Short answer: most C-section wounds close within 1–2 weeks, but the scar keeps changing for 12–18 months. Silicone is the most widely recommended non-surgical scar treatment, and you start it once the wound is fully closed — usually around 2–3 weeks post-op, once your midwife, GP or obstetrician confirms it's healed.
Here's what to expect, and what actually helps.
What a healing C-section scar looks like, week by week
Every recovery is different, but the broad pattern is consistent.
Week 1–2. The incision is closed with sutures, staples or glue. It looks raised, pink or red, and the area around it feels tight, numb or tingly. Some bruising and mild swelling is normal.
Week 2–6. The outer wound seals. You may notice itching — that's usually a sign of healing, not a problem. Numbness above the scar is very common and can last months.
Month 2–6. This is when the scar looks its worst for many women. It can become raised, darker, or firm to touch as collagen builds. This is the remodelling phase, and it's also the window where treatment makes the most difference.
Month 6–18. The scar gradually flattens, softens and fades toward a pale, flat line. Colour change continues for well over a year.
If yours looks angry at three months, that's usually normal — not a sign something has gone wrong.
When can I start using silicone on a C-section scar?
Once the wound is completely closed — no scabs, no open areas, no discharge, and staples or dissolvable sutures fully gone or absorbed. For most women that's around 2 to 3 weeks, but it varies.
Get your care provider to look at it before you start. Applying anything to a wound that hasn't fully closed risks irritation or infection.
There's no upper limit on when to start. Silicone is most effective on scars under a year old, but many women see softening on scars that are several years old.
Why silicone, and not a cream?
Silicone sheeting is the treatment with the strongest evidence base for managing raised and hypertrophic scars, and it's what international scar management guidelines point to first.
The mechanism is simple: silicone forms an occlusive layer that holds hydration in the scar tissue. That hydration signals the cells producing collagen to slow down, which is what causes scars to flatten and soften rather than build up.
What it realistically does:
- Softens and flattens raised scars
- Reduces redness over time
- Eases itching and the tight, pulling sensation
- Protects the scar from friction against waistbands and clothing
What it won't do: erase a scar. Nothing does. The goal is a flatter, paler, more comfortable line — not invisibility.
Our C-Section Silicone Scar Strips are medical-grade silicone, reusable, and cut to sit along a standard C-section incision.
How long do you wear silicone strips?
The general guidance is to start with 4–8 hours a day and build up to 12–24 hours as your skin tolerates it, for at least 8 to 12 weeks. Consistency matters far more than intensity — a strip worn daily for three months does more than one worn sporadically for six.
A routine that works for most people:
- Wash and fully dry the scar and the surrounding skin
- Apply the strip so it covers the scar plus a few millimetres either side
- Wear overnight, or under clothing during the day
- Remove, rinse the strip in mild soapy water, air dry, and reuse
Skip it if the skin underneath becomes irritated, and give it a day or two before restarting.
What else actually helps
Scar massage. Once fully healed and cleared by your provider, gentle massage for a few minutes a day helps break down tightness and improve mobility. Small circles, light pressure, working along and across the scar.
Sun protection. New scars pigment easily and permanently. Keep it covered or use a high SPF for the first year, including on holiday.
Support in the early weeks. A postpartum belly band reduces pulling on the incision when you stand, lift or cough, which makes those first weeks considerably more comfortable.
Patience. Most of the visible improvement happens between months 6 and 18. Judging your scar at eight weeks is judging it mid-process.
When to call your doctor or midwife
Get it checked promptly if you notice:
- Redness spreading outward from the incision, or the area feeling hot
- Pus, or any discharge with an odour
- Increasing pain rather than gradually decreasing pain
- Any part of the wound opening
- A fever
- A scar growing beyond the original incision line, or thickening significantly — this can indicate a keloid, which is treated differently
None of this is a reason to panic, but all of it is a reason to get someone to look at it rather than wait and see.
Common questions
Is itching normal?
Yes. Itching is one of the most common healing sensations and usually settles as the scar matures. Silicone often reduces it. Persistent, intense itching with redness is worth mentioning to your provider.
Why is my scar numb?
The incision cuts small sensory nerves. Numbness above and around the scar is extremely common and can last months to years. Sensation usually returns gradually and partially.
What's the "shelf" above my scar?
A slight overhang where tissue sits above the incision line. It's very common, often improves over the first year, and is influenced by swelling, scar tightness and how the tissue settles.
Can I use silicone on a scar from a previous birth?
Yes. Older scars respond more slowly, but softening and colour improvement is still commonly reported.
Does it work under clothing?
Yes — strips are thin enough to wear discreetly under high-waisted underwear or a band.
The short version
Close the wound, then start silicone. Build up to wearing it most of the day, and keep it up for at least three months. Protect it from the sun. Massage once you're cleared. Then give it a year before deciding how it settled.
Your scar is going to change more than you expect, for longer than you expect — and most of that change is in the right direction.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Every recovery is different. Talk to your midwife, GP or obstetrician about your own healing, especially before starting any treatment on your incision.