Having used ostomy deodorant products for the past several years, I’m surprised that I haven’t used the Adapt Lubricating Deodorant product by Hollister until recently!
Disclosure: This review is based on my experience with using a 236ml bottle of this product, which I purchased through my regular supplier.
Table of Contents
About the Hollister Adapt Lubricating Deodorant
Product name: Adapt Lubricating Deodorant
Manufacturer: Hollister
Product #: 78500
Size: 236ml Bottle
Quantity per box: 1 Bottle per package
The Adapt Lubricating Deodorant is a clear, “odorless” (it’s not 100% free of any scent) liquid that’s thicker than water, but not thick like gel.
It comes in a 236ml squeeze bottle that has a flip-top spout, and single use sachets (item 75801) containing 8ml of the product.
Hollister says that this product is good for not only to lubricate the inside of your ostomy bag, but also to control odor while emptying your bag.
While it’s not listed on the Hollister product page, this type of product is usually aimed to help colostomates prevent “pancaking” since it helps to prevent stool from sticking to the inside of the bag. Ileostomates can also use it for odor control, but this product likely won’t benefit urostomates.
The instructions say that you should use 5ml (one teaspoon) of the product in your appliance every time you empty or change it. This gives approx. 47 uses per bottle, which is not a lot if you empty your bag more than once per day.
The instructions in the box list the following ingredients:
PURIFIED WATER, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, POLOXAMER 188 NF, N-ETHYL-N-SOYA MORPHOLINIUM ETHOSULFATE, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, OCTOXYNOL-9, PHENOXYETHANOL, METHYLPARABEN, ETHYLPARABEN, BUTYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, ISOBUTYLPARABEN, SODIUM HYDROXIDE.
In all honestly, this ingredients list scares me a little, but the ingredients used have been found to be safe (according to the MSDS), so there shouldn’t be much cause for concern.
Odor Control
Testing a product for odor control is always really difficult because there are many variables that come into play like what I ate, how often I’m emptying my bag, antibiotic use, etc. While testing this product, I tried to remain as consistent with my diet as possible to avoid any skewed results.
Unlike some products that are scented, this one doesn’t try to mask odor by using perfumes, but instead tried to neutralize odors directly.
While Hollister suggests using approx. 5ml in your bag at a time, I’ve experimented by using the recommended quantity and also more. I would do this for a few days, then I would stop using the product for a few days, then I would go back to using it again.
I found no difference in odor, which is really disappointing, so that was a bust.
Note: To learn more about other ways to control ostomy odors, please click here.
Lubrication
A lubricating product helps to make the inside of your bag slippery so that stool doesn’t stick and “pancake” to the sides or top of the bag.
When using a lubricating product, it’s really important to make sure that you get it all over the inside of the bag, not just the bottom. This is pretty easy to do with your hand over your appliance, but it’s critical that the product is spread as much as possible for maximum effectiveness.
This product does benefit colostomates who have dry stool, but it may also help ileostomates who tend to have thick output (like me).
Going by the same usage schedule I noted above (using it for a few days, then stopping, then going back to use it), I noticed only a slight benefit. The ideal cases were when I’d empty my bag before it got to 1/3 full – any more than that, and I noticed no benefits at all.
This could be explained by the fact that my output isn’t as dry as a colostomates stool would likely be, so take the results with a grain of salt. I will note that I could certainly feel it lubricating the inside of my bag as I spread it around during the application.
Also, worth mentioning is that I could certainly feel it lubricating the inside of my bag as I spread it around during the application, but as one reader of this blog pointed out in the comment section of another review, the lubricant runs down the bag and doesn’t stick around for very long.
Conclusion
At the time of this writing (Jan 2022), the Hollister Adapt Lubricating Deodorant can be purchased for approx. CDN$25 through various suppliers worldwide.
Most insurance companies will cover a product like this, but keep in mind that you may be going through a lot of this product if you empty your bag often throughout the day.
Hollister doesn’t give free samples of the bottled deodorant, but you might be able to request the same product in sachets. Inquire with Hollister directly to find out.
Pros:
- Easy to dispense out of the bottle.
- Also comes in single-use sachets which are great for traveling with.
- Non-staining liquid.
- Available just about everywhere.
Cons:
- Doesn’t work well as a deodorant.
- Doesn’t seem to work well as a lubricant (at least not with thick ileostomy output).
- You don’t get many uses out of a bottle.
- The ingredients list may concern some (similar products usually have less than 5 ingredients!)
Not Recommended
It’s hard for me to recommend this product over many of the others that I’ve tested. It doesn’t seem to work well against odors, and the lubricating properties appear to be short-lived.
While this product is covered by most insurance companies, I have concerns over how quickly it gets used up (an entire bottle would only last me about 7 days).
For more information, please visit: www.hollister.com
Question: Have you had any success with this product? Please share your experience in the comment section.
Just trying this product now. Worried that it will get between my ring and wafer and loosen the bond and then my bag will leak. Any experience with this?
Hi Tiffany,
Ideally, you’ll only want to use enough to coat the inside of your appliance (by rubbing it around when it’s in there) without having too much pool up. I have never had trouble with lubricating deodorant compromising the flange.
You can get your doctor to write you an exception. I have been using Hollisters m9 for years (researching now to see if there’s something better) Medicare only covers 1 8oz bottle a month but my doctors note lets me get 3 a month instead (due to frequency of emptying) all covered by insurance. You just need the doc’s note filed with your supplier once.
Yes, this really depends on the insurance you have. My private insurance (here in Canada) covers these no problem – no limits really.
But that’s a good tip about asking your doctor for a note in case you have limits.
I am 67 and also had an illeostomy. What I do is mix at times Johnson’ baby oil gel with Adapt to change the flow from the bottle, to what suits you.( thick or thin )
Another procedure which I use is mixing Johnson’ baby gel with there baby oil. The Adapt or something similar works well. Prior to use you generally need to shake.
Being retired and in using Hollister wafer I will also slightly open the wafer vary slightly and use a chemical wash bottle to rinse from the top and reapply the solution from the top. It’s a little tricky until you develop the method.
The oils all come in different smells. I have been doing this method for 2 years.
Great tips, Michael!
I was told not to use any kind of oil (baby oil, mineral oil, olive oil, etc.) as it may reduce the wear time of our wafer.
What is your general wear time? I think if you are getting over 3 or 4 days then it’s a very good tip!
Regards,
Eric
Tell me what you think of this product.
I am a 72 year old with an ileostomy and used the Hollister lube deodorant until Medicare in the US changed the maximum monthly allotment. I used to get 3 boxes of 50 packets each month but Medicare changed the allotment to 1.8 boxes per month and my supplier won’t split boxes. Now I order a 60 day supply which consists of 3 boxes and 0ne tube and it lasts just about 38 days rather than 60. Great decision by Medicare..
Hi Jim. That’s really unfortunate. Are you considering switching products because of these (one that gets you the full 60 days or will you stay with the Hollister deodorant?
You can get your doctor to write you an exception. I have been using Hollisters m9 for years (researching now to see if there’s something better) Medicare only covers 1 8oz bottle a month but my doctors note lets me get 3 a month instead (due to frequency of emptying) all covered by insurance. You just need the doc’s note filed with your supplier once.