This topic is about how to cut a new ostomy wafer when you don't have the original cutting guide that came with your supplies. Here are some helpful tips and advice to make the process easier:

1. If you remember the size of the last wafer you cut, you can simply cut the new one to the same size.

2. Check the box of your ostomy supplies. Many manufacturers, like Hollister, often include a new cutting guide with each box of barriers or pouches.

3. General tips for cutting:
- Make the opening about 1/8 inch (approximately 3 mm) larger than your stoma.
- Use curved ostomy scissors for better control and take your time.
- It's better for the hole to be slightly too large than too tight.

4. Keep the plastic backing you peel off the wafer after cutting; it can serve as a quick template for the next time.

5. Try the mirror method if you don't have a template:
- Stand in front of a full-length mirror.
- Cut a small starter hole in the wafer.
- Hold the wafer over your stoma (not directly on it) and note where you need to remove more material, enlarging the hole gradually.
- Remember, many stomas are not perfectly round, so adjust as needed.
- Use the printed concentric circles and size numbers on the back of the wafer as a reference, keeping them oriented the same way each time to speed up the process.

6. If you don't have a factory guide, consider these DIY template ideas:
- Trace your stoma onto clear plastic, like a freezer bag, with a Sharpie, cut out the pattern, and reuse it.
- Contact your ostomy supplier or the manufacturer's customer service; they often provide extra templates for free.
- Create a two-piece template using paper, plastic, or cardboard: shape half-circles for the top and bottom of the stoma, adjust by trial and error, tape the halves together, and trace around it with a Sharpie on each new wafer.

7. Each time you cut a new barrier, you create another potential template, so save the cut-out for next time.

8. Remember to take normal safety precautions when using scissors.