Stoma Powder: Does It Affect Appliance Adhesion?

Will stoma powder cause the appliance to not stick, and how do you apply it?

It will cause the appliance to not stick if you use too much. Apply very lightly and brush away the excess. I would not use it at all if your skin is intact and not weeping.

After a shower, I'll sit for a bit and let air to it since it's covered all the time! Then, with paper towels ready for any outflow from my urostomy stoma, I do 2 rings of stoma powder around the stoma and spread it on all adhesive contact areas of the 2pc bag and tape if you use it (5"x5" area around stoma for me) and scrape/brush off the excess to the side onto my towel I'm sitting/laying on. Then I use the barrier spray (not a wipe fan) and give it a few sprays to ensure coverage over the adhesive contact area, so a nice 5"x5" square around the stoma. I'll let it set for a few minutes and you'll notice how tacky it gets! (better adhesion). While that is setting, I take my barrier ring (leave the plastic on both sides) and stretch it to the size of the hole in your bag appliance, remove one side of plastic on the ring, and apply it to the sticky side of the first piece of the 2pc appliance and press it good to make it seal against the sticky side of the appliance, then place it over your stoma, and with a paper towel or something to hold over for any flowage, hold your hand over the stoma for a few minutes to warm it and make it all seal together nicely. Leaving the plastic on the other side of the ring before pressing it on keeps the tackiness of the ring intact, allowing the best seal combined with your stoma powder and barrier spray! This is what works best for me at the moment. I'm 52, and still new as well! February 27th this year!! 🥳🥳 Of course, it sucks... but it's really not bad.

Correct by itself, powder will impair barrier adherence. Only use powder if the skin is broken. Make sure the excess is removed. If the skin is not broken, don't use it. Also, use only water and a paper towel to clean around the stoma. The use of soaps, creams, or ointments is not a good idea because they prevent good barrier adhesion. Next, try touching the edge of the remainder of powder with Cavilon skin prep and use Cavilon elsewhere. This should improve the barrier sticking. I have found it easy to get 5 days before a change, and sometimes I can go 7 days when the temperature and humidity are lower. Good luck.

I use powder every change, even if my skin is relatively healthy. I find it helps protect the skin from getting irritated, and I get longer wear time with the wafer.

I usually swipe my skin with a skin prep wipe, then powder (tap off excess), then dab with a second skin prep wipe to form a light crust and let it dry for a few seconds, then apply the wafer as usual.

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

This question comes up a lot, and it did for me as well. So here it is again. I emailed Hollister, as they recommend not using barrier wipes unless your skin is irritated, and the stoma powder can be used with no barrier wipe, as it gets absorbed into your wafer/ring. Obviously, you don't want to leave a pile of powder on your skin, as it won't stick properly, so squirt some on and blow the excess off. My ostomy nurse confirmed all of that with… years ago, they recommended using barrier wipes because the sticky stuff on wafers was much harsher on your skin than what is used presently. So, she and Hollister said to only use barrier wipes if your skin is irritated, but you may use stoma powder without a barrier wipe. I use stoma powder every change, as I have a small spot on the edge of my stoma that gets a lot of output on it, so I think it helps maintain good skin. I couldn't tell you the last time I used a barrier wipe. 🤷‍♂️

Early on, I had a major breakout all around my stoma where the rubber meets the road (wherever the wax and skin were introduced). I called the surgeon's office, and the WOC nurse said to meet her outside the hospital. She handed me a bottle of stoma powder and said to lightly dust stoma powder all around the stoma (next to it and outward about 1-1/2 inches), then dab (don't rub) a barrier wipe on top by lightly dabbing as well. Wait a few seconds so the barrier wipe is dry (at that point, the powder mostly disappears), then place the pouch on and hold your hand over the pouch to warm it (time it at 2 minutes). I have never had the rash again.

Again, we are all different and have different types of skin issues - it's a trial and error stoma world out there - wow, that would make a great stoma song… if you are familiar with the song lyrics 🎶 It's a Barnum and Bailey world, just as phony as it can be. “Well, maybe not if you're too young, but I am guessing Bill's outstanding ability to rhyme words could come up with some great words for this tune, maybe even a theme song for ostomates - guaranteed I'd sing it! jb

P.S. I googled it - the song is It's Only A Paper Moon…….(Harold Arlen - in 1932). Hell, I'm even too young to remember that! Must've been Mom's pick. jb