Showering with Stoma: My Procedure for a Clean and Smooth Experience

Hi there, all you stoma freaks!!

I had a conversation today with a fellow ostomate online (I don't know any in real life!!!)

The question of showering came up, and I said that when I change my bag, I do so in the shower. When I feel that little tingle around the stoma telling me that there is about one day of use remaining, I plan my change with my morning shower.

My bags, convex, will last up to five days. I know how lucky I am!!! I prepare two rings, washers, etc., and a bag beforehand, and lots of folded soft toilet tissue. I peel off the bag after emptying, and I simply shower as normal without the bag. I have a hairy belly, so this is the perfect opportunity to get a really close shave and get the skin under and around the bag smooth as a baby's butt. I use cocoa butter moisturizer and a little hair conditioner on my skin, and I get no razor rash or burn, no little pimples. I shave everything in the area as it is much easier to clean up if I have a leak.

The razor also takes off any residue left on the skin from the adhesive.

I will just stand there for 20 minutes and let the hot water flow over my stoma, and it feels so good to be free of the bag even for that short time. I soap up my hands with either shampoo or body wash and wash the whole stoma site with the palm of my hand, and this gets off any remaining adhesive and leaves a beautifully smooth surface for everything to stick to.

The person I spoke to had the impression that it was bad to get soap or shampoo, etc., on the stoma and it should be hurt by these products. I have been doing this for years, and I feel so much better after a shower. I never change without the shower unless it is an emergency.

Just in case any newbies have the wrong idea about showers or even baths without your bag, I thought I would write about my procedure. Early in the morning, even with a cup of coffee, your stoma should behave and give you some "quiet" time to sit in the tub before the eruptions begin hahaha

Rub-a-Dub-Dub, have fun in the tub,

Love and hugs to everyone...XX

Magoo aka Goo aka Mayoman aka etc., etc...................

Hi. I am 20 days now since my ileostomy. My nurse told me it was fine to use soap (without perfumes etc.). But when her supervisor came one day, she said absolutely no soap. Warm water only. But I don't feel clean enough without using soap, so I use Dove soap for sensitive skin. Thanks for your input. It makes me feel better about using soap. Regards, Pammer.

Hi Pammer, thanks for the comment. I see no problem, I use no special soap, I just soap up with whatever is handy! The sticky stuff sticks much better after lots of soap and a close shave! It feels great to stand in the shower and let the water wash over me, washing off the soapy stuff. It feels great and I feel much better afterwards. Keep on scrubbing and soaking. XXHugs from Magoo XX

I find it a lot more convenient to change my flange and pouch after I shower. I use my bathroom sink, which has a mirror above it, so I can see better what I'm doing. I used to take off the flange and bag and then take a shower, but got tired of finishing the shower and having stool sometimes leak out onto the shower floor and also dirty my towel when drying off. I use the Hollister disk and drainable pouches. I also use their Karaya powder, which is an amazing product for preventing and healing skin irritation around the stoma. I also use their stoma adhesive removal wipes to cleanse the area before applying the powder and flange. I've found that using a hair dryer on hot to soften the adhesive before application works best. I drape an alcohol counter wipe over the edge of the sink to catch any discharge from my stoma during the process. Hollister provides plastic bags for the used pouches, so I put that in the sink and then throw everything in it so cleanup is easy. I would totally recommend the Karaya powder. It's a miracle product. I also use it for any other type of skin irritation like rashes, etc. As far as the best types of soap, avoid anything with sodium laurel sulfate. Coconut oil soap like Kirk's Castile is best for the skin as it doesn't dry it out and strip the skin of its natural moisturizers. One of the biggest downsides of being an ostomate is the lack of reading I get done while sitting on the toilet. :-)

Hi Jamo, thanks for the input! I guess I just insist on ignoring the stoma, so I like to shower in my natural state, haha, naked as the day I was born. Everything that comes from an ileostomy is almost water, so there are no lumps involved, happy to say. A colostomy will be different, of course (haven't seen your profile yet). I find that just regular body wash or shampoo gets everything nice and adhesive-free and smooth. The razor gets off any little bits stuck in my hairy belly. When I'm finished washing, I use cocoa butter moisturizer everywhere and on the skin around the stoma, let it sit for a couple of minutes, and use the body wash again. It feels so good to stand there in the water without having the bag stuck to me. I get an enormous sense of freedom and normalcy. I used to do it at the sink, but sometimes it would squirt like a little fire hose and make a huge liquid mess. I'm much happier and get a much better surface for sticking than I used to. If it squirts in the shower, I can let it calm down and spray the shower afterward. I changed the procedure after it squirted in my brother's bathroom, and I was mortified that I would miss a spot in cleaning or get it on the bathroom rug. So it's the shower for me every time. I don't find that I need special cleaners or sticking aids. I get about five days on average from a one-piece convex bag before I feel the tingle on my skin, the wafer breaking down. Thanks for all the input, guys and ladies. Every bit of info is invaluable, especially for recent victims of the surgeon's scalpel! All the best, Magoo X

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Happy to hear I have lots of company changing appliances after a shower. Also, soaping, but I'm afraid to try witch hazel or coconut oil around the stoma. Is it really okay? Thought the skin had to be as clean as possible, i.e. no lotions?

