Redness and Cuts Under Wafer - Need Help!

I am trying to get a hold of my stoma nurse, but no return. I am red and bleeding a bit under my wafer at the bottom. It's burning because of the cuts. What to do with this? I can't go without any wafer to get some air on it, what suggestions would you give me.

Hi Family12,

I am not a doctor or nurse but here are some ideas I have learned over my ostomy time.

If you need to just air yourself, I use a plastic shopping bag or two, then a towel, then a shopping bag or two, then some paper towels or disposable towels, an old t-shirt, whatever I have. Sometimes I put peroxide on a towel and pat my stoma with it to clean the area that is bleeding. Bleeding is common for many of us and it will stop. I'm not sure why you would have any "cuts," but if you hurt your skin in some way, then a call to the nurse is a good idea. More than anything, don't panic; stress can increase the blood flow.

This is a link to an article about bleeding from the American College of Surgeons:

http://www.facs.org/patienteducation/skills/problem-solving.pdf

Some folks apply stoma powder as well in what is called crusting for wet, irritated skin. It goes like this: clean the area with warm water and dry, dust with stoma powder directly on irritated skin, use a no-sting barrier pad and blot or dab gently directly onto the powder, allow to dry for 10-15 seconds, pouch as usual. Some folks repeat the process a second time also.

Cold water and/or ice is also a quick fix to help stop bleeding and add some pressure, but be gentle.

Hope this comforts you until you reach your nurse.

I was going to write about this on my blog, but I was having the same problems.

What I do is use a product called Opsite Flexifix, which is a very thin, clear tape. You can use Tegraderm if that's what you have access to. I cut enough to go across the wafer, then I apply it to my skin before applying the wafer. It basically creates a physical barrier which stops the friction from the bottom of the wafer.

I hope that makes sense. I will try to get photos and possibly a video to illustrate how I do it, as I've spoken with other ostomates who have the same issue.

Hi, I know skin irritation can be... well irritating! What I've done is leave the bag off for several hours so the peristomal skin can breathe. I wear PJ bottoms and my bra only... plan to sit and read or watch TV and clean up messes as they happen. I tuck a shopping bag, i.e. Walmart or grocery store, into the top of my PJ bottoms which I have pulled down a couple of inches below my stoma. I tuck a couple of tissues/kleenex between the bag and my skin. This works wonders but takes a few hours, I have even slept overnight like this.

Be gentle when cleaning around your stoma.

Best wishes to you!

Gretchen

Mrs A. That was a great link for the skin/stoma issues. Thanks!

This has happened to me and I put some zinc oxide on the area and it gave it time to heal.

Glad you liked it, Vikinga. Hope it helps.

I use a special aloe vera powder made for this problem. Put the powder on the raw area and lightly brush it off with tissue paper, then I spray with Cavilon spray and let it dry. I then apply extension strips made for the bag, but my stoma nurse recommended this. You would usually cut it smaller so you can use the rest another time and hey presto! I do this on every change. Or, there are special round moldable cushioned rings that you can put on the skin, but I still put the powder and Cavilon on first, then attach the bag. Sometimes it will still get red and bleed, but this is great as with the seal over the sore part, the faeces cannot get to the raw skin. I do not know where you are from, but here in the UK, this is all free. You can send for samples first from Coloplast, etc., to see how you get on. Always try samples as this won't cost you anything.

I use a special aloe vera powder made for this problem. Put the powder on the raw area and lightly brush it off with tissue paper, then I spray with Cavilon spray and let it dry. I then apply extension strips made for the bag, but my stoma nurse recommended this. You would usually cut it smaller so you can use the rest another time and hey presto! I do this on every change. Or, there are special round moldable cushioned rings that you can put on the skin, but I still put the powder and Cavilon on first, then attach the bag. Sometimes it will still get red and bleed, but this is great as with the seal over the sore part, the faeces cannot get to the raw skin. I do not know where you are from, but here in the UK, this is all free. You can send for samples first from Coloplast, etc., to see how you get on. Always try samples as this won't cost you anything.

Hi there, what I do is when I get cut round the rim of the wafer.

From removing and reapplying the wafer is cut the usual sized circle.

Slightly lower than the given hole on the bag, therefore the bag sits slightly higher.

On the belly allowing the affected area to be able to be treated with the aloe vera, hope this helps!!!,

Regards Samuel

I actually had something similar, but with mine I also had itching. It is a good idea to speak to a doctor or nurse since mine was a yeast infection and I had to get some powder to put on it. Like the other post, I had to put it on and pat it dry before I could put back on the wafer, but the medicine did not take long to get it cleared.

Mine happens when I sweat more than usual. What I do is use a skin barrier, then stoma powder, and reapply the wipes to form a slight paste. I use my finger to make my hole wider, then I push the stoma (Jake) through the hole. I change wafers every 3-4 days now. I prefer the Hollister 2-piece over the Coloplast one-piece. The 1-piece tends to blow out often.