October 2, 2022
By Annie Mascia
Recently, I had the pleasure of sharing my handcrafted scar butter blend with a client who had abdominal surgery to repair Diastasis recti (a condition where the abdominal muscles split during pregnancy) that she paired with a timely tummy tuck. After healing, the surgery left an elongated, dark red scar across her lower belly, similar to a c-section scar. As the surgical wound was fully healed, the best remedy is to immediately start using the scar butter for best results.
Regardless of how a scar originally appears is really of no significance. The most important thing is, if you want that skin to heal like new, it's imperative to begin treating that scar as soon as the wound has fully closed. Older scars do not react to healing oils as fast as new scars - when the body is attempting to repair the skin with cell regeneration and collagen production. A sad fact is that reducing the look of an old scar entirely is a very difficult feat and can take years - believe me, I’ve tried.
WHY DO SCARS FORM?
The natural process of healing is truly amazing. When skin tissue is broken, whether from surgery, injury, a burn or just a plain cut, the body will immediately react to repair the tissue damage in the layers of the epidermis by activating collagen production. Collagen helps to heal and strengthen the wound and this healing process, as we all know, can take time. At times the healing process can go a little haywire, activating too much collagen production during the wound-healing process creating raised scars that are red, shiny and lumpy [1].
TYPES OF SCARS
Normal fine line scars: a minor wound that generally fades over time
Keloid scars: most common and due to excess collagen production are generally raised, shiny and puffy, and the skin can heal beyond where the original scar was.
Hypertrophic scar: the result of overproduction of tissue at the site of the wound, they are similar to keloids, causing red, raised skin but do not grow outside the injured area.
Atrophic scars: aka “pockmarks” - are characterized by a loss of tissue in the affected area such as from chicken pox or acne scar.
Contracture: these scars most commonly occur due to burns where the skin tightens and shrinks and potentially restricts movement.
WHY USE SCAR BUTTER?
There are a number of reasons to reach for scar butter. From small wounds to improving skin tone and injuries to larger surgical sites, scar cream packed with cicatrisant carrier and essential oils can improve and speed up the healing process - reducing scar lines and wounds to a normal or minimally blemished appearance. Here is a list of uses for scar butter:
Cuts
Any surgical scars
Burns - from sunburns to more severe skin burns
Acne & boil scars
Blisters
Stretch marks
To improve the general condition of the skin from skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema to dark marks and discoloration
The important thing to remember is that not all scar butters are created equal.
A LOOK AT THE KEY INGREDIENTS
The best treatment to repair skin is to load it with carrier oils packed with essential fatty acids - these oils are key to decreasing scar healing time. However, these fatty acids are volatile and can break down easily which means that they need to be kept at a cool temperature to preserve them. It is highly recommended to keep these delicate oils and blends refrigerated to prolong their life.
HEMP SEED OIL: Deeply green-hued hemp seed oil contains a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acid. These essential fatty acids are high in antioxidants giving the oil natural anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce scars and decrease healing time. The deep blue and green color lend the ingredient its natural ability to heal the skin.
TAMANU OIL: This superpower deep blue-green, slightly nutty-smelling oil contains a compound called calophyllolide which has been shown to reduce the formation of scars as well as promote wound closure and have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. [3] If that weren't enough, its strength also lies in its ability to moisturize dry skin, lighten skin tone and even heal acne are further testaments to its incredible virtue.
ROSEHIP SEED OIL: It is a well-known fact that luxurious Rosehip Seed oil helps prevent aging and wrinkles and lesser known that its high essential fatty acid properties reduce inflammation and reduce scar appearance such as acne scars & aid wound healing. [2]
Other ingredients that are beneficial for skin sebum and moisturizing are raw shea butter, jojoba wax, vitamin E oil and essential oils.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Essential oils used in body products such as scar butter work to assist wound healing and encourage new tissue growth through topical application & skin absorption. Essential oils have actions such as:
Cicatrisant (wound healing)
Anti-inflammatory (reducing swelling is key to healing)
Antibacterial (keeping the area clean and free of infection)
Antifungal
Antiviral
These oils (8) include:
Helichrysum italicum: an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, it also plays an exceptional role in wound healing by regenerating new cells and preventing the accumulation of free radicals. [5]
Rock Rose (Cistus salviifolius): known for its ability to heal wounds, it's also a great antibacterial, astringent and immune booster.
Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha): this resinous oil has been used for centuries to treat wounds by aiding collagen production and fighting microbes that cause infections.
Lavender angustifolia: well known as the mother of all oils treating many issues, it has also been shown in studies to accelerate the healing of wounds[6,8].
German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)- this earthy blue oil has been found to reduce inflammation, quell skin redness and irritation and also shows antibacterial, and antioxidant activities[7].
WHEN TO USE THE SCAR BUTTER
To heal a scar completely, it's best to be diligent in keeping a scar moist and the skin flexible - and to give it some time. You should start massage treatments when the skin has healed completely and there are no longer any open wounds. Using healing oils on an open wound can cause healing to happen on the outside, potentially trapping microbes and causing infections. This is why it's very important to wait for the skin to heal before using the cream.
HOW TO USE THE SCAR BUTTER
Massage the scar butter onto your scar several times a day (4-5x) for optimal results. Use a gentle circular motion when applying the butter on the scar letting it sink into your skin naturally. Within a few weeks, you will begin to see a huge difference in how dark and wide your scar(s)are. Within a few months, it should be nearly imperceptible.
La Strega Buona Scar Butter is a Vegan-friendly product and contains no harmful sulfates, no artificial colors, and no parabens. It is housed in a compostable cardboard container.
REFERENCES:
Evolution of Post-Surgical Scars Treated with Pure Rosehip Seed Oil https://file.scirp.org/pdf/JCDSA_2015062914154638.pdf
Anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities of calophyllolide isolated from Calophyllum inophyllum Linn https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0185674
Helichrysum italicum: From traditional use to scientific data https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037887411300799X
Wound Healing Potential of Lavender https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4880962/
The Mechanism Action of German Chamomile https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.706836/full#:~:text=German%20chamomile%20belongs%20to%20the,%2Dinflammatory%2C%20and%20antioxidant%20activities.
The Effects of Lavender on Wound Healing https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32589447/
Chemical Compounds Found in Essential Oils Improves Wound Healing https://news.iu.edu/stories/2019/12/iub/releases/17-chemical-compound-essential-oils-improve-wound-healing.html