Damaged skin

Hi everyone,

I'm glad to have found this community. It's great to hear the stories and experiences of people who really understand this situation.

This is my first post and I was hoping for some advice as I seem to have exhausted the stoma nurse's repertoire!

The skin directly above my colostomy stoma opening is completely burned off, and the rest of the skin around it is red and sore 

I have tried cutting the pouches to different sizes and have also tried applying various products, such as powder, paste, protective rings and calamine lotion, all to no avail. I'm going to try the rings again but I'm not hopeful.

In addition, the skin at the outer edge of the flange has developed a rash in the last month after one year of being clear.

I have to use convex pouches because the output is heavy and aggressive. 

I would be very grateful if anyone can suggest something I haven't tried.

I send thanks in advance and wish you all well. 

Hi Mira 25,

I had the same issue at one point and someone gave me the advice to wash the skin around my stomach area with Head and Shoulders shampoo ( it's shampoo for dandruff). I wash with it every time I shower without my pouch on, usually every three days. Since I started using it, I haven't had any issues with redness, itching and burning. Give it a few weeks using it to determine if it will help. Also, when you're going to change your pouch use a zinc product like Boudreaux's baby butt paste ( for diaper rash) on skin around ostomy. Put a layer of it around ostomy and leave on for about 10 minutes then wipe off and apply your barrier and pouch as usual. Those two things, the shampoo and butt paste totally fixed my issue. 
I wish you the best of luck! Let us know how you make out.

😇

Hi Mira welcome to the site, do you cut the hole in the flange so it is very close to the stoma but not quite touching it so as to not leave hardly any skin exposed, also you may need to try another brand of products as you may be allergic to what you are using, and if all else fails maybe irrigation will work for you.  good luck

Butt paste around your new.....butt. 😁👍 

Mira, I can't post pictures on a thread but I'll post a couple in my profile of what they use at the hospital here. Both are good stuff, been using them on my radiation wound. You wouldn't want to leave it on with your bag on but like EA said, put it on and let it sit for awhile, and then clean it off. 

Thanks very much, Earth Angel, for these tips. I'll certainly give them a try. Anything to ease the soreness and discomfort. I'm glad it worked for you. 

Hi Ron,

When I cut the hole close to the skin the output gets under and there is leakage. I'm now leaving a bigger space which prevents leakage but the skin is suffering. 

I've tried so many different pouches but only the Hollister convex is safe. 

I don't think I could do irrigation. 

Thanks very much for your reply. 

Keep well. 

Hi seen your post I was having the same issue I've tried the same products and also had bad luck with them causing redness burning and blowouts.  I'm only 9 months into my ostomy but found a way that seems to work the best and to where I can get an average time of 9 to up ton13 days of usage from 1 bag try using the sureprep barrier whipes to protect the skin then use one of the rubber adhesives like torbot, or nu-hope  and apply it to both the skin and apliance do 2 to 3 thin layers on each but let each layer dry 3 to 5 min which makes a strong water barrier to keep from getting to the skin which I've gotten good results from since I have a hard to seal area mine is oval with a trench on both sides which makes seals hard to keep from leaking or blowouts usually get at least 7 days to 9 have even been able to get up to 13 I'm up to day 10 on the one I'm wearing now and use adhesive remover works well to get the adhesive off.  Tried the other methods rings for me don't work fillers or the stickum that's on the appliances are not strong enough so far this method seems to work for me the best due to adhesives work best when the stick to them selves is why you put it on the skin and appliance keeps liquids away from the skin give it a try may help and work as well as it has for me.  And the appliance I found I like so far is the snap or 2 part pouch systems which have full size and mini bags I use the minies since mine is low flow which you can use a strap to reinforce the seals on the bag to the skin and I use the stealth belts to help hide my bag and it helps to contain any mess if you should by chance have one.

Rod, thanks very much for providing such detailed advice. I'll definitely give this a try. I will post again at some point with an update. 

