Treating weepy skin under a bandage: Need advice!

Hi guys,

I'd like to hear from the nurses on here about how to deal with the problem in the pic. I get this every once in a while on the skin under my bandage, almost always in this same location. It's a location where my belt or edge of my pants rubs against constantly. You can see the skin is red and weepy, but not painful or bleeding. I only notice it because the bandage won't stick to the weepy skin, and when I checked my barrier this morning to decide if I should change it or not, I noticed it not sticking in this location. I'm hesitant to put anything like triple antibiotic ointment on it, as I'd rather let the air dry it out. I really need to wear pants (or shorts) to work today, so until I hear back from you guys, I'll do what I always do... just fold up a few sheets of toilet paper and slip it between my pants and this red weepy skin (to absorb the moisture) and go about my day. But is there anything I can do to speed up the healing process? I've tried a variety of things in the past... now I'd like to know what the "proper" way to address this problem is.

Thanks,

Bob

I am not a nurse, but it could be a metal allergy from your belt or the metal snap on your pants.

Hi Maried,

Wow... never thought of that! Thanks for the input. I've been wearing shorts lately that have no metal there... but that's one of those great pieces of info to tuck away for later. Another friend was suggesting it was caused by friction, but I've got to think about that one a bit. The problem is once it starts... being covered by the barrier bandage just seems to make it worse... or at the very least prevents or lengthens healing time. I'm also ruling out an allergic reaction to the bandage portion of the barrier because I would expect to see that all over, not just in this one spot. When I change my barrier, I don't put anything on that area of my skin... I just make sure it's dry. This started about a week ago... so it's a puzzler!

Regards,

Bob

Hi, I'm not a nurse either, but I get a similar problem. I don't know what causes it either. It usually starts after I have been hot and sweaty. I'm not sure if that has something to do with it or not.

I was given this to try, and it works great. It doesn't stop the problem, but it dries it up and helps it heal really quickly.

Loki........thanks for that! Hey everyone.........I wasn't trying to be a dick and suggest that only nurses should reply........I was just trying to get their attention because of course I'll try anything you guys say will work, but I also wanted to get the "official" medical community answer......just to see what they say to do. I appreciate all feedback, because you guys are on the front lines living this crap every day. That makes your knowledge priceless. It's just interesting sometimes to see what the medical community thinks. Thanks again........and Loki I'm going to get me some o'dat stuff..........and I do think being hot and sweaty might have something to do with this!!

Regards,

Bob

Have you ever tried the ConvaTec (DuoDERM Extra Thin Spots)? Put some stoma powder on the sore skin and put one of these over it to help it stay dry and heal. The wafer will stick very well over this product. Call Convatec; they will likely send you a free sample. Good luck. Penguins7

I'm a WOCN. Few thoughts.

1. Are you usually wearing your belt with the snap part facing down? Hollister belt has a piece that could be causing a pressure area if you are wearing it with the hard plastic notch facing down.

2. It looks like it's in a crease on your abdomen? With summer and sweating, it could be from moisture and friction. If so, either stoma powder mentioned above or even using some antiperspirant on the area once it's healed.

3. Probably not an allergic reaction if it's only in that one spot. It would usually be anywhere the tape touches that would get red and irritated.

4. In the future, to protect the area once healed, look at the elastic barrier extender strips by any of the 3 big ostomy companies. They are made of thin duodenum-like material and should protect that area from friction from pants or belt.

Good luck -

I would recommend stoma powder, make sure to read directions, just a little and brush off. If it is under your barrier, you can also try full coverage with a product such as Flexware. It is by Hollister, and the gel-like substance is very healing. You may have to apply powder several times a day! Good luck, I know it is painful. You can even cut a piece to fit over the area (the gel-like) material and put it over the area with a dressing. Leave it on for about 3 days. I healed a skin tear on my elderly mother's leg with this.

Eddie

I would try the powder, if under barrier just use a small amount and dust off. The gel-like substance around your barrier is very healing, you can cut a piece of that to fit over the area and apply a dressing over it, leave on for about 3 days then remove. You may also use a complete gel barrier, I do, it is called Flexware by Hollister. But every company has one. Please let me know how it is doing, I love to help when I can.

Eddie

Hi, I know that you are way more active than I am. Could it be from moisture (sweat)? Don't you use the powder before you put on the barrier or whatever it's called... I use the powder and that's all I need. It sticks just fine. I can usually go 4-5 days, but it's awfully hot here in Florida.

