C-Section Scar Care: What I Actually Did After Two C-Sections
After two C-sections, I’ve learned that caring for a C-section scar happens in stages. And in the very beginning, my scar care routine was incredibly simple: I did absolutely nothing.
I didn’t touch it. I barely looked at it. I definitely wasn’t massaging it or putting products on it. I followed the instructions I was given and essentially left the incision alone while it healed.
Once my OB cleared me to start treating the scar, I took two slightly different approaches after my two C-sections. After my first, I primarily used silicone scar tape. After my second, I used scar cream and became much more comfortable massaging the area.
Here’s what I actually did, what was different the second time around, and a few things about C-section scars that I really wasn’t prepared for.
A quick note before we get into it: This is my personal experience after two C-sections, not medical advice. Every incision and recovery is different. Always follow your own doctor’s instructions about incision care and wait until your provider says your incision is fully healed before beginning scar massage or applying scar treatments.
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What I Did With My C-Section Incision at First: Nothing
When I came home from the hospital, my incision still had the tape or strips from surgery over it. My instructions were essentially to leave the area alone and keep it dry.
So that’s exactly what I did. I didn’t put scar cream on it. I didn’t massage it. I didn’t peel anything off. Honestly, I barely wanted to look at it after my first C-section.
Your own discharge instructions may be different depending on how your incision was closed, so this is one area where I would absolutely follow whatever your medical team tells you. General C-section recovery guidance also emphasizes keeping the wound clean and dry and watching for signs of infection while it heals.
I Waited Until My OB Cleared Me for Scar Care
I don’t remember whether it was at my four-week or six-week postpartum appointment, but I waited until my OB checked my incision and gave me the okay before I started treating or massaging it.
I think this distinction is really important because “C-section scar care” can make it sound like you should come home from the hospital and immediately start applying products. That was not my experience at all.
Scar massage should only begin once the wound is completely healed, with no scabs or open areas remaining. Some guidance puts that around six to eight weeks after a C-section, but healing timelines vary, which is why I preferred getting the okay from my own OB first.
What I Used After My First C-Section: ScarAway Silicone Scar Tape
After my first C-section, I used ScarAway silicone scar tape. A friend recommended it to me after her husband, who is a doctor, had highly recommended the product.
Once I was cleared to use it, I wore the tape according to the product instructions. It was easy because I could put it on and then mostly forget about it.
Silicone dressings and gels are commonly used as an option to help improve the appearance of scars, although no product is going to completely erase a scar. Scars also naturally change and fade over a long period of time.
My first scar healed properly, and I was happy with it overall. But even a few years later, before I had my second C-section, it was still noticeably red.
I remember comparing it to a friend’s C-section scar that had faded much closer to her natural skin tone and wondering why mine still looked so red. The reality is that scars can look very different from person to person, and they can be pink, red, purple, brown, white or closer to your skin color. They can also continue fading for two years or longer.
What I Used After My Second C-Section: Nēmah Scar Cream
My approach was different after my second C-section.
This time, I used Nēmah scar cream, which had been recommended to me through a friend. I made applying it part of my routine whenever I got out of the shower.
The biggest difference, though, wasn't necessarily the product. It was me.
After my first C-section, I was nervous about touching the area. It felt numb, puffy and swollen, and I didn't really know what was normal. After my second C-section, I knew what to expect and wasn't nearly as afraid of the scar.
I specifically liked using a cream because it gave me an opportunity to massage the area at the same time.
My C-Section Scar Massage Routine
Once my OB cleared me, I looked up videos showing different techniques for C-section scar massage. I would apply my scar cream and try to spend around two minutes massaging the scar and the surrounding area.
I never went to a professional for scar massage, although I know some women do. I just did it myself at home.
There are different approaches to C-section scar massage, including gently moving the skin above, below and eventually over the scar in circular, vertical and side-to-side movements. The important part is waiting until the wound has fully healed before doing it.
There also isn't a huge amount of research establishing exactly how effective C-section scar massage is. Some clinical guidance recommends it because it may help with symptoms such as tightness, itching and swelling, but I wouldn't look at it as a guaranteed way to change how your scar or stomach will ultimately look.
For me, it was something that made me feel like I was actively caring for an area of my body that I had been almost afraid to touch after my first surgery.
Scar Tape vs. Scar Cream: Which Did I Like Better?
I don't think I can definitively say one was better.
I used silicone scar tape after my first C-section and scar cream plus massage after my second. Six months after my second C-section, my scar actually looks better than my first scar did. It is less red, and I am really happy with how it is healing.
But I can't tell you that the cream is the reason.
It could be the massage. It could be how my body healed this time. It could be where or how the incision was made and closed. It could simply be that scars heal differently.
So I wouldn't tell another mom that she needs one particular product. I think the more important takeaway is to let the incision heal, get cleared by your provider, and then decide which scar-care routine you're actually comfortable maintaining.
The C-Section Scar Numbness Surprised Me
One of the strangest parts of having a C-section scar for me was the numbness.
