Body tool combats scar tissue that you wish you never saw

KELLY HODEL/ Waikato Times

HEALING STONES: Physiotherapist John Appel demonstrates the new tool to get rid of unsightly scars and break down internal scar tissue.

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Hamilton physiotherapist John Appel has a large scar on his elbow he got as a teenager in a motocross accident in his native United States.

But since the 35-year-old began using a new treatment, invented by an Auckland deep tissue massage therapist, the scar has slowly begun to soften and lighten.

Mr Appel, who has a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy, has been using the technique on a range of clients who have either external or internal scar tissue and the results have been dramatic.

"I've definitely noticed a difference. In the last six months I've noticed scar tissue (on patients) completely softening and completely disappearing."

The owner of Advance Physiotherapy in Vickery St, he runs the only physiotherapy clinic outside Auckland formally trained in the treatment.

Using what's called a body tool, with a greenstone in one end and an Australian mineral stone in the other, Mr Appel massages the deep tissue and external scars to break up the tissue.

The technique can be used on all types of injuries or surgery resulting in scar tissue, muscle tightness, tears and tendonitis, and is also being used on the scars of burn victims.

Mr Appel said headaches, tennis elbow, occupational overuse syndrome and caesareans were just some of the conditions or events helped by the treatment.

Others include sports injuries like on his elbow and surgeries such as the total knee reconstruction of Hamilton professional motocross rider Hayden Clark.

Mr Clark, 19, was not expected to be able to get back on his bike for six months following the knee surgery, but Mr Appel said that with the treatment he rode again after four months.

With scar tissue having the strength of steel, a harder substance is needed to massage the scars, such as the quartz crystal and greenstone on the body tool.

"With a simple massage you get in and release the scar tissue. You can feel the adhesions break up. It allows it to heal properly into normal skin."

Patients can then be shown how to keep up "daily maintenance" by massaging the ScarsAway stones into their skin during spare moments at home.

Burns victims who have used the treatment have reported great improvement and rejunvenation in their disfigured skin afterwards.

And it doesn't matter how old the scars are, according to Mr Appel, who said the differences were noticeable almost immediately.

There's no denying the treatment can be painful, but according to patients the pain disappears when the scar tissue has broken up. "Once it releases, it's no longer painful."

For more information visit scarsaway.co.nz