When you have a stoma put in, it’s important to monitor the skin that sits around it. The last thing you want to deal with is any type of rash or other ailments because of the symptoms that will be caused by having to go through this process. You will have to look at the situation daily and decide what type of products would help in keeping your skin from having problems. The less irritating things are for you, the better off you will be. The best way to go about dealing with this issue is to get wise advice to keep it from happening to start with. However, if you do find yourself dealing with irritating skin around the stoma, you need to stop the problem in its tracks.
Checking Your Skin Daily
It’s always a good idea to check your skin that daily when you change the pouch to your stoma. This will give you an early advantage to making sure that area is clean to keep any infections away. Always check the wafer and the flange. Check to make sure no leaks are happening when it comes to the flange. What takes place is that sometimes it will leak directly behind the wafer and that stomal contents will get on your skin. That will irritate you if it’s not checked daily.
Change Your Pouch Correctly Everyday
It takes discipline to make sure that the pouch is put on correctly each time to avoid any leaks at all. When you check to make sure that your pouch is put in right every time, this helps to avoid unnecessary skin irritations from the stomal contents. You know that you have to check that there are no leaks or possibly other problems that may arise from not having your pouch put in the right way. Make sure that when you do change the pouch that your skin is dry. Do get rid of any old adhesive tape that may be still stuck to your skin. That will cause a problem. Some products can be used to get rid of the adhesive tape that is left behind and any other problem that arises with your skin. When checking out these products, make sure that if you have sensitive skin that they will not cause irritation. You don’t want to be itching from stomal contents and products that are supposed to help.
Get Checked Out By A Physician
If you do find yourself with skin issues because of your stoma and the products won't work to solve it, you should go see your primary doctor immediately. Don’t wait until things get worse because you could have an infection to set in and not know it. Let your doctor treat the area with medications that will stop the irritation on its tracks.
No one likes dealing with a stoma, but keeping your skin clean will keep it from being unbearable. After all, you want to get through this and stay infection-free. In the long run, your skin will be very healthy.
