Adhesions are characterized by fibrous bands that form in the body after surgery. Very little mentioned by the medical profession, they nevertheless appear in the vast majority of patients. How do you know if you have adhesions? Can we avoid them? What solutions to treat them?

An adhesion is a lesion that forms after a surgical operation, at the time of healing.

The skin sticks to the tissues, organs and muscles located under the skin. Visually, one must imagine the formation of a large spider web inside the organism.

This phenomenon of poor healing usually occurs within 3 to 5 days after the operation. If it can go unnoticed, it can also cause more or less serious complications since organs are found stuck together when this should not be the case.

Symptoms of local origin

At the level of the scar, the skin may have become completely insensitive to the touch, or on the contrary cause a small tingling from time to time. In addition, the skin in this area lacks flexibility, it seems stuck, we cannot grasp it.   

Additional symptoms

Postoperative adhesions are likely to cause tension in the body, which leads to a change in posture since the body tries to compensate as it can. When surgery has taken place in the abdomen, the abdominals become compacted, which has the effect of reducing their mobility. Result: It can lead to intestinal obstruction.    

Adhesions cannot be detected by medical imaging. The only way to know if you have adhesions inside is to reopen. However, the fact of opening creates adhesions.

When adhesions are life-threatening to the patient, there is no other solution than to operate again to cut the adhesions. Fortunately, there are also natural solutions to alleviate them. 

Dr Paul Dupont, dermatologist, recommends:   

Massage the area to heal 

One of the precautions to take to avoid adhesions is to massage all around the area to be scarred. However, the massage should be gentle and should be done a little away from the scar itself. 

Circular movements are carried out for this with a rolling palpator, lightly pinching the skin between the thumb and forefinger, and rolling it between the fingers. However, you must avoid being too brutal, as this would further promote inflammation which is one of the causes of adhesions.  

Take a vitamin cure 

The cause of adhesions is multiple. It is usually an inflammation of the connective tissue that heals poorly. We should therefore, before each intervention, provide the body with a surplus of vitamins and trace elements necessary for healing and in particular vitamins A, C and E.   

Using a multivitamin cream

Apply locally, in the case of a superficial scar, a multivitamin cream containing the vitamins in question, provided that they are natural.

It is also possible to make compresses of Hydrosol of Helichrysum or witch hazel. Some also recommend taking these Hydrosols before and after any intervention.     

Article validated by Dr Paul Dupont, dermatologist, author of Soigner sa peau au naturel, published by Eyrolles.