Stoma skincare in Winter
Peristomal skin care can be somewhat troublesome for a lot of people due to a number of reasons. As we are all different, lead different lifestyles, use different products etc., it can be difficult to find reasoning for troublesome peristomal skin, but for the majority of people, this is normally caused by output getting onto the skin around the stoma. You can sometimes feel when this happens as the skin will get itchy or sting and cause irritation. Sometimes you won’t feel this at the time and by the time you change your stoma bag the skin has already broken which can be very painful and hard to heal due to the area.
There are many ways to combat this and ways to prevent this from happening and throughout this blog I am going to share what I do to prevent this and to keep my peristomal skin healthy.
Frequency of bag changes
First tip is to look at the frequency of bag changes. How often you change your bag is personal to each individual. I choose to change my bag every other day. This helps me to catch any output they may have got onto my skin before it causes irritation or breakage of the skin. It also allows me to keep an eye on the skin and lets the skin breathe even if it is only for a few minutes with the stoma bag off. Secondly, I wear a barrier ring. This helps to absorb any leakage that gets under the stoma bag. The ring offers protection and helps me feel more secure. I use the Freeseal barrier ring from Pelican as I like how thin they are and don’t disrupt the fit of the bag.
When I clean around my stoma I keep it simple using water and dry wipes and I only add other products if I need them such as barrier films. If you are prone to irritation around the stoma having a barrier spray/cream or wipes is always a good idea to have some form of protection on the skin in case of leakage. I always use an adhesive remover to prevent irritation to the skin by safely and gently removing the bag. The Pelican adhesive remover is great for this or the Refresh 3in1 especially if you are using a barrier film also as this has one built in.
Keeping the right consistency
My next tip is to keep an eye on the consistency of your output. Keeping the right consistency can be tough at times but I find when my output is at the right consistency (porridge like) then my skin is always at its best as its easier for watery output to find a way to sneak under the stoma bag and cause irritation.
Finally in my opinion it can be trial and error when it comes to getting it right and having the correct products for you and your skin type is so important and can make a huge difference to peristomal skin. If your skin is constantly breaking or you are constantly having leaks etc it may be worth while changing something up in your routine such as the products you’re using, the frequency of your bag changes or your diet to improve the consistency of your output and always consult with your stoma team for guidance and advice when doing this.