Hello everyone, I'm getting sore skin around my stoma site. I expect a little redness, but it's getting worse and really quite sore. I'm meticulous with how I'm cutting the hole in my bag to minimize the issue, but it doesn't seem to be working. Any tips?
Many thanks.
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I try to clean the stoma with a wipe as much as 3 or 4 times a day. I also try to clean any stool that seeps between the stoma and the hole that we cut in the wafer. We switch out the wafer every three days. Instead of just "rolling off" the wafer, I jump in the shower so that it makes it easier to take off the adhesive. I also wash the stoma, stoma site, and use some soap and water to help remove some of the glue.
Are you leaking? If so, right now, if you are red and getting more red, your bag won't end up sticking to the skin. You should try a liquid skin protectant, 3M Advanced Skin Protectant or Marathon. It will protect the skin, and your bag will stick to it.
Salts barrier wipes are good; you can have them requested by the company that provides your bags. I'm in Sheffield, and it's Fittleworth here.
Make sure when you change the bag you remove all old residue from the adhesive as well. And shave carefully any hair where the wafer sits to create a good seal.
At a minimum, use a barrier ring and barrier wipes.
The Marathon skin prep is reportedly good but may be very hard to obtain. Ask your ostomy nurse. But if you can't get that, a more generic barrier wipe may help.
G-Day Danny,
Are you using a seal/ring before your bag? If not, you need to start using them. Cut the hole in the bag a little bigger than your stoma, only about a couple of mm, but make the seal fit snug up against the stoma. You should fix your skin first. See your Stoma Nurse. You have the SALTS products in the UK; use them, they are fantastic, especially the seal/ring.
Regards, IGGIE
Hi Danny... About 10 years ago, I went to a dermatologist for another issue and mentioned the raw/sore skin around my stoma. He turned me on to Betamethasone Valerate FOAM. It is alcohol-based and not gel-based, so any appliance still sticks really well after it dries for a minute or two. I have not had any issues since I got this... irritation clears up in a day or so when I change the pouch. Just my 2 cents... hope it helps.
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We always learn something new :) Betamethasone valerate is a medium-strength, synthetic corticosteroid used to treat various skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis...
The skin around your stoma is very precious, and this medication should not be used long term; it can make your skin very thin.
It is also a prescription med, so people will have to get a doctor to sign off.
I have a mild case of psoriasis that mostly manifests as inverse psoriasis in skin folds. So, I fear problems with my wafer as warm weather approaches. This might be a good option for me. The hydrocortisone cream I normally use will certainly interfere with adhesion.
But I'd only use it when I'm having problems.
When I first got out of the hospital, I didn't see an ostomy nurse for 8 days as it was over Christmas, and I ended up with a skin infection that needed antibiotics. I've had issues with red, itchy skin, so the nurse recommended powder and skin protector with a barrier ring, which helped. If you can cut your opening as close to your stoma as possible, I find it's good to check the size once in a while. Hollister has a template on their website for oval-shaped holes. My output isn't constant, so sometimes I apply cortisone cream and fungal cream and lay down for 20 minutes so it can absorb into the skin. Make sure you wash it off well before trying to apply your appliance. An antihistamine is also helpful for the itch.
Marathon works well for sore skin. It's kind of expensive, though.
Danny, I forgot to mention Brava barrier cream. Sometimes my skin gets dry, so I use this. It soaks in fairly quickly, and I just wipe the area with a damp paper towel and dry it well. I watched a guy in the UK demonstrate it, so you can probably get it there. Cavilon makes the skin protection I use.
Do you use seals before applying your stoma bag? If you've got a temporary stoma, then your waste is often quite liquid-like. I've had both the temporary stoma, but now I've got a permanent one, and it's so much easier to look after.
The soreness happened to me early 2024 after my first operation (lower rectal cancer), and I hated it, but got used to it over time. I had a major 10.5-hour operation in January 25 as the cancer was not all captured in the first operation, so I was told the best way to eradicate the alien from up my bottom altogether was to have a full rectum removal. It wasn't what I wanted to hear, but I rejoiced when I saw my fantastic surgeon/consultant early April this year and was told that the biopsy from the remaining rectum he removed had proven it hadn't spread and all remaining 39 lymph nodes were cancer clear.
Good luck in getting the soreness sorted. Seals (ringos/donuts), whatever they call them in different areas, are the best thing to use as you'll not get any liquid breakthrough onto your surrounding skin. It made the world of difference to me. x
Started using the seals and they are definitely helping 🙂
So glad to hear you're doing well x