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Peristomal skin care

Help to avoid skin problems around your stoma

Unlike wounds, where the aim of the treatment is usually the closure of the wound, stomas are surgical openings on the surface of your abdomen intended to remain open to drain the stoma effluent. If peristomal skin disorders occur, special care is required.[1,2] This is why peristomal skin needs to be carefully looked after to maintain its health and avoid dermatological complications. Healthy skin around the stoma is essential for good adhesion and the overall well-being.

To reduce the risk of peristomal skin complications, preventive measures such as having good skin hygiene are the most important elements of care.

After surgery

Peristomal skin and wound care

Don’t strain yourself. Give yourself time before resuming your activities after surgery. The mucocutaneous junction, the abdominal wall, and the muscle wall need to adapt and recover from surgery. Your stoma therapist and physio therapist will show you how to protect your stoma, wounds and perisomal tissue.

Skin complications

Possible causes of problems

  • too strong adhesive or not sticky enough adhesive
  • chemical irritants, allergenic substances from the effluent
  • chemical irritants, allergenic substances from the adhesive
  • complications from surgery, e.g. prolapse or perforation of the mucocutaneus junction, etc.
  • infections, e.g. yeast
  • complications caused by an underlying disease, e.g. pyoderma gangrenosum of the skin or fistula due to Crohn's disease
hand is cleaning the stoma
Tips to help avoid peristomal skin irritations

Because everyone is different, it is best to consult your nurse or physician for advice on your specific needs. The following are therefore only general recommendations.

  • Keep your skin dry. This is essential to obtain a good adhesive seal. After bathing with the bag on, dry the skin and the bag system carefully. For more tips, click here. Ally® Powder may also be an option.
  • You can protect the skin by using a protective moisture barrier as Askina® Barrier Film.
  • You may prefer a two-piece bag system. With such a system the wafer remains on the skin for several days, while the bag is changed as needed. This may be gentler on sensitive skin.
  • Use stoma bags with skin-friendly wafers.
  • Remove skin wafers gently to avoid stripping the skin. Consider using B. Braun Adhesive Remover.
  • If you suffer from stoma leakage, think about protective skin barriers such as Ally® Paste or Superfiller or a barrier seal such as Ally® Rings.
  • Furthermore, check with your nurse or physician to make sure your appliance is appropriate for the size and shape of your stoma. If you are using a flat stoma system, a convex stoma bag may be an option. Find more information here.

Our accessory range

Ally® Belt

Ostomy belt

References

  1. Andersen NK, Trøjgaard P, Herschend NO, Størling ZM. Automated Assessment of Peristomal Skin Discoloration and Leakage Area Using Artificial Intelligence. Front Artif Intell. 2020 Sep 10;3:72. doi: 10.3389/frai.2020.00072. PMID: 33733189; PMCID: PMC7861335.
  2. Colwell JC, McNichol L, Boarini J. North America Wound, Ostomy, and Continence and Enterostomal Therapy Nurses Current Ostomy Care Practice Related to Peristomal Skin Issues. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2017 May/Jun;44(3):257-261. doi: 10.1097/WON.0000000000000324. PMID: 28362656; PMCID: PMC5417579.