Need Advice for Damaged Stoma 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 the skin around the ostomy. Put a layer of it around the ostomy and leave it 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 a while, 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 underneath 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, I've 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 I found a way that seems to work the best and to where I can get an average time of 9 to up to 13 days of usage from 1 bag. Try using the Sureprep barrier wipes to protect the skin, then use one of the rubber adhesives like Torbot or Nu-Hope and apply it to both the skin and appliance. Do 2 to 3 thin layers on each, but let each layer dry 3 to 5 minutes, which makes a strong water barrier to keep from getting to the skin. I've gotten good results from this method 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, I get at least 7 to 9 days, and 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, which works well to get the adhesive off. I've tried the other methods, but rings don't work for me, and fillers or the stickum that's on the appliances are not strong enough. So far, this method seems to work best for me, as adhesives work best when they stick to themselves. That's why you put it on the skin and appliance, to keep liquids away from the skin. Give it a try, it may help and work as well as it has for me. 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 minis since mine is low flow. 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. It also 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 the stoma. Put the seal on and the flange on top. The material in the seal is healing as well as protective. My one-piece Hollister has a hard plastic ring curved into 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 as 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. Check 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. Stomas come in all shapes and sizes. If you sort of roll back the edge of the inner circle, making it bigger and leaving 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 normal healed skin, right at that juncture is the Achilles Heel. Once your output gets that edge, it's over. The Seals are Microcolloidal were developed to heal Diabetic Ulcers. The material helps cell growth in a burned or damaged area of the skin.

If the skin under the wafer appears red or oozing, just clean the area gently. I use a Coco Butter moisturizer and a soft cloth to make sure all residue is gone. I think that shaving with a manual razor makes the process more efficient. 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 cream near the bag area, as it will cause the bag to lose stickiness.

Hi there. Do you rinse the cocoa 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 and 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 and shoulders, why not? I use it for my hair, so why not downstairs? Hair is hair end of day!

Also, cutting your stoma ring. I make mine slightly over or bigger orifice as not to come into contact with skin or sharp edges. Use Coloplast mouldable rings, they are a Godsend too!
Best pouches I've ever used are Salts "BE Confidence". Oldest UK ostomy company going, their bags and 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. It 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, and need it!

I'm going back up London this week to see if I can get my hernia and 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 owns 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 and godliness come to mind. Being a clean freak even more since having 2 man bags?

Thanks, 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 waist with the warm air wafting up inside outside of your clothes??

I too have very sensitive skin and 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 with 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 dries, I use ConvaTec 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 Hydrofera blue dampened with water, which are applied before I put the wafer on.

To slow down my output, I use Loperamide 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 powder 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.

It 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.