Scar desensitization
Progress through textures — from soft to firmer — to help the nervous system tolerate touch around healed scars.
Start with the softest texture — cotton or silk — over the scar.
Ready when you are
We'll guide you through 4 short steps — about 35 seconds of guided motion. Pause or stop anytime — nothing leaves your device.
Have ready: Cloth or texture swatches
Contraindications & stop if…
When not to do this
- Open or unhealed wounds
- Suspected infection
- Within surgeon-defined wound-care window
Stop if
- Sharp pain
- Bleeding or open skin
- Signs of infection
Guided full-screen session — 3D hand, optional mirror, voice or silent modes.
Why it helps
Gradual touch helps the brain remap sensitivity around scars so daily contact feels normal again.
What it should feel like
Tickly, odd, or slightly uncomfortable — not painful.
Target area
Scar tissue
Stop if you notice
- Sharp pain
- Bleeding or open skin
- Signs of infection
Get clearance first if
- Open or unhealed wounds
- Suspected infection
- Within surgeon-defined wound-care window
Watch a curated demo
Your practice loop
Pause where you want, then tap A for where the loop starts and B for where it ends. Turn Autoloop off anytime — your A/B times stay saved for this video.
Now 0:00 · Loop 0:00 → end of video
Education sources
HandTherapy.app summarizes common home-program elements used in hand therapy and surgery recovery education. These links are for learning — they do not replace your clinician's instructions.
How to do it well
Goal, setup, dose, and the things therapists most often have to repeat. This is education — not a replacement for your clinician's plan.
Before you start
- Wound must be fully closed and not draining.
- Have several textures ready — cotton, silk, terry cloth.
- Stop if any sharp pain or skin breakdown.
Today's dose
- Reps
- 4
- Sets
- 1
- Sessions / day
- 3
- Rest
- 0s
- Pain ceiling
- 2/10
Common mistakes
- Jumping to firm textures too soon
- Pressing hard instead of gliding
- Skipping days — frequency matters more than intensity
Easier version
- Stay on the softest texture for the whole session
- Reduce to 2 sessions per day
Harder version
Only if your phase allows progression.
- Progress to a firmer texture (e.g. terry cloth)
- Add tapping or vibration only if comfortable
How did this feel?
One tap. Saved as a question for your next visit when relevant — never auto-shared.
What to do next — not a dead end
Suggestions use shared goals, tags, and difficulty — not your medical record. Always defer to your clinician’s plan after surgery or a flare.
~2 min this exercise
Add a second exercise below for a fuller block.
Soft fabrics (cotton, silk, terry) — optional timer
Explainer ceiling: 2/10 — back off before you reach it.
Get clearance first if
- • Open or unhealed wounds
- • Suspected infection
- • Within surgeon-defined wound-care window
Where this fits in a program
- Nerve injury, numbness, or sensory loss — Nerve recovery & numbness kit
- Scar tightness & tendon adhesions — Scar adhesion pathway
Commonly paired with
Different goal, shared tags — typical clinical pairings.
Movement library — same skills, smaller steps
Movements are the building blocks therapists combine into exercises.