The ideal appliance will fit in a way that protects your skin while also providing a durable, and secure fit. Unfortunately, not every ostomate can achieve this balance so easily, so many will experience a breakdown of skin around the stoma.
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This happened to me a short while after getting my ostomy, as my new stoma was still shrinking down from its swollen state.
I was quite inexperienced, so rather than change my appliance more often, I’d try to get 5+ day wear time, which meant that as my stoma became smaller, it left room for my output to eat away at my skin.
As you can see from the photos below, I had fairly deep erosion of the skin, and it hurt a lot. At the time, I had used the “crusting technique”, which involves putting stoma powder on the exposed, raw part of my skin, dust it off and apply a barrier using either barrier wipes or cavilon spray.
You do this a few times to build up protection on the skin, and to allow the wafer to stick to something other than the powder. This technique does work for many people, but it worked very slowly for me.
More recently, as I’ve been in between wafer samples, I began to get more breakdown of the skin.
I attempted to remedy this using the crusting technique, but I wasn’t getting the results I wanted; so instead, I opted to simply use a barrier ring without any powder or barrier wipes.
The results impressed me, and my skin has probably never looked that good around the stoma.
And here’s another example of how quickly this method can heal damaged skin:
Now, I continue to use a barrier ring when I notice more breakdown of the skin. I may continue to use them more regularly, but they are quite expensive and I’m not done trying new appliances that might offer a better fit.
Here’s a video showing how I change my appliance, including how I use barrier rings.
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Caution: Before you change your routine, you should check with your stoma nurse first, unless you’re willing to experiment on your own.
INFO: If you’re interested in the “crusting technique” for healing peristomal skin, check out THIS article.
QUESTION: What techniques have you tried to heal up your skin?
Hello. I’m so sorry to say I am still so sore I don’t
sleep My husband my caregiver doesn’t sleep we are upset nothing is working and I have to live like this my quality of life is terrible I am fire red itchy and very painful all around the stoma.During this COVID-19 time we can’t get help I surely do not want to go to a hospital I’m really in so much pain Today we will try nasal spray we tried everything else I only wish something can give me some relief We need a break as we have to be carful.
Try a little milk of magnesium around it, let it dry good before putting on bag or ring.
Hi Rosemary, I hope that you have made some progress in healing your stoma and skin issues. I am my daughter’s caregiver. She is 57 years old and had Crohn’s disease since 15 years old and has had an ileostomy since 2015. She also has Diabetes which contributes to skin healing issues and other medical issues, caused by steroids which she had for the Crohn’s.
She has had many peri-stoma skin issues.We have had assistance in dealing with her issues from an Ostomy Care Center RN, her internist and dermatologist but it boils down to try and error from applying all the standard creams, steroid sprays (aerosols)…
The best result come with leaving the appliance off for hours each day from 2 hours to 5 hours. And for many consecutive days.
The skin needed air and time off adhesive products to begin healing. There was no advice anywhere on how to keep her appliance off for that many hours but we invented a method using a baby diaper but not worn in the traditional way. Instead I just flatten it out, so that I can place it under her stoma flat against her stomach and used paper tape, Nexus, to hold it in place while she sits in her Lazy Boy chair.
We air it out for at least a few hours followed by the application of a prescribed cream that is half anti fungal and half steroid. This is kept on her skin for at least an hour or more. Then we wipe off the excess and she gets her shower.
Note this is not easy. She has to sit in place for the most part but we have used an stoma plastic cup with some wet gauze it in to absorb leaks/poop while she gets up to urinate or walk around the room or even put some pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. I change the diaper as needed usually about 2 every hour or so.
It is hard to explain and I have photos that I could email to you but do not want to post them here even though there is nothing wrong with them.
We have followed Eric, Vegan Ostomate, online and on YouTube who has been a help in so many ways. Thank you Eric. My daughter’s Ostomy RN also noted what great advice you give.
I’m so sorry that you are going through that, Rosemary.
Can you clarify something? Are you sore and bleeding AROUND your stoma or is the actual stoma sore and bleeding? If the stoma is bleeding, it is coming from inside the stoma or on the surface?