It's all so complicated. I wish some clever company would provide a pouching system which did not require us to work so hard to protect the skin. 

Thanks again. 

Good luck and best wishes to you.

Thanks very much Alex. I'll check your profile for details. Really appreciate it. 

You might try not using the convex bags until your skin heals..just use the eakin seals and double up if necessary .. try another brand too...I used  Hollister for about 10 years then started to  develop a bad rash..so I now use Coloplast . I change my bag almost daily or every other day if I am home..I cannot stand a stinky bag and I will develop a rash if I leave on my bag too long.Good luck!

Hi , Eakin Seals are great for getting the skin around the Stoma safe and protected . Four inches wide they cover the area under the flange . It is soft and the hole can be molded  tight to the edge of Stoma . Put the seal on and the flange on top . Te material in the seal is healing  as well as protective . My One piece Hollister has a hard plastic ring corved in to push the flange tight around the Stoma . This pushes the Soft Eakin Seal inwards giving a great tight seal . I shave the area  around the Stoma and that removes skin oil and any sticky residue as well as the annoying pubic hair  .  When the skin is smooth as possible ,   squeaky clean , the Eakin Seal will heal damaged skin . . I'm lucky and have no allergies .

Best wishes ☘☘💚

I use a Coloplast Brava protective sheet between the wafer and my skin. My skin is so sensitive that if any of the wafer touches it, I get what you are experiencing. Originally I didn't have this problem, but then one day.... I went through 6 appliances in one day as the skin was so bad nothing would stay on. I used Maalox liquid on cotton balls to heal the skin. It worked very well for me. Chek out the Coloplast Brava sheet. The number I use is 032105, but there are several other sizes available, too.

Thank you Maried. I requested Eakin seals and Coloplast pouches this morning. It's quite a straightforward solution so I really hope it works.

I agree with you about the daily changes. I like everything to be fresh and clean too. 

It's great to know that the seals are healing as well as protective. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.

Thank you Elzie. If the seals don't work I will try the protective sheet. I'll check out the Maalox liquid.

I have had days where up to ten bags have come off. It's a nightmare. I really can only safely use convex pouches, although they are pretty aggressive 

You and the other kind people here have given me hope that I can heal. I really appreciate it. 

Hi there Mira and everyone . The Eakin Wafers ( round , 4 inches across and a two inch  hole in the center . The sticky soft material is  flexible , moldable to suit the shape and size  of your individual Stoma Type . Stoma come in all shapes and sizes . If you sort of roll back the edge of the inner circle making it bigger and leavig a raised ridge  at the edge of the center hole . Turn the seal over and now  the edge of the  center hole . The ridge now will dip into the little cavity between the Stoma itself and the nermal healed skin  , right at that juncture  is the Achilles Heel . Once your output gets that edge it's ovr . The Seals are Microcolloidal  awere developed to heal Diabetic Ulcers   . The material helps  cell growth in a burned or damaged area  of the skin . 

 If skin  under the  wafer appears red or oozing just clean the area gently  I use a CocoButter  moisturiser  and a soft clith to make sure all residue is gone . I think that shaving with a manual razor makes the process more effecient . A sharp new razor will gently scrape off the very top layer of skin ., a bit like Exfoliating I guess.  With that weak top layer gone the Eakin Seals will adhere much more effectively  to even Weepy spots .. with the seal( often called  a " Washer"  in place 

I'm going to try this! When you remove the zinc cream - do you wash it off? I was told not to put any cram near the bag area, as it will cause the bag to lose stickiness. 

Hi there. Do you rinse the coco butter off entirely, or do you just wipe the surface? I was advised not to use any creams etc because apparently they would affect the stickiness of the bag. Thank you. :-)

Mira, I had that problem & still do get the odd flare up now & then but when I did my stoma nurse told me to use Canestan that women use for thrush & it worked a treat as the cause of it is related to the thrush condition & yeast related but also it's caused by a fungus that comes from your intestines or bowel so can't be helped & can be controlled by a better diet change.

