that easily in stores near you, or you can cut open vitamin E capsules and use the gooey gel inside to massage your c-section scar.
Lemon
Although this will not help much in the healing process, lemon is a natural bleach and will work to help fade the scar out. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on a ball of cotton and gently dab at the scar. Wash off after 20 minutes. Use juice from fresh lemons only, not the bottled or canned variety.
Tea bag
Dab your c-section scar with a used tea bag. Any tea will do, it doesn’t have to be herbal. The caffeine and antioxidants in black tea are known to be good for skin. Herbal teas too have their own benefits, even if they do not have caffeine. Chamomile tea is known to calm the skin and can help reduce redness.
Potato slice
Acne sufferers know that rubbing a potato slice on their face can reduce the redness. It also has a slight bleaching property which lightens scars. Cut a raw potato and rub on to the c-section scar. This will release the potato juice which is where all the healing goodness lies. Leave the juice on your skin for fifteen to twenty minutes then wash off. This is a good remedy for the earlier stages of the scar when it has healed but is still quite red.
Tomato Therapy
This is a long-time and popular remedy for c-section scars as well as acne scars. Cut a tomato in half and rub it on the site of the scar. The juice contains nutrients which will penetrate your skin and aid in healing. Wash off after letting it sit for about 15 minutes.
Honey
A great moisturiser and cleanser used in a variety of face packs, honey is wonderful for c-section scars as well. Just rub natural honey on your scar 2 to 3 times a day for several weeks. If you don’t mind the stickiness, you can even leave it on all day and night. It’s natural so it will not have any side-effects or nasty repercussions from leaving it on all the time.
Acupuncture
Chinese medicine can do wondrous things that modern medicine comes nowhere near tackling. Acupuncture may seem a little scary if you’ve never tried it. However, a little courage will reap great benefits. You will see results in five to six sessions at the hands of an experienced acupuncturist.
All these natural remedies to get rid of c-section scars take a long time to work, as much as two months in some cases. The effectiveness of it will also differ from woman to woman as we are all unique and our body responds to healing differently. If one natural remedy does not work, don’t give up on them altogether. Try another. Be patient with whatever remedy you choose, but above all, remember to be consistent. While you’re waiting for it to fade away, take pride in your c-section scar! Your body just did an amazing thing by bringing new life into the world and your scar is a memento of that miraculous experience.
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