Dealing with dry skin after ileostomy surgery - any advice?

Since having my surgery and gaining "Maxine" on my side, I have noticed that my skin has become very dry. I use moisturizer on a daily basis, but it doesn't seem to help a lot. Have any of you who have had ileostomy surgery noticed this? What have you discovered to be the general reason and what has or has not worked for you? I know that hydration is very important and I do my best to stay hydrated, but there must be something more that can be done. My skin sometimes looks like I am turning into a snake! LOL! Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

My family doctor, also a former student, introduced me to Eucerin - not the tubes or the pumps, but the screw-top white jar with solid cream. Few Canadian stores carry it; I finally found it at Shoppers Drug Mart. Eucerin is often used as a base for prescription topical creams and for severely injured or burned skin. One jar will last you a year and unlike the over-the-top expensive creams like Elizabeth Arden, L'Oreal etc., it will cost you under 20 USD. This is definitely one of my best discoveries.

Hi there, I have always had snake-like skin---actually since I got a thyroid problem 36 years ago. When I was in Greece, a Danish doctor saw my dry elbows and instantly said, "You have a thyroid problem, right?" For him, it was a symptom. So my question to you would be, have you had your thyroid checked recently? I can honestly say that since my ileostomy 9 years ago, my skin didn't get any more or less dry. Actually, it didn't get worse from menopause either..... It's been like this for, as I said, 36 years. Sorry. I may not have been of much help to you. Just my 2 cents' worth. Good luck! Julie.

Thyroid problems are common with people having ileostomies and I don't know the reason unless we just don't digest nutrients as well. However, I found a nice warm bath with a little baby oil (can get various fancy types now) added to the water makes all the difference -- don't towel off just wrap one around until you dry naturally and skin stays wonderful for a few days --
I have also used Eucerin cream and there are several others. Good luck!

Hi there, ewesful... I just wanted to say that my thyroid problem happened 3 decades prior to my ileostomy. Perhaps you are right in that many ostomates have thyroid problems, but my hypothyroidism happened during and after my 2nd pregnancy. Bye for now, Julie

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Yes, I am hypothyroid and it is very wacked out right now. The doctors are working on it. Thank you for your reply!