How to Treat Peristomal Skin Irritation

Keeping your skin nice and healthy is essential for lots of people to do when they have an ostomy, since it can make it uncomfortable and itchy, along with red as well. If you do have skin that’s irritated, you do need to let it rest, cover it up with a dressing to let it heal, and then wait a bit. But with an ostomy, that’s really not possible.  It can hurt your skin if damaged, and it won’t seal very well, and it will get worse over time, and won’t be able to get the appliance on. What do you do then? 

What to Do? 

The biggest thing to understand is that skin irritation that’s not mild and is clearly getting worse is to first be analyzed by a nurse as quickly as you can. You may need to also add a new product during the pouches whenever the skin heals, or also to use a medication or topical to help with treating the irritations. 

There is also “crusting” which happens, which protects the skin from the wafer, and this of course can help some people. Some people use this when they’re new, since it helps with that skin which is adapting. 

All About Crusting 

Crusting is where you spread powder around the peristomal skin, right by the side where it’s irritated, and then adding a skin barrier layer.  You can use a wipe or spray, but you also should make sure it’s a formulation that won’t sting you. You can do this a couple of times to offer a barrier to protect this. 

The process involves three steps. First, you should sprinkle the powder that’s there around the skin and get rid of whenever there’s too much excess. You can tap the belly or slap it lightly on the side next to where the stoma is to get rid of the extra powder, and only the stuff that’s sticking is there. 

You then add barrier spray to offer a seal layer of protection. You can put this right over the powder itself if it’s a spray seal. For wipes, you simply place this gently over the surface of where the skin is so that it won’t wipe off, but instead seals. Once applied, you fan it with a card to let it dry. Repeat this multiple times to offer more protection, especially layers of protection. However be mindful of this, as too many layers does affect the seal itself, so only use what you need to. 

You can try this type of crusting with the area that’s sealed. You can use a wafer that has a taped border, offering crusting within the original area of this wafer, where you have the adhesive the most there.  That way, you avoid extending directly towards the area that’s taped. When crusting happens past this, it can actually cause this to actually leak too, which again, is a bit of a problem. 

This is a technique that can be used to help with skin irritation to protect it from worsening, and it can also protect your skin so it’s able to heal. The best thing to understand is that it is a prevention technique in most cases, so only do this if the skin is raw, and if it’s not raw, don’t bother to use this. You also should make sure to get medical help if you notice that there is an irritation of all kinds, since this can offer a better, more rewarding experience, and also prevent problems with the stoma down the line as well. 

Can you Hike and Run with a Stoma?

I love Spring and Fall.  This time of year allows me to really enjoy my passion when I have the time and that is because the weather is really nice. One area that really pumps me up for life is heading to my favorite local parks and enjoy the trails.  At one point I thought I would never do this again.  This is one area that worried me when I got out of my ostomy surgery because I was afraid that I would not be able to hike or jog my favorite trails again.  Luckily, I was all afraid for no reason and that is something that I strive to share with all new estimates.  The fact that you have a stoma now means that you have a few extra routine changes through the day, but that your life can still be as active or enjoyable as you wish it to be.  My search for amazing gear helps me enjoy what I love doing and I hope this helps you too!

Where do you go to get gear that allows you to hike and run with an ostomy?  You may even find that there is a whole new ostomy setup that may work better for your body and the task that you are planning on doing.  I like to personally keep my eyes and ears open to all different aspects of this industry to see what is available and if I am missing something.  One location that usually seems to keep me up to date is the social media world.  This is a vast and crazy fast-changing industry. No joke, new things are coming out all the time and you need to keep up or you may miss it. 

Now I like to stay up to date on social media for all the new things.  This means following tons of people who have an ostomy.  Now I think that it is key to find outdoor people who enjoy hiking, bushcraft, and backpacking.  I have learned more from these people than probably anyone else and that is because they are doing what they enjoy and showing how they are doing it.  The truth is my body is different from many of them and how my stoma is on my abdomen is different.  That means a lot of the tips and tricks that they do are not applicable to me but a lot of their successes and failures are truly applicable and I am so happy to share in their journey and to be able to chime in as well.  I have learned a lot from others talking about my own questions and listening to their solutions and failures. 

People who like to be outside and keep things lightweight have been key to me.  This scene has actually influenced people with stomas greatly because we can use backpacks with no hip belts and keep things ultra-lightweight in order to carry our extra ostomy gear.   Adding all of their tips and tricks into my life has allowed me to see more and enjoy lots more time in the great outdoors.  It has also built my confidence up because I have seen people fail and know that I can succeed because they are willing to teach.  May my journey and tips help you in yours.