Can your stoma be dis-colored by being covered up with a wafer all the time?
Mike
Jan 13, 2010 2:44 am
Jan 13, 2010 4:54 am
Stomas should always be pink or red. Since the wafer isn't really covering the stoma itself, I am wondering if you are referring to the skin around the stoma? I often have had folks with discoloration , usually a darkening of the skin.
Could you clarify a bit?
Could you clarify a bit?
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Posted by: ejbetty
Geekyjen,
Thanks for the reply. I will be seeing my doctor on Friday and mention Entyvio. I did not remain paralyzed for more than 2 days, but it was terrible and I was so scared. The doctors just used alot of xanax and other drugs like that to UN paralyze my joints that were being attacked by the remicade. Turns out I have been diagnosed with LUPUS. It is attacking my nervous system. I had ulcerative colitis in 1996 and they had to remove my colon. Had a J pouch for 10 years, until it started failing. I then got a permanent iliosomy, and I suffer from severe chronic diareha, and I dehydrate frequently. I recently had a proctectomy, and that is when the new autoimmune disorder, Lupus, appeared. I have had two hospital stays now because of the blisters and the paralyzing incident. I will be dealing with this forever now. I have just been working on acceptance.
I love this website because of wonderful people like you!
Betty
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Jan 15, 2010 5:12 am
Hi Mike
No worries, just wanted to clarify.
I am not always sure why some folks have a darkening of the skin, but I usually see it in folks who have had their ostomies for a period of time, not freshly post operative. I have often seen the darkening in the exact same shape of the barrier portion (a circle), with the rest of the skin where the tape portion of the wafer is perfectly normal.
2 thoughts come to mind: possibly the skin is being stripped here on removal of the skin barrier. 2 remedies that might work: Use of skin prep, allowing it to dry prior to skin barrier application. Also use adhesive remover and gently ease off the wafer by wiping with the remover and gently pushing the skin around the stoma away.
The other thought: You may have a low grade allergic contact dermatitis. In a bad one, the skin would usually be bright red and possibly weepy, but in the exact shape of the offending product (barrier); but I have seen some that aren't red but exactly the shape of the barrier. I would advise trying a different brand of otomy product to see if the discoloration goes away.
Another issue: sometimes leaving the skin barrier on too long allows the moisture and drainage to erode the barrier away and the skin is not being protected from the stoma output. To be sure, just look at the back of the skin barrier when you remove it and check if this is the case. You may see a thin layer of plastic without barrier on it. If this is the case, either change you appliance a day or 2 sooner, or, add an extra skin barrier such as Adapt or Eakins, or use Stomahesive paste.
I'm not sure if I answered your question, let me know if you need more information.
No worries, just wanted to clarify.
I am not always sure why some folks have a darkening of the skin, but I usually see it in folks who have had their ostomies for a period of time, not freshly post operative. I have often seen the darkening in the exact same shape of the barrier portion (a circle), with the rest of the skin where the tape portion of the wafer is perfectly normal.
2 thoughts come to mind: possibly the skin is being stripped here on removal of the skin barrier. 2 remedies that might work: Use of skin prep, allowing it to dry prior to skin barrier application. Also use adhesive remover and gently ease off the wafer by wiping with the remover and gently pushing the skin around the stoma away.
The other thought: You may have a low grade allergic contact dermatitis. In a bad one, the skin would usually be bright red and possibly weepy, but in the exact shape of the offending product (barrier); but I have seen some that aren't red but exactly the shape of the barrier. I would advise trying a different brand of otomy product to see if the discoloration goes away.
Another issue: sometimes leaving the skin barrier on too long allows the moisture and drainage to erode the barrier away and the skin is not being protected from the stoma output. To be sure, just look at the back of the skin barrier when you remove it and check if this is the case. You may see a thin layer of plastic without barrier on it. If this is the case, either change you appliance a day or 2 sooner, or, add an extra skin barrier such as Adapt or Eakins, or use Stomahesive paste.
I'm not sure if I answered your question, let me know if you need more information.
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Homie With A Stomie NS
Jul 06, 2022 6:26 pm
Hi Mike....I have a dark ring skin around my stoma which I've had for only a few months....it was my own fault and lack of information provided in hospital etc but I went ringless for 1st month of it and seeing what we eat comes out like acid lol it burned my skin....since my awesome ostomy nurse suggested ring always either 1 piece or 2 piece. The skin has since healed but stays dark like a scar around it....but no more burns or discoloration as well 7 days between bag changes prior was 4 days..... if you haven't used a barrier ring around ur stoma give it a try just for comfort sake....smile on
Tracy