This topic is about dealing with skin irritation around a stoma, specifically using calamine lotion to help soothe painful and bleeding skin. The person experiencing this issue is seeking advice on whether calamine lotion is effective or if there are better alternatives. Here are some helpful insights and advice shared by others:

1. Calamine Lotion
- Make sure the skin around the stoma is completely dry before applying the lotion.
- Apply a thin layer of calamine lotion and let it dry. You can apply a second coat if needed before placing the wafer or baseplate of a 2-piece system.
- For better results, let the calamine lotion bottle stand so it separates, then pour off the clear liquid and use the thicker pink sediment.
- Some people use a hair-dryer on a cool setting to ensure the lotion is fully dry, which helps with adhesion and reduces leaks.
- Most users find that if the lotion is completely dry, it does not interfere with the wafer sticking.

2. Sudocrem
- Known to be more soothing than calamine for raw or bleeding skin and helps reduce itching.
- As with calamine, ensure the area is dry before attaching the wafer to avoid any sticking issues.

3. Seasonal Leakage Tips
- Leaks are less common in winter when using calamine or Sudocrem, but hot weather and perspiration can still cause occasional leaks.

4. Steroid Option for Severe Inflammation
- A beclometasone dry-powder inhaler can be used by opening it and dabbing a small amount of powder onto cleaned, dry skin.
- This method is reported to provide rapid healing without affecting the adhesion of the baseplate.
- This option requires a prescription from a doctor.

5. Product/System Notes
- The advice is mainly from users of 2-piece systems with moldable base plates, who typically change them every 3–4 days.