Are Hollister Barriers Getting Thinner?

Does it seem to anyone else that they are making barriers thinner and thinner? I use Hollister 14602 and have for about 8 years. Over the last year or two, the barriers have felt thinner, and the one from the fresh box I opened yesterday felt incredibly thin and flimsy.

I used to go 6-7 days between changes, and now I can only get 4 because the barrier is already broken down.

I had an old barrier in my emergency stash, and I swear it felt twice as thick as the new one!

I'm sure this is just part of the shrinkflation we are all experiencing on many products, but I wanted to check with others to see if they had the same experience. (And vent a little, haha).

Yup! I have only had my colostomy for a year now, and during this past year, Hollister has produced thinner bags. I also change more frequently now. I talked to my husband about calling Hollister and speaking to someone about the poorer quality of these pouches.
Thanks, kdel, for your post.

Gaia💐

You're welcome. I know it won't do any good, but I did email them to tell them that I have noticed this cheapening of barriers and that it was sad to them doing this.

I haven't noticed the bags being thinner, but I'm sure they are. If I had to pick one, I would rather they make the bags thinner, as long as they still didn't leak, than have thinner barriers. I have an ileo and those digestive enzymes are hard on a barrier!

Thanks for helping me know that I'm not crazy, lol.

This is interesting. Are you referring to barrier rings? I've always wished that barrier rings were thinner than the ones made by Coloplast and Hollister. That is one thing I like so much about the Salts barrier rings. They are thinner, which I prefer, and I have an ileostomy. I haven't tried another barrier ring since I switched to Salts, so I couldn't comment on whether they are thinner than before. As for the pouches themselves, I think quality has been deteriorating for sure.

Terry

Hollister does make different thicknesses of barrier rings, if that's what you're referring to. Any chance you got the thinner ones sent to you by mistake? I have to stretch mine so much that they end up being fairly thin anyway, but I've never noticed a difference in how thick they are to begin with.

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Hi Terry,

I'm talking about the barrier that the pouch connects to. A lot of people call it the "wafer." I haven't used barrier rings in a while, but I know what you're talking about there. Hollister and Coloplast used to have different thicknesses of rings, I think? Maybe they don't anymore.

Thanks for your reply!

Hi Alex,

I appreciate your reply! Terry had the same question about what I was referring to, and that is the wafer that the pouch connects to.

Kelly

I use Coloplast, and the wafer, or "thing that sticks to your skin," is very thin. Thinner than the Hollister ones I used in the hospital. I thought it was designed this way on purpose. I find it flexes to fit me better. For example, I have a small parastomal hernia on my colostomy, and the wafer bends around my hernia to get maximum contact. I think a less flexible wafer would not stick as well.

That said, many people have complained about more cheaply made supplies, so what you observed may be very valid.

Hi Susan,

What you said about a thinner, more flexible wafer sticking better makes sense. And you probably wouldn't notice a difference in wear time since you have a colostomy. I'm glad the thinner ones work well for you!

The thinner ones are worse for me because ileostomy output is very "caustic," and it can break down that wafer material pretty quickly. So the thicker it is, the more time I have before it eats away at the edges of the hole enough to allow a leak. (I know that is not the correct use of the word "caustic," but it gets the point across, I think, lol).

Thanks for your reply,

Kelly

Hi Susan,

What you said about a thinner, more flexible wafer sticking better makes sense. And you probably wouldn't notice a difference in wear time since you have a colostomy. I'm glad the thinner ones work well for you!

The thinner ones are worse for me because ileostomy output is very "caustic," and it can break down that wafer material pretty quickly. So the thicker it is, the more time I have before it eats away at the edges of the hole enough to allow a leak. (I know that is not the correct use of the word "caustic," but it gets the point across, I think, lol).

Thanks for your reply,

Kelly

Hey, you are not alone. My wafers have definitely changed for the worse, along with cheaper, thinner plastic (excuse me, laminate). All around, there are major issues with bags now, and for the past one and a half years. I haven't contacted everyone, including tracking down the CEO and emailing back and forth, and having a virtual meeting with the main headquarters staff.

Hi Kelly, have you tried Convatec's products? They make a wafer called Durahesive that is supposed to be for ileostomies. Maybe try a sample from them.

Caustic is the correct word, IMHO.

The urine from my urostomy is cleaner but also quite caustic. I use a barrier ring, which probably helps, and the material in the Coloplast may be more resistant... not sure since I didn't use Hollister for very long.

However, in thinking about it some more, if this were a true design change intended to improve the product, then they'd be shouting it from the rooftops, not just slipping it in quietly. They'd want to advertise to bring in more customers.

The behavior screams cost-cutting. And in this case, costs were cut at the expense of quality and durability.

If I were you, I'd try other brands.

Since my surgery 2 years ago, I use the Hollister 2-piece system: 11204 wafer, 18194 bag. I also use a Coloplast Brava moldable ring under the wafer.

I haven't noticed any change in the wafer. But I have a colostomy, so my sealing and wearability requirements differ from those of an ileostomy. I now go 12 to 14 days between wafer changes. My skin looks good, and hair growth is manageable.

I have boxes of wafers from 2 years ago. I'm a machinist and have precision measuring tools. I'll measure a wafer from November 2022 and compare it to one I received in February of this year.

Manufacturing a product while maintaining acceptable quality is an ongoing challenge, especially with supply chain variability. Availability of basic materials, delivery time, and costs can vary significantly.

Companies do have to maintain profits... or they disappear.

Petroleum is the base for most plastics. As drilling and refining decline due to environmental concerns, the cost of plastic base materials will rise, affecting manufacturers in multiple ways. Even down to the cost of diesel for trucks to ship plastic stock to the factory, then later deliver the finished product to medical suppliers.

A lawsuit was recently filed against a manufacturer of Ziploc plastic bags, claiming the product is harmful and lacks proper warning to consumers. Ziploc bags are made from thin plastic like ostomy pouches.

Ostomy pouches are made from high-grade polyethylene or polyurethane. Ziploc bags are made from polyethylene. A lower grade of polyethylene plastic, I'm sure... but still... plastic. The class action lawsuit is about undisclosed microplastics in Ziploc bags that may shed during freezing or heating.

Imagine a world without plastic.

I agree on the flexibility issue. I could never get a Coloplast wafer to stay on me longer than a couple of days because the wafers are just so inflexible (at least the ones I was using). Even some of the Hollisters were, until I tried the 'soft convex,' which was a game changer. It seems to flex and move with your body's contours.

Terry

I also think that "caustic" is the perfect word to use. I have an ileostomy, and I've found that using a barrier ring (Salts aloe) gives me increased wear time for that exact reason. It strengthens the seal and adds another layer of protection from your output.

Terry

I was using Coloplast but switched to Hollister New Image, which is definitely more flexible and has more wear time. But, I would say the wafer and pouch are 'flimsy' but seem to last. I have an ileostomy and use a barrier ring that helps the longevity. So far, no manufacturer defects, and fingers crossed it stays that way.

Thanks for replying. It sucks that they are making them cheaper, and we just end up paying more.

I have heard good things about Salts, and I would try them, but I don't know if they are available in the U.S.

I used barrier rings for many years, but switched to just the wafer when my skin started not liking the barriers for some reason. I have tried Coloplast rings for years, and they didn't last long at all for me.