The Truth About C-Section Scars: 4 Myths That Hold Women Back

Dawn Lean
2 days ago
4 min read

` Before & after scar massage.

A C-section isn’t “just another birth option.”It’s major abdominal surgery, cutting through multiple layers of tissue, muscle, and fascia, and yet so many women are sent home with almost no guidance on how to care for their scar afterwards. From the outside, some scars do sit quietly. But many don’t.

Women live with scars that feel:

lumpy
raised
thickened
pulled in at the edges
tight across the lower belly
uneven or misshapen
or painfully stuck to the deeper layers underneath

And then there’s the emotional side, looking at an overhang, pouch, or “shelf” (whatever name women give it) and thinking,

“I don’t know how to change this. Maybe this is just me now.”

Most women assume they’re the only ones who feel this way. You’re not. And you’re not imagining it.

Let’s gently unpick the biggest myths that hold women back from actually feeling better.

Myth 1: “My scar is fine because it doesn’t hurt.”

This is one of the most misleading ideas around C-section recovery. Just because it doesn’t hurt doesn’t mean it has healed well.

Numbness, tingling, odd patches of reduced sensation, these don’t mean “all is well”; they mean the nerves have been disrupted and may need support to reconnect.

Women tell me things like:

“That area doesn’t feel like mine.”
“It feels dead.”
“It’s numb on one side but painful on the other.”

None of this is unusual — but none of it means the scar is functioning well.

Tight scar tissue can affect:

hip movement
lower back pain
bladder urgency
digestion feeling slow or uncomfortable
the feeling that everything is pulling forward
how the belly sits over the scar

And of course, the dreaded “mummy tummy/overhang/pouch” women try to diet or exercise away… but it never changes, because the issue isn’t fat. It’s fascia.

Myth 2: “There’s nothing you can do after 6 weeks… 6 months… or years.”

This one might be the most damaging myth women hear. The reality? Scar tissue responds at any stage, even decades later.

I’ve worked with scars:

8 weeks old
3 months old
5 years old
10 years old
20 years old
over 30 years old

And every single one shifted, softened, or improved in some way. Fascia is alive. It listens. It adapts. Your scar is not “too old” to change.

Myth 3: “You should never touch the scar.”

I understand why this one sticks.

The fear, the sensitivity, the shock of how it looks at first, touching the scar can feel overwhelming.

But once the wound is healed and the skin is fully closed, gentle contact is not only safe, it’s incredibly helpful.

It can:

improve circulation
reduce tightness
help the scar move with you rather than against you
wake-up sensation
reduce pulling
ease the “tugging” feeling when you stand or stretch

The only times you should avoid touching a scar are:

when it’s infected
stitches haven’t dissolved/been removed
the wound is open
the area is red, hot, or swollen
you have fever or signs of DVT
a medical professional has advised against it

Other than that, touch is part of recovery, and it doesn’t have to be painful.

Myth 4: “A C-section scar only affects the scar.”

If only it were that simple. A C-section scar can influence:

lower back pain
hip tightness
pelvic floor tension
bladder urgency
the overhang/pouch women feel self-conscious about
rib tightness
posture
how confidently you move
even how digestion feels

Women don’t walk in saying, “My stomach feels blocked.”

They say things like:

“No matter what I do, diet, exercise, Pilates, this overhang won’t go.”
“My hips feel stiff all the time.”
“I still get that pulling pain when I move.”

And when you look beneath the surface, the scar almost always plays a part.

What scar treatment actually involves (the real version)

Women are often surprised by how gentle, calm, and sensible the work actually feels.

There’s no digging.

No forcing.

No “breaking up scar tissue” like some of the horror stories online.

My approach is layered and respectful, working with your body rather than against it.

Women often say things like:

“That stabbing pain has eased already.”
“I can’t believe how soft my scar feels compared to before.”
“My hip pain feels different… better.”
“Even my back feels freer.”
“My pouch/overhang looks different, in a good way.”

Scar work is about improving movement, comfort, and connection, not forcing change.

When scar work is NOT suitable

Avoid scar treatment if you have:

infection
open areas
non-healed stitches
redness, heat, or fever
suspected DVT
recent complications being monitored
an abdominal hernia

If in doubt, speak to your GP, midwife, or consultant first.

A closing thought…

You don’t have to accept pulling, tightness, numbness, or the overhang as “just how things are now.”Your body hasn’t stopped healing — it simply hasn’t had the right support yet.

Scar tissue can change.

Movement can return.

Comfort can come back.

And you’re allowed to feel better in your own body again.

If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve put together a free Scar Care 101 page with everything I wish women were told from day one, from the first 24 hours right through to the 6-week mark and beyond.

You’ll find: