What to check for

Having a well-fitting product solution plays an important role in preventing leakage and keeping skin healthy. Good stoma care routines also help to maintain healthy skin. By following the Apply-Remove-Check routine, you can make sure your appliance is more secure and dependable.

A quick examination of your skin and adhesive will reveal if you are in the right routine. But first you need to know which symptoms to be aware of.

Check your skin and baseplate

It is important that you check if the adhesive is eroded and if there is presence of stoma output (faeces or urine depending on your type of stoma). Then – perhaps with the help of a mirror – examine the skin around your stoma and see if there is any redness or damage. It may be that the pattern of the irritation mirrors what you saw on the adhesive.
Signs of skin damage or eroded adhesive may indicate that your appliance was not applied properly, but it could also indicate that you need to change appliance more often. You may also consider if you are using a well-fitting ostomy solution adequate for your body profile. Take a BodyCheck to find out.

What does healthy skin look like?

Healthy skin around your stoma looks the same as the skin on the rest of your stomach.

Did you know...

Skin irritations are commonly confused with allergy, which occur only very rarely.

If you have an allergic reaction, the entire area that has been in contact with the adhesive will be irritated and discoloured,
possibly also accompanied by stinging, itching and burning.

Preventing and treating skin irritation

Skin irritations are a common problem for people with a stoma.
If you see any changes in the appearance and colour of the skin around your stoma compared to the skin on the rest of your stomach,
you probably have a skin irritation.

Examples of mild skin irritations

The illustrations below show four varieties of mild skin irritations. Usually mild irritations can be resolved by yourself by ensuring you establish good changing habits and that you are using a well-fitting ostomy solution Try our Bodycheck solution for this.

To help manage mild skin irritations you may consider using ostomy supporting solutions to care for your skin.The Troubleshooter tool can help assess which solutions may be helpful for you.

Examples of severe skin irritations

The illustrations below show four varieties of severe skin irritations. Symptoms are dark blue/purple marks, weeping, bleeding, burning or itching skin around the stoma. To resolve this – it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional. In the meantime, the Trouble Shooter tool may help you with this.

Tip

Taking pictures of your stoma area over a period can help you determine whether your skin irritation is improving. You can also use these as a reference when speaking to your stoma care nurse.

Please note! If your skin does not improve in 7-14 days after following this advice, seek help from your healthcare professional.

Before use, always consult the ‘Instructions for Use’ document delivered with the products.

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