For ostomates with some bulk and heft around the stoma, the extra skin can fold, increasing perspiration and moving the skin in ways that can loosen the barrier’s hold. The skin can also become more easily irritated in these situations if the barrier does leak, causing skin irritation, rashes, and other unpleasant situations. Thankfully, there are some ways you can mitigate these issues:
Ostomy Paste – Pastes such as the very popular Stomahesive Paste will help fill in any uneven skin around the stoma that can cause leaks or problems with skin barrier adhesion. This makes wear time longer (meaning less appliance changes and money saved) and makes wear more comfortable. Some other pastes are Hollister Karaya Paste, Hollister Adapt Paste, and Coloplast Ostomy Paste.
Ostomy Powder- Powders are helpful to absorb the moisture before placing an Ostomy adhesive or appliance against the skin.
Conformable Wafers – Stomas come in all shapes and sizes. Most skin barriers come pre-cut or cut-to-fit. There are also flexible, conformable barriers such as ConvaTec’s SUR-FIT Natura Skin barriers with Stomahesive, designed to conform and adhere to the contours of the body.
Cohesive Seals – Cohesive seals are moldable donut-shaped, gel-like rings that conform between skin and appliances to help prevent leakage. It’s perfect for hard-to-fit stomas and come in sizes around 4” you can cut down and form to any size and shape you need.