After my first C-section, I remember being surprised by how numb the area around and above the scar felt. It was another reason I was hesitant to touch it.
And the numbness can last a long time.
Even now, about six months after my second C-section, I think I still have some numbness around the area. That isn't necessarily unusual. Changes in sensation, particularly numbness above a C-section scar, can last for weeks or months, and for some people sensation may not completely return to what it was before surgery.
Knowing that the second time around made the sensation much less alarming to me.
Avoid Anything That Rubs Against the Scar
The biggest everyday annoyance during my recovery wasn't necessarily the scar itself. It was having something touch or rub against it.
This is why I lived in loose dresses and pajamas after both C-sections and strongly recommend high-waisted postpartum underwear. I didn't want a waistband sitting directly across my incision.
Loose, comfortable clothing is also commonly recommended during C-section wound recovery. This was especially important early on when the area was still swollen and tender. I didn't start wearing leggings or tighter clothing again until much later because it simply wasn't comfortable for me.
The C-Section Shelf No One Warned Me About
The scar itself actually isn't the part of my C-section recovery that I notice the most.
It's the C-section shelf.
I didn't even know this was a thing before having a C-section. There can be this little area of puffiness or overhang above the incision that sticks around for much longer than I expected.
At six months postpartum after my second C-section, I can still see mine. When I'm standing, my stomach looks relatively flat again. When I sit down, though, I can absolutely see the shelf above my scar.
I don't say that negatively. It's just part of what my body looks like right now after abdominal surgery and having a baby.
And there is something reassuring I can remind myself of: before I got pregnant with my second baby, I don't remember thinking about my C-section shelf anymore. At some point after my first C-section, it had become enough of a nonissue that it wasn't something I noticed.
I can't tell you exactly when that happened, and I can't promise someone else's body will change in the same way. But six months postpartum is still six months postpartum. My body is still changing and healing.
I'm not particularly interested in the idea of "bouncing back." Bodies recover differently, and I don't think there's a deadline for looking the way you did before pregnancy. What I do find comforting is remembering that the way my body looks six weeks or six months after surgery isn't necessarily the way it will look forever.
What My C-Section Scar Care Looked Like After Two Babies
If I had to simplify my entire scar-care experience, it would be this: I left my incision completely alone while it was healing, waited until my OB cleared me, and only then started worrying about the actual scar.
After my first C-section, I used ScarAway silicone scar tape. After my second, I used Nēmah scar cream after showering and spent a couple of minutes massaging the area.
The second time around, I was much more comfortable touching my scar because I knew the numbness, swelling and strange sensations weren't necessarily signs that something was wrong. I also understood that scar healing takes a lot longer than those first six postpartum weeks.
My second scar is currently less red than my first one was, but I can't say whether that's because of the cream, massage or simply the way my body healed this time.
If you're staring at a brand-new C-section incision and feeling afraid to even look at it, I get it. I was exactly the same way after my first. You don't need to have your entire scar-care plan figured out while you're recovering from major surgery and taking care of a newborn.
Let it heal. Follow your doctor's instructions. And when you're cleared to start caring for the scar itself, you can figure out what feels right for you.
When to Call Your Doctor About a C-Section Incision
Scar care is very different from treating a problem with a healing incision. Contact your medical provider if you're concerned about how your incision is healing.
Signs that warrant medical attention can include increasing redness, pain or swelling around the wound, pus or foul-smelling discharge, or severe pain.
When in doubt, I would always rather ask my OB than try to diagnose what's happening with a surgical incision myself.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can you start C-section scar care?
I waited until my OB examined my incision and specifically cleared me, which I remember being around my four- or six-week postpartum appointment. Medical guidance recommends waiting until the wound is fully healed with no openings or scabs before beginning scar massage. Your individual timeline may be different.
Can you massage a C-section scar?
Once the incision is completely healed, scar massage is one option that may help with symptoms such as tightness and itching. I started only after my OB cleared me and massaged the area while applying scar cream.
How long does numbness last after a C-section?
It can last much longer than I expected. I still notice some numbness about six months after my second C-section. Numbness around and particularly above the scar can persist for weeks or months, and some people may have lasting changes in sensation.
Does a C-section scar fade?
C-section scars generally change considerably with time. They may initially look red or prominent and gradually fade, but scars can take two years or longer to fully mature and everyone's final scar looks different.
Is scar tape or scar cream better for a C-section scar?
I used silicone scar tape after my first C-section and scar cream after my second. I personally liked the cream because applying it encouraged me to massage the area, but I can't say that one product produced a better result. Silicone dressings and gels are among the treatments used to improve scar appearance.
Does the C-section shelf go away?
Mine became much less noticeable after my first C-section, to the point that I don't remember thinking about it before becoming pregnant again. Six months after my second C-section, I still have one. Bodies heal differently, so I don't think there is a useful deadline for when yours "should" disappear—or a guarantee that it will.
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