This topic is about dealing with leakage and skin irritation when only flat, small wafers are available. The person in this situation has a flat stoma and is experiencing serious leakage problems while away from home. Normally, they use convex wafers, which help with adhesion, but they have run out and only have small, flat wafers left. This has led to daily leaks and painful, irritated skin, with no immediate access to a stoma nurse or additional supplies.

Here are some helpful tips and advice for managing this situation:

1. Focus on calming the irritated skin, as nothing adheres well to red, weepy skin.
- Carefully wash the area and apply a small amount of liquid antacid, like Mylanta, on the irritated skin. Let it dry before using normal skin-prep wipes or spray, then attach the wafer or ring.
- Consult a pharmacist about using a topical steroid cream under ostomy barriers to reduce inflammation.

2. If possible, switch back to convex products.
- Look for convex wafers at local medical-supply stores or pharmacies.
- Consider borrowing a few convex wafers from other ostomates nearby. Some community members have offered to mail deep-convex flanges for two-piece systems.

3. Use skin-barrier pads, which are 4×4-inch protective sheets available from major ostomy manufacturers, over the damaged skin. Attach the wafer to the pad instead of directly to the irritated area.

4. Once leakage is under control, reduce the frequency of changes to allow the skin to heal, as frequent changes can worsen irritation.