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Skin Care for Your Stoma

When you have a stoma, it is vital to know how to care for the skin around your stoma. The condition of this skin can affect not only your general well being but also the skin barrier and pouching application. Learning how to take good care of the skin around your stoma can bring great rewards in the form of both physical comfort and peace of mind.

It is is always much better to prevent, rather than treat, skin problems around the stoma. A simple three-part program of Cleanse, Condition and Protect can ensure your skin is always in top condition.

Note: If you do find you have a skin problem, rest assured that most problems are usually easily treatable.

Remember, though, if at any time you feel that you cannot get your skin healthy, or you feel you have tried all options without success, it may be time to visit your stoma care nurse or doctor for some help and advice.

Take Care of Your Skin:

Your skin is the largest organ on your body. It does many things for you that you may not even be aware of. It helps make some vitamins, controls your temperature, shields you against harmful germs, waterproofs you, tells you what's happening in the outside world and gets rid of wastes.

At some point in life, everyone experiences a painful break in the skin. Most of us have endured blisters and sore feet caused by new shoes, or a bad sunburn or just the cuts and scrapes that happen with every day living. Remember, each person's skin is unique. What works for one person may not work for someone else.

Three Steps to Healthy Skin:

Step 1: Cleanse

Many people feel that they need to keep the peristomal skin very clean at all times. This can reach a point where they practice excessive cleaning, scrubbing and disinfection. As you might guess, this can be very harsh on skin since it removes the protective layers around the stoma.

There is no need to use harsh cleansers or disinfectants. Your stoma will not get infected. If you think about it, what did you do before you had a stoma? Cleaning around your stoma can be just that simple. Plain warm water is as simple as it gets. After carefully removing your skin barrier as described, cleanse your skin with warm water. Many people like to remove everything in the shower and completely rinse. It's your choice. It will not harm your stoma. Remover wipes are useful if you have a build up of residue from either tapes or skin barriers. Be sure to cleanse your skin after using remover wipes.

If you want to use soap, select a brand that is not oil based and doesn't leave a residue. Specially designed skin cleansers are available which are soap and fragrance free if you wish for extra gentle cleansing. Once you have given your skin a good rinse, simply pat the skin dry. Then reapply your skin barrier.

Step 2: Condition

If your skin shows signs of trouble such as redness or mild irritation, you should condition your skin. Taking quick action at this stage can help keep your skin in good shape.

Many skin care products are oil based, which can interfere with pouch adhesion. If you have problem skin, such as dry/flaky skin or even just some mild redness and irritation, a non oil-based creme should be used that will not interfere with pouch adhesion.

Again, ensure you have a correctly fitting barrier to prevent skin irritation from leakage.

Step 3: Protect

There are many products to protect the skin that are specifically designed for people with stomas. These include pastes, stoma powders, and protective wipes, as well as rings (washers) and strips.

There are various types of stoma pastes which are used as fillers or caulks. Pastes can be applied directly around the stoma. Or you can apply paste on the skin barrier. Either way, you should have a firm seal between the pouch and your skin.

Be sure to use stoma paste only as a filler and not adhesive. Pastes contain varying amounts of alcohol, and they can sting on broken skin. When they are applied to unbroken skin, there should be no sensation. Stoma powder (not talcum) is a good skin protector for broken skin. It absorbs moisture and protects the skin.

You can apply stoma paste over powder to seal the powder in. This may reduce the stinging sensation that can be experienced with pastes.

Skin protective wipes offer a protective film to the skin. This can serve a dual purpose by A) helping shield the skin against corrosive discharge and B) allowing easier removal of skin barriers. Most skin protective wipes contain alcohol, so, if you have broken skin, there might be a stinging sensation when you apply them. If you find it difficult to remove your skin barriers and tapes, or if you are stripping your skin, you might want to consider trying these wipes.

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