This topic is all about keeping ostomy appliances secure when you're in water or dealing with humid conditions. If you have an ostomy and enjoy activities like swimming or live in a humid area, you might find these tips helpful.

- A person with an ileostomy since 2010, living in the humid U.S. South, found that "Skin Tac" was a game-changer for them. It's a latex-free, hypo-allergenic adhesive that acts as both a skin barrier and a strong adhesive. It can be easily removed with alcohol or barrier-removal wipes. A little goes a long way, and one bottle has lasted them three months.

Here are some routines and tips they shared:

1. Bathing: Keep the old pouch on during the bath. Afterward, towel-dry the wafer and then replace the pouch. The wafer can stay on for 7–10 days without issues.

2. Showering: Remove the pouch, let water rinse the flange area, towel-dry the wafer, and optionally apply a thin bead of stoma paste with a syringe. Then, re-attach the old or a new pouch.

3. Swimming: Swap the pouch for a ConvaTec flange cap, which fits securely even on a Hollister wafer and is less visible. You can apply Skin Tac around the cap if desired and let it dry for 10–15 minutes before entering the water. After swimming, replace the cap with the pouch.

Additional tips and insights:

- Skin Tac comes with a Q-tip–style applicator and can be brushed onto either the skin or the wafer for strong adhesion. Remember, a little goes a long way.

- For those dealing with sweating, showering, and swimming issues, try using Skin Tac. Allow 10–15 minutes of drying time before water contact.

- For a full waterproof setup that works for all-day spas or hot tubs, consider using a Convatec Convex 2-piece appliance, a Sure Seal Ring over the flange, Perma-Type Security Strips taped around the outer edge of the Sure Seal, and a strip of duct tape over the pouch filter vent. This combination has been reported to keep the flange fully adhered through repeated hot/cold immersions without skin irritation.

- Some users have found alternate wafers that provide long wear time, such as the ConvaTec Sur-Fit Durahesive Flexible Wafer, which can last 7–10 days even with frequent emptying, and Hollister "SureFit" moldable wafers, which perform well but may still lift when swimming without extra adhesive.

- Be cautious with a ConvaTec convex flange, as a hard stoma cap can pop the whole flange off if stoma output starts. In such cases, leave the pouch in place for swimming or use a softer cap. Pink waterproof tape can help but may not prevent wafer lifting during prolonged swimming for heavy sweaters. Hot bath water can weaken some seals, so consider showering or adding extra reinforcement for baths.

- If you develop a rash after swimming, let your skin dry thoroughly and consider adding Skin Tac or a Sure Seal Ring to keep moisture away. Frequent bending or standing can loosen any wafer, so reinforce or change it sooner if that's part of your routine.