Caring for the skin around your stoma

Healthy skin looks like the rest of your abdomen

The skin around the stoma should look the same as skin elsewhere on your body. Redness, itching, weeping or pain means something is wrong, and it will usually get worse until the cause is fixed.

The usual causes

• Output touching the skin because the pouch opening is cut too large
• Leaks caused by a poor seal on uneven or creased skin
• Adhesive removed too roughly or too often, stripping the skin surface
• Soaps, oils, perfumes or antiseptics leaving a film that stops adhesion
• Fungal infection, which often appears as a red rash with small spots at the edges
• Allergy to a product, which usually matches the exact shape of what touched the skin

What helps

• Fix the fit first. Most sore skin is a fitting problem, not a skin problem.
• Clean with plain warm water and dry completely.
• Use stoma powder on weeping areas, brushing off the excess so the pouch can still stick.
• Use paste or a seal to fill dips and creases.
• Remove adhesive slowly, supporting the skin.
• Do not apply creams or ointments meant for other conditions. They prevent the pouch from sticking and can make the problem worse.

See a nurse or doctor if

• Skin is broken, bleeding or increasingly painful
• The rash spreads or does not improve within a few days
• You see pus, or the area becomes hot and swollen
• You cannot keep a pouch on for a reasonable time because of the skin