Finding the Connection:
Healing Trauma Through Scar Treatment
Physical scars tell stories of survival, triumph, or trauma. They're constant reminders of life-changing events that created them. For some, scars represent victory against odds - marks of having conquered the unconquerable. For others, they symbolize defeat, submission, and dangerous memories.
Learn More
The Scale of the Problem
48M
Annual Surgeries
Surgical procedures performed yearly in the US alone, creating millions of permanent scars.
100%
Permanent Marks
Scars never disappear - they accumulate year upon year, creating lifelong reminders.
∞
Untold Stories
Every scar has a story - some remembered vividly, others buried in unconscious memory.
This data represents surgeries only within the US, multiplied many times over worldwide. Beyond surgical scars are those from accidents, burns, self-harm, and trauma - each carrying emotional weight.
Physical Effects of Scarring
Movement Restrictions
Limited mobility in torso and extremities, affecting daily activities and quality of life.
Altered Sensations
Changes in tissue feeling including numbness, tingling, or hypersensitivity in scarred areas.
Chronic Pain
Neuropathic pain and reduced blood flow creating ongoing physical discomfort.
Tissue Changes
Altered skin texture and appearance, sometimes requiring additional surgical intervention.
The Hidden Emotional Trauma
Freud, Laplanche, and Pontalis defined trauma as "an experience which presents the mind with stimulus too powerful to be dealt with normally, resulting in permanent disturbances." Any injury where skin is broken can create psychological trauma.
"Any injury where the skin is broken as a consequence of external violence may create psychological trauma and lasting effects upon the organism as a whole."
Common Emotional Responses
Self-Image Issues
Low self-esteem, self-loathing, and feeling disconnected from parts of the body.
Mental Health Impact
Sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and PTSD-like symptoms affecting daily life.
Relationship Challenges
Loss of libido, intimacy issues, and social isolation due to scar visibility.
Progressive Deterioration
Negative emotions can intensify over time, leading to deeper psychological distress.
Revolutionary Discovery: MSTR Treatment
The Breakthrough
As a physical therapist, Alastair McLoughlin developed a method of scar treatment (MSTR®) to address lacking treatment methods. This hands-on therapy normalizes tissue texture and appearance while creating unexpected psychological healing.
"I recognized a deficiency - a 'gap' - in the knowledge of many bodywork and movement practitioners. MSTR® fills the gap. It also helps reconnect people with their scars and creates a change in their emotional and psychological state."
The revelation: changing physical scars can change emotional responses to trauma.

Key Insight: Just as chronic pain can cause depression that lifts when pain subsides, emotional attachment to scars changes when their physiology improves.
Life-Changing Case Studies
1
The Sister's Knife
54-year-old woman with 4cm back scar from teenage stabbing by sister. After MSTR® treatment, she called her sister for the first time in decades, beginning relationship repair.
2
Emergency C-Section
35-year-old mother's scar represented abandonment when husband left post-delivery. Three MSTR® sessions transformed hate into acceptance and gratitude for her better life.
3
Knee Surgery Scars
39-year-old woman with 16-18cm knee scars felt shame and disconnection. Treatment restored feeling and confidence - she began wearing skirts again.
Self-Harm Scars: Breaking the Stigma
Self-harm scars carry unique stigma - seen as evidence of mental illness rather than survival. Society often responds with distrust rather than compassion, creating additional shame and isolation.
MSTR® transforms shame into acceptance. Patients report massive mindset shifts - from hiding scars to seeing them as important reminders of what they've overcome.
"The progressive deterioration of these emotions can lead to what may be described as ‘Post Traumatic’ type symptoms. Through many, many similar case studies it is quite obvious that when we improve the feel and texture of the scar the emotional feelings can change too." - Alastair McLoughlin
The Science Behind the Healing
30%+
Scar Reduction
Ultrasound analysis shows over 30% scar tissue reduction with single 15-minute MSTR treatment.
:-)
Emotional Relief
Patients consistently report rapid psychological changes within minutes, hours, or days of treatment.
!
Reconnection
Previously numb, hard tissue becomes soft and sensitive, restoring mind-body connection.
Research demonstrates measurable physical changes correlate with profound emotional healing. When patients reconnect with previously disconnected body parts, their attitude toward scars and traumatic events transforms.
The Future of Trauma Healing
Evidence-Based
Documented physical and psychological improvements warrant further scientific investigation.
Adjunct Therapy
MSTR® can complement existing trauma treatments where physical scarring occurred.
Widespread Impact
Potential to help millions suffering internal battles with thoughts and emotions from scars.
When we improve the feel and texture of the scar, we can change the emotional feelings too.