Head & shoulders why not I use it for my hair so why not down stairs hair is hair end of day!

Also cutting your stoma ring I make mine slightly over or bigger orafice as not to come into contact with skin or sharp edges & use Coloplast mouldable rings are a God send too! 
Best pouches I've ever used are Salts "BE Confidence" Oldest UK ostomy company going & there bags & adhesive have aloe Vera in & very kind on the skin I never had rash or sores using them but had to change recently to a bigger bag Dansac Nova Eastfold open pouch as my hernia is pushing out my stoma like a bright red python coming out your belly side or Alien & was taking up half the volume of the bag before you had any output so you had to empty it as soon as you felt it discharging into the bag as there would be no room if it was a big volume of it so I had to change reluctantly to hollister as they are Maximum size & about twice the volume of the Salts bag & need it!

im going back up London this week to see if I can get my hernia & prolapsed stoma put back in where it belongs instead of looking like a snake charmer without the flute!

Mistakenly said hollister instead of Dansac which I'm using now,

hollister own Dansac now a Swedish company & good.

Try Hollister Karaya 5 powder  #7905.it is for wet weepy skin..it helps to give you a better seal when your skin is broken.  

Sounds like a good regime you really have gone into depth on this problem & looks like a win win situation!

only thing that I would find difficult is wearing the same bag for that length of time??

cleanliness & Godliness comes to mind & being a clean freak even more since having 2 man bags..??

THX Adam 

Thanks for taking the time to send this advice when you are dealing with so much. I wish you all the very best with the surgery. 

Glad to know someone else who changes their bag or bags every day or every other day at least as don't understand wearing & bearing the smell of a nappy pongy mongy bag around your waste with the warm air wafting up inside & outside of your clothes??

I too have very sensitive skin an have an ileostomy with a hernia so I use convex wafers.  The stoma nurses I have seen for the past few years, have suggested not to remove the wafer in the shower.  Wait until I am finished showering, then remove the wafer, etc.  Then use a damp paper towel will white Dove soap to cleanse that area, followed by drying the area.  Then I use products for sensitive skin, such as ConvaTec Sensitive Care Sting Free adhesive remover.  Then I use 3M Cavilon No Sting Barrier Film.  Once that drys, I use ConveTec Cohesive Rings (the thickest one), it absorbs more, that I mount on the wafer.  Then apply that to my skin.  If I have areas that are inflamed, I use pieces of Hydroferra blue dampened with water, which are applied before I put the wafer on.  

To slow down my output I use Lopermide 2mg (generic Imodium) before meals and sometimes Simethicone 125 mg for gas.  

If it looks like a yeast infection on my skin, I sometimes use Nystatin power with the spray to seal it (I don't recall the name or brand).

I also take a daily probiotic and try to eat yogurt on a regular basis.  My GI said to follow the Mediterranean diet with a limit to red meat.  I don't follow it 100%.

Hello Mira, I had the same problem at the beginning. It can be very painful. I was told to cut a better (tighter) fit around my stoma. 
I use a product called "No red Med" made by Molec laboratories and put Coloplast "Skin Barrier Wipe" on top of it right up to my stoma so all the skin was protected.

I worked for me. An enormous relief.

Good luck!

Torbot or nuhope. Where do you get these .  Are they Rx as well?

For small areas that are red and sore, I use protective sheets  from Coloplast.  Cut a piece and stick it over the wound and then business as usual.  I call these sheets, wound repair sheets.  Bravura.

Thanks very much for taking the time to send all this advice. I'm seeing the stoma nurses at the hospital in a few weeks and I'll discuss it with them. I wish you the very best of luck with the surgery and recovery. Do post when you are feeling strong enough and let us know how you're getting on. Take good care.