Scar tissue what does it feel like

But while the tissue that makes up a scar is made of the same stuff as normal skin — a protein called collagen, primarily — it looks and feels different. In other words, normal skin tissue is constructed of fibres that are oriented randomly to each other, while the very same fibres, in scar tissue, are oriented in a single direction, parallel to each other. It's actually quite reasonable, from an evolutionary perspective.

An open wound leaves the body susceptible to all sorts of problems, from intense pain to infection. So rather than slowly build skin the usual way, scars are the work of the body's rapid response team. The make-up of normal skin is very different to that found in scar tissue Credit: iStock. Think of it this way — if you've got a hole in your roof and it's raining, it's not worth waiting for the best carpenter in town if the second-best carpenter is available.

Especially if he can get the job done in half the time for half the price. It's better to protect the body from the outside world as soon as possible, even if the handiwork is a bit sloppy. While some scars are a source of pride, others might be aesthetically displeasing.

And though there aren't any methods to completely avoid scarring, there are ways to minimise their formation or appearance. For one thing, larger wounds mean larger scars. That's why doctors so often use stitches. Reducing the amount of space between the two ends of a wound results in a smaller scab, and therefore a smaller scar. If a scar is particularly unsightly, a dermatologist might recommend "revising" the scar.

In this process, the scar is entirely removed and the skin is re-stitched. Sometimes scars are visible after an injury and can clearly be seen with the naked eye such as with burn wounds or cuts from surgery.

When tissue is torn and starts repairing itself, it lays down collagen fibres, which are the building blocks of all types of tissue. Because the body wants to heal the tissue as quickly as possible, it lays the collagen fibres down haphazardly instead of in neat rows as with the surrounding healthy tissue. This causes the scar tissue to be thicker and less tensile than healthy tissue and often becomes a source of pain. Superficially, the scar might become raised and have slightly unusual colour.

Scar tissue can become tight or contracted or attach itself to surround structures such as the myofascial layer or even surrounding nerves and blood vessels. Unfortunately, diagnosing the presence of pelvic adhesions is difficult. Except in extreme cases, an examining physician cannot feel them during a pelvic examination, and tests like ultrasound, MRI scans, and CT scans do not detect them very often.

This means that a thorough history and a pelvic examination by a physician experienced in evaluating pain problems are the best tools for detecting their presence. When it seems likely that adhesions may be important, then a laparoscopy can be done to see them, and the adhesions can often be removed during the same laparoscopic procedure.

There are several cautions here. First, laparoscopic treatment of adhesions is most safely and effectively done by laparoscopic surgeons specially trained and experienced in performing this type of surgery.