Hi Firefly, I use cocoa butter moisturizer all over and I spread it on the skin around the stoma to shave. I've never had any problem. You just have to make sure to rinse it off really well before you dry the skin. The moisturizer might prevent the pad from sticking. I'm pretty sure you don't have a hairy belly, Firefly hahaha but you can use it anyway!!! Hugs from Magoo x

I also enjoy a shower in my natural state, nothing like having the appliance off for a while. No problem with using soap on the stoma, I use Ivory, no perfume, no moisturizers, just plain old soap and nice hot water, although not too hot. I just put a washcloth over the stoma after the shower so in case it decides to put forth its fruits, it keeps it off the towel. I like to sit and have a cup of coffee while allowing my skin some freedom, of course it only happens about once every three to four days, but it sure does feel good.

I see we are in total agreement, rBaker, that little bit of ostomy freedom feels fantastic. You're a woman, so I'm guessing (hahaha) that you don't have a hairy belly. The cocoa butter is great for a smooth belly shave. All I need now is someone massaging my shoulders while I have my coffee and trying not to squirt. I feel so normal for that short time, and it works wonders for your skin; letting the air get at it, even for that short time, makes it feel healthier and better. I leave the wafer off for as long as possible. Funny side, if you eat corn, you will have little yellow bullets shooting out of your belly to ricochet off the shower walls. Lots of fun!! Haha

Mayoman, did I read right? You have corn? I've been given such a list of what I can't eat. Corn being one of them. The likes of vegetables and fruit with skin. Lettuce. Sweet corn, nuts. Vegetables must be overcooked (that's a hater because I love it raw). Mushrooms, all kinds, which makes up 95% of my normal diet :(

Hi Taz, welcome to the world of culinary adventure. At first, you have to be careful about eating things that do not digest quickly and easily, like lettuce and corn. The main thing to keep in mind is pulp (no, not Pulp Fiction... well, yeah, that too!). Anything with a lot of pulp or stringy residue, such as oranges, lettuce, corn, and potato skins, I eat skins and all! The key to eating these delicious foods is to chew and eat small quantities at one time. I cut up my lettuce, shred the lettuce if possible into strips. It may still come out looking the same as when it went in, at first. Your digestive system will eventually process it (well, mine does). It will take a while for your system to adjust. The main thing is to chew and cut, slice and dice everything. The problem is intestinal blockage. I've had a couple, but they resolved without intervention. Eating a big apple with lots of pulp and eating it too quickly caused a backup of residual pulp and gave me three days of agony and a swollen belly, but eventually the dam broke and the bag filled in an instant. Relief! I'll message you, Taz, to see if I can pass on any more info. Mayoman

That's great to know it's not indefinitely. I'll just take it all as a learning curve and trial and error! Thanks. Mayoman

I too have resolved blockage without intervention. Lucky! I've found a heating bag to be a great help -- also kneading the area around the stoma -- can actually feel the hard blockage and try to break it up. Your comments are a great comfort to me -- keep it up.

You, my dear lady, are an inspiration for all of us!! I too have found that squeezing and kneading the area around the stoma usually works. Drinking lots of water/fluids/etc. (I drink Gatorade, water gets boring). I find that pulp is my enemy, Ramen noodles with all kinds of stuff mixed in is my friend. Talk later, lovely lady. XX

Hi, new at this meeting, friends, lol. I am in my own little world and have not met another person with a stoma. Anyway, hello, how are you? :-)

My email keeps acting up on this site. It's freemansteph80@gmail.com.

I also find that water gets boring, but I buy the powdered flavors for water and keep switching flavors. Even then, it will be boring! I also buy popsicles of different flavors, and they help since they are mostly water anyway. I don't have a problem very often with the bag coming loose or leaking since I use Hollister bags that are used with a belt, and I use the rings to give a tighter seal around the stoma. I am still finding what I can or cannot eat. I had my surgery 1 year ago in March. Then, on February 12th of this year, I had to have cancer surgery. The doctor says she got it all. I had 3 major surgeries in 1 month when I got the ileostomy before they decided to do the ileostomy! That was kind of rough, but hopefully I am done with surgeries!!! I am 80 years old, so I lost a lot of weight through all this and went from 170 down to 127. I am trying to gain some back, but food is not very interesting to me so far, but I keep trying. Depression hits me hard at times, and I am also working hard on that too. All in all, I think I will soldier my way out and work things out. I eat oatmeal quite a bit as that seems to go well with the digestive system, vanilla shakes, mashed potatoes, anything that has a smooth texture. I really do miss oranges though.

Previous comment is from sweede0.

I like popcorn, but the sharp half-shells exiting are a wake-up call, and peanuts seem to come out the same as eaten, so I chew well before swallowing. Hope I'm not off-topic, Chris 18 months with colostomy.

I also schedule changes and showers together. It makes me feel clean when I run soapy water over Marvin (stoma). Plus, when I run water over him, he moves and I think that is funny. With the exception of a handful of times when he decided pooping in the shower would be fun, I have no problems with showering without a bag. Actually, I prefer it. I, too, like the freedom and break from the bag.

Lee