Skin problems under Ostomy appliance

Hello Maria55,
I have had my ostomy sense 2017, I had a few skin problems at first and was worried about them so I started cleaning my skin after I have showered or washed myself and just before I put the flange on, I clean the area around the stoma with an alcohol swab (twice) to make sure there is no bacteria on my skin when I put on a new clean flange. I have never had any more trouble with breakouts since I have done this, so many of my ostomy group talk about their skin problems and I am so afraid of having the ulcers or lesions or rashes they get that I have never changed what is working for me.
They sell products for cleaning the skin and I have used them in the beginning, but I have found I didn't like the smell or the feel of them. So, I just cleaning my skin with an alcohol swab and making sure there is no bacteria on my skin under the flange that I have had no problems.
I don't let it touch my stoma but clean the skin twice with a swab.
Good luck I sure understand the trouble that can happen with our sensitive skin and bacteria.
OH, One, more comment, I forgot to say that after I use the alcohol I put stoma powder around the stoma and paste around the stoma to help hold the flange, I usually have to change once a week.
LaVerne

Good luck to everyone who is dealing with some kind of skin problem they can be very devastating to feel like you can never get clean skin again.

It probably is a good idea to leave the skin uncovered, but the Ostomy nurse said to change the pouch first thing in the morning before any food or drink so there is minimal to nothing coming out of the stoma. I use the adhesive remover first, then an ivory soap wash, then a clear water, then air dry. Then I proceed with the barrier procedure which was recommended by Coloplast. Procedure is easy for me as it is my husband who had the Iliostomy. He has never changed the pouch.

Good idea. Than you

Unfortunately I am still dealing with it for almost 4 yrs. It is better than it was and when it starts to get bad I use a prescription spray which is a steroid and it clears the problem temporarily. The problem is this steroid can cause skin cancer so I only use it as a last resort.

Here are a couple more thoughts as far as adhesion of the urostomy:
- try to empty the bag when it is 1/3 full so it does not get too heavy and drag the bag down, weakening the glue.
- the stoma was "installed" when our bodies were at a certain weight. It is important to try to stay close to that weight so our body conformation does not change too much from what it was at the time of surgery. That applies to weight gain or weight loss too. Nothing we can do about getting old and gaining extra skin folds, though!
- at night when I hook up to the overnight bag, I try to not toss and turn much as the hose could tug the bag away from the body without our awareness. That can weaken the glue bond from the urostomy bag to the skin.

Thank you for sharing.

There are a couple more things that have helped me in the urostomy journey(5 years of it).
- About the overnight urine bag - I hang it in a hard round plastic container which is 10" tall.
That is the perfect size to accommodate a very full bag in the morning. Two benefits: if the urine bag fails,
the mess will be contained in the bucket and by hanging it on the lip of the bucket I get a few more inches of slack on the hose to allow for "toss and turn". During the day, the bucket is tucked in a corner in the bathroom and it comes out at bedtime. Tidy!
- If I want even more slack for "toss and turn", I put the bucket on a step stool - that buys me a few more inches.
- I switched panties to low cut where the top elastic does not touch the bottom of the urostomy bag. Zero contact.
I believe that these details are all part of minimizing the chances of leaks, by avoiding tugging on the hose and the bag while we sleep and by keeping the integrity of the glue intact with no rubbing contact with the top of the panties. I don't know anything about men's shorts to achieve the same goal, maybe a nice guy can chime in on this with a suggestion?

I have used Hollister two piece New Image CeraPlus #11203 flange and bag number 18133, ventless, sense my surgery in 2017. I don't like the bags that are vented because they cause pancaking on my stoma in the bag and there's no way for it to fall to the bottom because it sucks all the air out of the bag, and leaves no breathable space. After I have cleaned my skin around the stoma where the flange goes I use an alcohol swab or two, to clean the skin around the stoma where the flange will be put on so that it cleans all the bacteria off my skin so I am not putting the flange on bacteria that will cause my skin to break down or get ulcers or rashes. I then put adapt stoma powder also around my stoma over the alcohol clean skin and a bead of adapt paste all the way around the stoma also. I have no trouble with my bag staying adhered to my skin for up to 7 days. I have had no skin problems. This has been very successful for me from the beginning of my time with my stoma.

Good morning. I have both a urostomy and a colostomy. Not long after my surgery (ten years ago), my stoma nurses told me that urine can pretty much eat through barrier sprays and the chemical in protective wipes. I use protective wipes by esenta on my colostomy, but not on my urostomy for that reason. Are you developing leaks? If so, that is usually the source of irritation (outside of an allergy). I have used Hollister Cera Plus convex barriers for the entire time I've had my ostomies. Due to having a good fit on my urostomy-side, I've never had skin irritation there. Does your coloplast product fit well? Like Chuck above, I use an old towel or rag for catch urine if I'm giving my skin a break or changing my appliance.