I do recommend seeking a nurse’s guidance at any time there is pain or bleeding involved. If you don’t have access, then the best we can do here is speak to what’s worked for us, but there are no guarantees the same will work for you.
Rosemary, my situation is not like yours – goodness, what a trouper you must be – but one thing that made a difference for my skin was the Hollister Cera Plus barrier ring. My skin seems to be very sensitive to that material and the Cera Plus was so soothing. Perhaps after you heal up this might be something to try to keep things calm. Best of luck to you with this, hope things get resolved soon so that you have no more soreness.
Hi Rosemary, I am sorry to hear of those troubles. A number of things come to mind. The stoma is it flush or raised. If it’s flush a convex wafer May be needed. Barrier rings and proper measuring of the stoma can help plus making contact with a stoma nurse would be important. Stay in touch
Tell me more about nasal spray and milk of magnesia How and wear.
My amazing caregiver is throwing his hands up I leak often sometimes 3 bags in a day My stoma is SO Sore and bleeds I don’t know what to do first Ostomy was 9/23/2917 that failed in 4 days 2 weeks later 2nd Ostomy that failed 3rd surgery was the illiostomy I had that was in Dec 2017 besides an open wound that has a fistula that’s leaks. Soooo sore I had a surgery 9/2019 take down for 8 fistulas at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota all from bad surgeries and mesh I have had many wound care nurses not too many stoma nurses. Please help Mayo saved my life but these leaks bleeds and sore and pain thank you
@Rosemary Purdy
I am so sorry for what you are going through. I can empathize, as I have had many problems with leaks. You have 2 issues to deal with. Preventing future leaks and healing/protecting your skin.
As far as preventing leaks, you first need to identify what is causing them. In my case, it was a combination of a recessed stoma with openings on both sides, and significant scar tissue and unevenness in the skin to the left of my stoma, which is where all the leaks occur. For me, a combination of a deep convex wafer and stoma paste are the most helpful.
For your skin, my stoma nurse recommended using nasal spray to reduce the redness (I believe it has a mild steroid in it). She said to just spray it on the red skin around the stoma and let it dry before putting a new appliance on. For protecting the skin, you can use barrier wipes and stoma powder to form a protective crust on the skin. I believe the milk of magnesia does something similar. The best thing for me personally has been Marathon. It comes in little tubes with a sponge end to apply it. When it dries, it leave a protective layer on your skin. It is rather spendy, but it was a life saver (or rather a skin saver) for me when my skin was at its worst.
Please feel free to ask any questions. If you determine why you are having leaks, people may have more specific advice to prevent them.
Best wishes to you.
I have a terrible, bleeding sore around part of my stoma. I have seen MANY nurses and been to a few ostomy clinics. The problem is that the sore is really close to the lumen, which is also a right at the level of my skin [loop ileostomy]. I use a convex one-piece appliance [have tried all kinds and 2-piece ones] with an Eakin seal and medical adhesive, also with barrier strips, in addition to using a hernia [small one above my stoma] belt. There has been improvement, but not close to the lumen. I have also used calamine lotion on the skin areas further away from the stoma, letting it dry, which works well with both sealing and healing, though, have not put it on the weeping, bleeding, red, very painful sore next to my lumen. My questions–> Any ideas for that area? [Desperately need suggestions!] I have purchased Marathon, but according to the directions, I had the impression that it is not to be used on an open type of sore similar to the one I have. Have you used Marathon in this manner, on an open, red sore area? If my sore was healed more, I think it might work. Also, I have never heard about using nasal spray. Does anyone have more information about this? Thanks much for all of your suggestions and videos posted. Well-done?
Oh that last post was to Rosemary Purdy, among others Thanks: Margaret
Hi Margaret,
I am a big fan of marathon. And I have used it on red weepy sore skin without having any trouble. But I didn’t remember the instructions saying not to. I guess I should read them again. 😂
I hope you have the same good outcome with the Marathon that I do.
Did the ostomy nurses have any helpful suggestions for you? Mine at one time recommended a protective sheet cut to fit around the stoma when my skin was particularly bad. It helped somewhat. I used it in combination with stoma paste.
I know how miserable sore skin can be and I hope you are able to get it under control soon.