Acupuncture: The Secret to Improving Scar Tissue

Most people would never consider puncturing their skin to heal old scars. Yet that is the beauty of acupuncture! While it seems counterintuitive, creating very fine abrasions to the skin can stimulate healing.

If you want to know more about how this works and where to get your service, keep reading!

What Causes Scar Tissue?

Generally, most scars are caused by damage to the skin, either on the surface or below. However, scars can be caused by many different impacts on the skin leading to dozens of scar varieties. The most common causes include accidents, surgeries, and other skin conditions causing collagen buildup.

Some of the most common causes of scars include the following:

• Surgical scars
• Pock marks from acne
• Keloid and hypertrophic scars from skin damage and collagen deposits
• Less painful, fine-line scars from small incisions in the skin
• Burn scars

Each of these scars has a different cause and slightly different pain levels. But each is the leftover damage to the skin after an injury. When you injure your skin, it releases collagen to repair the torn protein. This is a good thing because it helps encourage healing. Without it, your body wouldn't be capable of healing wounds and closing gaps in the skin. However, this collagen can deposit unevenly. These uneven deposits can result in bumps or ridges in the skin, which can become irritated or painful.

Damaged nerve endings cause this skin irritation. When the skin is cut or otherwise damaged, it results in damaged nerves that heal improperly. The more irritated they are, the more likely you are to scratch these scars. This makes them more inflamed and irritated, which could lead to them reopening and becoming infected.

Does Acupuncture Dissolve Scar Tissue?

Yes, acupuncture does dissolve scar tissue. This is achieved by decreasing inflammation and calming nerve receptors. Fine acupuncture needles puncture the skin and create micro-abrasions, encouraging the body's natural healing ability.

Acupuncture is a very effective way to decrease inflammation under the skin. This is essentially thanks to damage to the Nociceptors and Mechanoreceptors. These are nerve receptors in the skin that might begin misfiring when damaged. They communicate to the central nervous system about damage to the skin. This triggers a response in the body to heal the affected area. This usually results in white blood cells and an immune response to the hurt area. 

However, it can also cause inflammation since these nerves can get damaged. This more or less causes them to be overactive and send incorrect signals. Thus, your body becomes inflamed, and pressure builds up beneath the skin. This can be irritating and bothersome. Acupuncture decreases inflammation and stimulates natural healing in the affected areas.

Does Acupuncture Help Address Pain Caused By Scar Tissue?

Acupuncture is one of the best ways to decrease pain in every place of the body. This is achieved by increasing serotonin and endorphin production in the brain. These naturally occurring chemicals are responsible for pain relief and improved mood.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, acupuncture can significantly decrease pain. First, acupuncture stimulates pain-relieving chemicals in the brain and bolsters your mood. This significantly reduces pain in wounded areas.

However, acupuncture also decreases inflammation. Scar tissue is inflamed tissue and creates an uncomfortable sensation in the skin. This can make the skin feel itchy, inflamed, and lose flexibility. Acupuncture encourages blood flow and healing by creating small, extremely fine abrasions to the skin. When applied to injured skin, it helps reverse scar tissue and relieve pain.

Where To Get Professional Acupuncture Treatment for Your Scar Tissue

If you've been feeling self-conscious about your scarred skin, don't worry. Everyone has their wounds from the past, and not all damage heals the same way.

Acupuncture is one of the best ways to naturally reverse and heal old scars!

Get in touch today!