Bye-bye skin issues: Athlete's Foot spray for stoma care!

Hey gang,

I was going to PM Melanie (NWAO) to thank her for a skincare tip she suggested, but might as well put it out here for everyone to see. Maybe it'll help someone else too. So I was always having skin issues under my barrier's bandage section. They'd come and go, usually redness and weepy skin, often starting out as just a red speck here and there and sometimes getting worse, sometimes disappearing...totally random stuff for no rhyme or reason. I've been to dermatologists (totally useless) and tried a myriad of home remedies and cures...but nothing really worked. Before I talked to Mel, I was using a combo of Betamethasone (hardcore steroid) and Nystatin liquid. Those used together were pretty good, but every once in a while some irritation would randomly pop up. Mel suggested I use an antifungal. So out came the Athlete's Foot spray (liquid, not powder) and I tried that. BINGO! No more irritation! Not even a hint of it. I still use the Nystatin in between rounds of my Tinactin (Tolnaftate 1), more as a moisturizer than anything else...as the Tinactin will dry out my skin if I used it alone. But for the past couple of months that I've been using it, I haven't had ANY irritation under my bandage area! So my hat's off to Mel...and if you're struggling with red weepy skin...you might want to give the Athlete's Foot spray a try. It's working for me!!

Regards,

Bob

Hi Bob, I am glad you found something that works for you. My skin gets kinda red-looking but not weepy. Best wishes and stay safe.

Huh. I wouldn't have connected to fungal infection. That's interesting! When I first got my ostomy, I sometimes had red weepy patches. I haven't had that in quite a while, but I'll tuck it away juuuuuuust in case...

Hello Bob.

Thanks for this post as it brings back far-off memories of the time when I had a sore penis. When confronting my doctor, the first thing he wanted to do was to look at my feet! (there was no visible fungal infection there!) I was a bit sceptical about this approach but he prescribed the anti-fungal spray for athletes foot  to use on my private parts, and the whole infection cleared up in no time. He reckoned that the infection sometimes gets transfered from feet when bathing and towelling off.

My reasoning is: - "If it works, use it!".

Best wishes

Bill

Hi all! I am compelled to add a note encouraging everyone to take the tip passed from me to Bob to everyone...as just that, a general tip. Please, always follow the recommendations of your local ostomy nurse and/or medical team. (There can be other reasons for weepy moist skin which may need further follow up or your skin may need something different.)

Yes, absolutely... what she said.   I'll also add that in the past, if I'd go longer than changing my barrier every other day, I'd definitely get irritation under my barrier and that red, weepy skin forming.   Well, I was supposed to change my barrier yesterday, but due to a power outage from the ice storm, that didn't happen.   So when I peeled my barrier off this morning, I was expecting the worst.   But... my skin looked perfect!!   Holy Cow Turds Batman!... this shit works!!    

So obviously what I'm promoting isn't for everyone... but I'm a believer.   Funny, it never worked that well when I did have jock itch... maybe it's just a product labeled wrong?   But then they probably wouldn't sell much of it if they called it an Ostomy Site Fungicide... now would they?   So just consider it another tool in your ostomy toolbox, and worth a try if the road gets bumpy.   NWO is still MY hero!!   Thanks Mel!

Regards,

Bob

Glad to hear your skin is happy & healthy.

Hi Bob, and to everyone,

I have been having problems with itching and some redness around the base of my stoma.

Thought of the barrier or convex ring. Tried the usual stomapowder, Mustain powder, cutting hole smaller, etc.

I am now trying zinc vitamin in powder form. Seems to be helping the itching, and my skin under the barrier looks better, still assessing around stoma.

Hope this helps some.

I'm glad to see this post. I have been using Lotrimin powder under my flange for a long time. Living here in Arizona, when the summer is here it is, shall we say, a bit warm :) I would get the red weepy areas under my flange and using this has done the trick. I apply the Lotrimin powder, crust that; and then use the Stoma powder and crust that. Talk about protected skin! Always trust your WOCN but as many have said, if you have never had an ostomy you do not always know all the little ins and outs that can help an ostomate out!

I have been struggling with this exact problem for over 4 years with no end in sight, but I'm heading out to try athlete's foot remedy today. Thank you for the heads up! 

I wanted to give everyone a quick update on my skin problems and having used athlete's foot spray for 9 days: it works!

Within 36 hours, the open skin wounds that weeped had stopped weeping.

When I changed the bag and barrier a few days ago, it damaged my skin even though I used the spray remover. By the way, get yourself that stuff, it has made a huge improvement in my skin as the adhesives no longer tear my skin to shreds.

The skin is getting stronger, is pink in color, and soft like new skin.

Here is a trick I'm using to apply the athlete's foot spray: I wear an Ostomy Armor Waste Wick daily. Having had dozens of blowouts over the last 4 1/2 years, I don't take the risk of not wearing one. Anyway, I spray the athlete's foot spray on the Waste Wick and then put on my hernia belt (I wear that daily too...) and it holds the wick in contact with my skin. This has allowed me to keep more of the product in contact with my skin, and I think it's speeding the healing process. Full disclosure, I was the development mule for the smaller size Waste Wick, and the owners of the company have become friends. I pay for the wicks I use, but I don't want anyone to think I'm pushing them for the wrong reasons. I use them because they work and have saved my sorry front butt more times than I can count.

We head out for a week's vacation in Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas next week. I'll report back after a week of activity, and we'll see how the skin around my front butt is doing.

Thanks to Bob for the tip!

Just a follow up to my post about the zinc. Yesterday was my first change after using it once, and the red ring around my stoma is gone. My skin under the battery is all clear and good. So hope this gives everyone an option as to what may work.

Cheers

Hi Bob,

I researched treatments for irritated red, weepy skin around stomas and got some great tips. I use Head and Shoulders shampoo (has zinc in it for healing) every time I shower when I'm about to change the bag. After drying off, I put a layer of baby diaper rash cream such as Boudreaux's Baby Butt Paste on the area and leave it on for about ten minutes. Then wipe off and continue to put a new bag on. It has worked well for me!!! Good luck to all!

Omg, thank you for posting this. I have been experiencing this very thing and contacting my doctors weekly about it! They told me to mix an antifungal powder with my other powder.
'It worked at first... not anymore, and it's painful!... I will now get the spray! Thanks

Hi guys,

I owe everyone an update on my red, weepy skin status. I'll put it over in that topic rather than here.....but the bottom line is I have it under control, but not the way I want to. Basically, anyone having skin issues needs to look at the list of causes I posted and work your way through treating each one until you find what works. As you're reading, it's not one thing that does it.....there can be quite a few things that produce the irritation we're talking about. But no matter which.......it's not fun. Glad many of you guys are finding things that work for you!!

;0)

Bob

I'm glad you were able to find a treatment that works for you. Every person's skin is different, so it takes a lot of effort to find a remedy that works for you. I have been struggling with acne for a long time. I used various remedies my doctor recommended to me, but they were ineffective.

Good advice if you had an awesome nurse who knew what to do for skin issues. Mine simply said ... we don't crust or use anything. What? Had to learn what I know through YouTube, forums, and the company I order from. Sad but the training and help I get from the WCC is zilch.

The butt cream doesn't affect the bag's ability to stick? Thanks