Tips for Maintaining Healthy Peristomal Skin
Keeping the skin around your stoma (peristomal skin) healthy is important. You can steer clear of many complications by following these simple suggestions:
Bath and shower tips:
- You can bath or shower with or without wearing your pouching system
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If you're showering without your pouch, remove the base plate too. Make sure you skin is completely dry before applying a new base plate and pouch
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If you're showering with your pouch system, check your pouch seal. Before getting in the bath or shower, make sure your seal is secure
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Avoid oil-based and moisturising soaps. The residue on the soap can cause your base plate to lift or make it difficult to adhere
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If possible, bath or shower at a time when your stoma is less active
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If using a pouch with a filter, cover the filter with a sticker before bathing
Choose a well-fitted ostomy barrier:
- Choosing a base plate that fits properly around your stoma is important to keeping skin healthy. This will help prevent contents from your stoma meeting and irritating the skin.
- Your Stomal Therapy Nurse (STN) can teach you how to determine the size of your stoma, and advise on which type of base plate is best for you
- The size of your stoma will change up to 10 weeks after surgery, so ensure you measure it periodically
- Changes to the abdomen as a result of weight gain/loss, exercise, pregnancy or medical conditions, may require you to change your pouching system
Changing your pouching system:
- Create a schedule for your pouching system. This will ensure your base plate is changed before the adhesive has worn, and reducing chances of urine and faecal leakage.
- Personalise your schedule based on your pouching system and on advice given by your STN
- At each change, check the skin around your stoma for abnormalities, including swelling, redness and other signs of irritation. Notify your STN of any issues or concerns.
- Remove your base plate gently by beginning with one corner and slowly removing the rest of the adhesive. Never rip or tear your base plate off.
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Try our Niltac™ adhesive remover sprays and wipes to make removal easier
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Ensure the skin around your stoma is completely dry before applying a new base plate. This will help with adhesion and will reduce the risk of infection
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Try our Silesse™ skin barrier sprays and wipes to protect the skin, whilst keeping it healthy and comfortable
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In hot and humid locations, consider using a pouch with a fabric backing. This will keep the pouch from sticking to your skin and causing skin irritation
Quick Reference Do's and Dont's
