This topic is about a person who has had an ileostomy for two years and is now experiencing frequent leaks with their Coloplast barriers. A Coloplast representative suggested that "shiny skin" under the barrier might be the cause, but this explanation was new to the person's ostomy nurse. The person is seeking advice from the community to better understand and address the issue.

Here are some helpful insights and advice from the community:

1. The idea of "shiny skin" causing leaks is not widely recognized among experienced ileostomates. Many believe the issue might be with the specific Coloplast product rather than the skin.

2. Consider evaluating your accessories and technique:
- Make sure you are using a barrier ring and/or skin-barrier wipe or wand correctly.
- Ensure your skin is completely dry before applying the wafer.

3. Cleansing routines that others find effective include:
- Using a gentle, fragrance-free glycerin soap like Pears, followed by an antibacterial wash such as Dexidrin 4, and rinsing thoroughly.
- Avoiding oily or heavily-scented soaps, though some still successfully use Head & Shoulders.

4. For removal, use an adhesive-remover spray or wipes and roll the wafer off slowly to prevent skin trauma.

5. The "crusting" method can help protect irritated skin:
- Dry the skin thoroughly, dust with stoma powder, brush off excess, dab with a skin-barrier wipe or spray (like Brava), let it dry (using a hair-dryer on low), and repeat 2–3 times until a dry "crust" forms before applying the appliance.

6. Some topical skin treatments that do not interfere with adhesion include:
- Betamethasone Valerate foam (Luxiq FOAM) — avoid the gel form.
- A couple of puffs of Flonase (steroid inhalant) on damaged areas.
- Marathon cyanoacrylate film for severe skin breakdown.

7. Changes in appliances that have solved leaks for some users include:
- Switching from paste and ring to a more convex flange alone.
- Trying other brands like Hollister 2-piece with rings (Hollister, Brava, Eakin, Salts) or Convatec flexible 2-piece.
- Requesting free samples from various suppliers to test fit and adhesion.

8. Alternative adhesion ideas:
- Applying prosthetic adhesive directly to the wafer or using custom-made baseplates secured with prosthetic adhesive. One user creates UPVC or 3-D-printed convex plates and attaches standard 60 mm Coloplast 2-piece bags or irrigation sleeves.

9. General skin-health tips:
- Remember that skin renews every 28–40 days; a lack of biotin or prolonged use of steroid creams can thin the skin.
- Keep an eye on your diet and topical medications.