Abdominal Scar Care
Gentle, hands on care for abdominal scars
Your scar might be relatively new, or it might have been with you for years.
You might notice tightness, pulling, numbness, sensitivity or restriction around the area. Or maybe you have that very real “scar ick”, that ugh, I really don’t want to touch that feeling, even though your scar is completely healed.
Abdominal Scar Care gives us time to properly look at your scar, work gently with the area and show you practical ways to care for your scar yourself.
For Caesarean, laparoscopy and other abdominal scars.
Appointments at Bodybegood Health and Wellness Studio, Ballarat.
Your scar is more than what you can see on the surface
Your scar might be completely healed, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it feels normal to you.
It might feel tight or pulling. Parts might be numb while other areas are really sensitive. You might notice it with certain movements, feel like one side is tighter than the other, or have that very real “scar ick” where you just really don’t want to touch it.
Or maybe there’s nothing particularly bothering you at all. You just want to understand your scar and know what you can actually do with it.
When I’m looking at an abdominal scar, I’m not just looking at the scar itself. I’m also interested in the tissues around it, how your abdomen and rib cage move when you breathe, and whether there are areas of tension or restriction showing up elsewhere in your body.
If you're preparing for another pregnancy or birth, you might also like to spend some time getting to know your Caesarean scar and the surrounding tissues.
For women planning a VBAC, scar care can be something you choose to explore as part of your personal birth preparation, alongside your usual maternity care.
The work itself is gentle. There’s no aggressive digging into your scar or trying to “break up” scar tissue.
What happens in an appointment?
We’ll start with a chat about your scar, how it came about, what you’ve noticed and what you’d like some help with.
Then we’ll look at your scar, abdomen and breathing before moving into hands on bodywork. We might also work with other areas of your body, breath or movement depending on what we find.
And I’ll show you what you can do with your own scar at home.
Had a Caesarean?
Your scar might be healed, but that doesn’t mean it feels normal to you.
Pelvic pain. Aching hips. A sore back. Feeling tight, heavy or just really uncomfortable. These things might be common in pregnancy, but that doesn't mean the answer should be “you're pregnant, that’s just part of it”.
Pain and discomfort give us useful information. There's often so much we can do to support your body through pregnancy.
You might have questions about your scar that nobody has ever really answered.
Can I touch it?
Should I massage it?
Why is part of it numb?
Why does one side feel different?
Why does it feel tight or pull when I move?
Is it too late to work with it?
You might also be preparing for another pregnancy or birth and want to include your Caesarean scar as part of that preparation, particularly if you’re planning a VBAC.
We’ll work gently with your scar, abdomen and surrounding tissues, and I’ll show you practical ways you can continue caring for it yourself.
Abdominal scar care isn’t just for Caesarean scars
You can also come and see me for abdominal scars following:
Laparoscopy
Hysterectomy
Other abdominal or pelvic surgery
Injury or trauma to the abdomen
Your scar doesn’t need to be new. If it’s fully healed, you can come in months or even years later.
When can I book?
After a Caesarean
Abdominal Scar Care can generally be booked from around 8-12 weeks postpartum, provided your wound has fully closed and healed.
There’s no rush to book as soon as you reach eight weeks. We can start with working on the tissues and areas around the scar or chat about how you can start supporting scar healing. If you’re unsure whether your scar is ready for hands on work, get in touch before booking.
During pregnancy
If you have a previously healed abdominal scar, Scar Care can be considered from the second trimester of pregnancy, depending on your individual pregnancy circumstances.
We'll discuss your health history and any relevant concerns before deciding whether treatment is appropriate.
Other abdominal scars
Your scar needs to be fully closed and healed before we begin this work.
If your scar is the result of recent surgery or injury, or you have concerns about healing, infection, increasing redness, swelling, discharge or significant new pain, please speak with your treating healthcare team first.
Appointments
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Initial Abdominal Scar Care
90 minutes | $160
New to Scar Care with me? Start here.
We’ll have plenty of time to talk about your scar, look at your abdomen and breathing, move into gentle hands on bodywork and show you practical ways to continue caring for your scar at home.
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Follow Up Abdominal Scar Care
50 minutes | $120
For existing Scar Care clients who have already had an initial appointment with me.
Abdominal scar care FAQs
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No.
Your scar doesn’t need to be recent. You might have noticed tightness, sensitivity, numbness or pulling for years, or you might simply have never really known what to do with it.
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The work is gentle and guided by how the area feels for you.
This isn’t about aggressively pressing, digging into or trying to “break up” your scar. We’ll communicate throughout and adjust what we’re doing based on your comfort.
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Your diaphragm, rib cage and abdominal wall all move together when you breathe, which is why I don’t look at your scar in isolation.
During your appointment we may look at how your ribs and abdomen move with your breath, and breath work may form part of your treatment or what you continue with at home.
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Come in whatever you’re comfortable in.
I’ll need to access your abdomen and scar during the hands on part of the appointment, and we’ll talk through this before we begin. Your privacy and consent are maintained throughout.
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No. You don’t need a referral to book.
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These appointments are not currently covered by Medicare or private health insurance.
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Appointments are held at Bodybegood Health and Wellness Studio in Ballarat.
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Sometimes symptoms around an abdominal scar need further assessment or support.
If you're experiencing ongoing pelvic pain, bladder or bowel concerns, significant abdominal symptoms or anything outside the scope of the bodywork I offer, I'll recommend seeing an appropriate healthcare professional, such as a pelvic health physiotherapist or your GP.
Scar care can sit alongside other healthcare, but it doesn't replace assessment or treatment when that's needed.
You don’t need to wait until your scar is causing a huge problem.
If it feels tight, sensitive, numb or pulling, gives you the scar ick, or you simply want to understand it and know what you can do with it, come and see me.
Initial Abdominal Scar Care
90 minutes | $160
Already been to see me?
Follow Up | 50 minutes | $120
Ready to give your scar some proper attention?
A note about my services
Midwife Lauretta does not provide medical care, and the services offered here are not a substitute for medical assessment, advice or treatment.
If you have any concerns about your health, wound or scar, please do not delay in contacting your primary medical care provider for advice and appropriate care.