Hi Bob,

I had the exact same thing, in the same place, about a year ago. I tried a new pouch that was made of a different material. It was cheap plastic and it stuck to my skin and caused the spot. It comes back occasionally, but I use an antifungal cream called Xolegel. It is oily, so I put it on the spot after a shower and let it sit there for as long as I can. I clean it off before reapplying the pouch. The pouch will not stick to it. One time, I left it and applied the pouch and just used a barrier strip to prevent any leaks in that area. It works with just one application. I know you have an ileostomy, so you could get an irrigation sleeve and belt to wear around for a little while to give it time to work before putting your pouch back on. This works well for me.
Puppyluv

So Bob, the photo shows something very similar to what I had twice.  I think mine was a result of not drying the appliance well enough after a shower.  Using a blow dryer for  the necessary minute or two seems to have made the difference.  It's been absent for over a year now.  Certainly worth thinking about.

Mike

Hi Bob,

This might sound strange, but I had a couple of times where I developed red open areas like yours. It was close to the stoma, so I had to cover them. So I created a band-aid for under my wafer. I ran it by my ostomy nurse, and she loved the idea. And it worked. Before I put on the barrier ring and wafer - after I used the barrier wipes everywhere except over the open area - I cut a small piece of gauze that fit over the area. Then I used a piece of those "wing" things I had received as samples from someplace (or, if necessary, a flattened piece of barrier ring - once a piece of wafer - but the wings are nice and thin) to put over the gauze. It needed to be larger than the gauze so that it held the gauze in place using my surrounding skin to stick to. Then I went ahead with my routine - barrier ring and wafer. It actually worked! I changed the wafer more often than my usual 4-5 days...I think I went 2-3. But it was not irritated by the adhesives or things I use for my wafer, and it did indeed heal closed. I had to do this a few times for abscesses that developed.

So...maybe this would help. Like I said, it's a bit outside the box, but it helped me. So I thought I'd share. Hope it heals for you soon!

Bobbie

I sometimes get irritation where the skin at the waist and the skin barrier rubs. A nurse recommended a product from any drugstore called Domeboro. It's good to have on hand. Dilute a bit in water and rinse the area before putting on the new skin barrier. It is very fine powder and the particles easily get airborne. So be careful. It is soothing and works to dry up the red irritated areas. Another thing is to ask your doctor for a prescription for Nystop powder to put on the red area before or after the barrier wipe. I've also tried honey/water, which is used in hospitals now for wounds. You can try manuka honey, which is antimicrobial. I've also heard of using aloe vera, though I have not tried it. I have also tried colloidal silver liquid, which works well too. Good luck. Let us know when it's cleared up. Oh, also there is a special kind of foam pad wound covering the ostomy companies make.

I had a similar problem years back. It seemed to be an allergic reaction in spots, not all over. The powder helps it heal up. I started alternating wafers each time I change it. One time use the Stomahesive wafer, next time Surfit Natura. It eliminated the problem. Your skin is going to react to having the same thing on it all the time, changing things up helped me.

Hi there, there is a product that I used when I had irritation in the same area when I was going through chemo... My ostomy nurse suggested I try this product and it did help... It is called SecuPlast Hydro Aloe vera strips that you place on your skin where you have the soreness then cover with your barrier... This is from SaltS Healthcare. You get 30 large pieces per package which you could probably cut. This stays on until you change the barrier again. I hope this helps.

Judy

Not a nurse but the barrier powder works every time for me.

A light dusting, brush it off and it dries out any weepy sores.

It also allows any barrier to stick.

Best wishes / Good luck.

Kind regards

C

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I'll take note for next time. What I did was use the stoma powder and then blotted with a skin barrier protective wipe. I then trial fitted my barrier and marked where the troubled skin would be covered, and then I cut out a hole in my barrier to let the skin breathe. After 2 days I changed my barrier again and the skin looked 95% better. During that last barrier change, I did the same thing, but didn't cut a hole in my barrier. When I replaced my barrier this morning, the troubled skin was completely healed. So now I'm ready to see what's thrown at me next. Got a feeling it's going to involve a suture that's too close to my outer skin that causes a bleeding spot that won't heal. Stay tuned.

Thanks y'all!

Bob

Hi Bob ...

I have had issues like that from time to time due to the very hot weather here in Arizona. Some friends on another site recommended Lotrimin powder. Lotrimin Powder is now part of my regimen when I change my appliance. I will apply that and crust well, then the stoma powder and crust well. I have not had any weepy spots at all since starting that regimen over 1-1/2 years ago. It takes care of any yeast that may grow and break down the skin ... at least this works for me. Hope this idea helps.

Paula

Your doctor can give you a prescription for antifungal powder. The one I have is Nystop. Very good to have on hand as needed or use each time.

Yes, I've used Domeboro in the past for similar irritations. It's good stuff!

Morning Bob, no nurse, but why not go to the dollar store and get a bib? Snap-type, pull-off plastic/rubber backing and put it around that area. It will help with sweat and seeping onto clothes and still let air to the area. On your tape, cut the affected area, put Polysporin, etc., then the bib.

Have a great day.