Showering and Sauna Tips for Colostomy Users

So I'm curious if anyone's tried showering without a bag on (with lukewarm water) and if it was okay? Also, are saunas/hot tubs too much for colostomies? I enjoy both and am hesitant to try unless I have some sort of tummy shield.

If with a partner, I would have a pouch on. In the shower, I do with or without. Having a handheld showerhead is good for cleaning up. Depending on your Sana, it may not be easily cleaned.

I change my appliance once a week, so on that day I remove my old appliance and shower completely naked. I soap up my stoma well and rinse really well with lots of warm water. I swim regularly and use the sauna or steam room. Neither has ever compromised my appliance or shortened my wear time. I don't do anything extra to keep my appliance in place, but I know some ostomates will apply flange extenders. If that would make you feel more secure, go for it.

Terry

Ever since I have had my ileostomy (46 years), I shower with the appliance off. I have never had a problem.

Xerxes

I don't go bagless in the shower anymore. I used to, but it won't do your stoma any harm. You can use any shower gel or whatever you use; just make sure you rinse the skin around the stoma well with water. Saunas and hot tubs are OK for me; I often use them just to trial new bags to see how they handle it. It's just something you have to try for yourself to see how it goes.

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

Hi,

Personally, no problems with showering without a bag or using a hot tub (with bag 😁). I haven't used a sauna since surgery. You might want to wear a wrap over the bag in the tub to stop it from bobbling around. I would imagine if you don't normally have problems with adhesion, all should be OK. By the way, if you're sharing the tub, it's considerate to shower with your bag on before getting in.

Thank you all so much. I've been showering with my bag on since coming home, and I'm so glad that maybe once my stitches heal, I'll feel comfortable showering without a bag so I can rinse my stoma a bit better.

I have showered without a bag on. I have an ileostomy, though, and sometimes it's a mess. So usually, I don't shower without a bag on. But I have before, and there was no harm. I don't know about hot tubs. I haven't ever tried that before. But I have gone in a swimming pool with a bag on and a bag protector on.

Hubz had been showering on change days, using Dial antibacterial bar soap, so no moisturizing soap to avoid any trouble with adherence.

Today he showered with the bag on and kept checking to see whether the water loosened any seal, but it all stayed perfectly in place all day!

These conversations are so helpful as I'm pretty sure we kind of figured hot tubs or swimming would likely be avoided just out of ignorance otherwise.

Thanks, everybody! :-)

I change my appliance every other day, and that is the day I go bagless…best shower ever! jb

I mostly shower without the bag on. I use very hot water too and haven't had any problems.

I've never tried the sauna or hot tubs.

Me too, I love hot showers! I think if I try going bagless in a few weeks, I'll turn the water lukewarm and see how it goes. I'm more hesitant to try hot tubs, but it's cool to know others have done it comfortably!

Oh wow, that's pretty often! My skin becomes sensitive pulling the bag off, so for now, I change every 6-7 days. I'm looking forward to trying a shower without a bag on! 💫

I'm so glad you find them helpful too! There's a lot of little things that I'm learning, so it's great we can share our experiences here 💫

Oh, I see that makes sense. Maybe someday, with the right gear, a hot tub could be attempted. I'm curious how it would feel; even just a few minutes would be so relaxing. 💫

LOL, you're funny! I would surely wear a bag in both the sauna and hot tub, mostly for stoma comfort. 😊

Thank you, very helpful!

This is great to hear! I'm glad you enjoy swimming too! I'm glad your bags do well in the steam room/sauna as well. I'm not sure what flange extenders are; I'll look into it!

Hi Mia,

I am in the UK, and I have remover spray for my stoma. I have a 2-piece system from Coloplast. Basically, you have a base plate that stays on and a bag that I change daily. The base plate gets changed every 3-5 days.

So when I renew my base plate, I have a spray that helps loosen it, and my skin does not get irritated.

Also, I am swimming and using the steam room, and it has never been an issue.

Good luck with your journey!

Saskia

This is helpful. I didn't realize you could just change the bag. My Coloplast SenSura Mio bags arrive tomorrow, and they're 2-piece too. Maybe there's a way I can order extra bags. Do you order supplies from Coloplast directly or another website?

I get my supplies from Byram. There are several distributors. None is without foibles.

Foibles, that's a fun word.

I've used a hot tub with a Velcro wrap. I change daily after showering. I shower with and without it, depending on how I feel, and I change either way. I haven't got time to dry off the bag mostly.

As I am in the UK, I get my bags free on prescription from my doctor. We have a National Health Service, and medical care is free here.

I seriously love my 2-piece system. You can get 2 types of bags: closed ones and ones you can open and empty.

I am also using water wipes (baby wipes), which are not oily, so you can easily clean the base plate when changing your bag.

It's really nice to shower without your bag, and I do that every time now. If I shower with my bag on, my skin breaks out, so either I cover it to keep it dry or I wait until I can shower without it. As for the sauna or hot tub, I haven't tried that as I can't handle the heat, as it makes me dizzy. Others may have good suggestions.

I spent a couple of hours in a hot spring pool, and it was no different from a short, hot shower. I wore a swim wrap from Ostomy Secrets.

Bag off in the shower is great. It was recommended to me to use Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser. I have been doing this for 18 months now.

I appreciate everyone's comments.

I never shower with the bag off. For me, it's just easier to change the bag afterward if that is needed, or simply pat the bag dry and carry on. I do like to give the folded end a gentle squeeze with some toilet tissue to get rid of excess moisture if I'm leaving it on. I prefer to avoid a mess in the shower rather than cleaning up after one. 😊

I have spent a day at a hot springs resort and had no problems. One thing I did do was order some short bags to wear under my bathing suit. They were less bulky than the regular bags and easier to accommodate under my tankini top. I checked a bit more frequently regarding dumping the bag, but other than that, I just went about my soak. I wore my belt throughout the entire day. Probably didn't need to as my bathing suit was snug, but I always feel more secure with the belt around me. It was hidden by my suit.

We have a hot tub at home just for me and hubby. I wear my normal bag under a loose top out of respect for him, but it has never created any kind of problem.

I try very hard not to miss out on something because of Winnie, and soaking in the mineral hot spring was something I didn't want to miss.

Wishing you a wonderful hot tub soak!

I have a home sauna, and I used to use it every day for health purposes. I was discouraged from using it after my surgeries, but after a couple of weeks, I just went for it. I wear a bag in the sauna, usually with a hand towel over it, and have considered using a cold pack on top just to ensure the seal holds. Generally, I'm using the sauna only on days when I change the appliance and then do a warm shower without the bag or flange. I wonder about showering with the flange but without the bag? I was told that was discouraged by some, but then a person at Hollister said it was probably fine. Anyway, I usually shower without the bag and flange, though I tried to wrap the bag in saran wrap to keep it drier, but it was always a fail. I like having it off my body for a few minutes and have never had the stoma go active on me in the shower. If it does, oh well! There is plenty of soap and water to wash away any output. I haven't tried a bath, hot tub, or swimming yet, but I would love to take a bath. I'm so sore even after six weeks post-op. My abs haven't recovered, and my back is doing too much work.

I have had my stoma (Eddie) for 2 years, and I prefer to shower without the bag. However, if I'm in a hurry and I have to shower with the bag on, I just use a water-resistant cover bag. That's Eddie's “bathing suit,” as I call it, that I use at the beach as well. They are awesome, and a couple of light pats with a towel and his regular bag is completely dry.