Hi everyone, hope you can help. I have had the first surgery, and have an ostomy pouch now.

A couple weeks ago, noticed kind of smelly and wet on the right side of the flange and lifted it to find my skin very red and raised a bit. It was wet and smelled funky.

I used the powder stuff on it, and then wiped it down with cavilon pad, then put on a new flange.

but the last two times I changed the flange, it seemed to be leaking there again, and right now, noticed kind of smelly, and lifted up the tape all around and it looks like it is actually puss coming from my pores which is why it is a little wet and smelly under the tape (seems it was not my output leaking)

I am very hairy and need to shave every time I put on a new flange.... does anyone have any ideas on what I can do?

Do you have an ET that could look at the area?
Have you heard of Eaken seals? It is a moldable barrier ring that you can put either around the stoma (what I used to do) or the flange (before you place it against your skin). It acts as an extra seal and has some healing qualities.

Check out the discussion site further down
"OSTOMY and SKIN". You may find some helpful pointers there.

Hi Jay,

It sounds like you either have an allergy to the tape, a razor rash or perhaps a yeast infection. You really do need to get your stoma nurse to take a look at it.

In the meantime try showering without the wafer. Aim the shower head at the skin around (not on) your stoma. This will not only sooth the area but will also increase cerculation and aid with the healing process.

Make sure the skin is completely dry then apply a layer of stomahesive powder. Pat over (don't wipe) with a no-sting barrier wipe or use a spray such as no-sting Cavilon. Allow this to dry completely (use a hairdrier on cool setting to speed this up if you can) before applying your new wafer.

Try changing your wafer more frequently until the area has healed over and use an electric razor rather than wet shaving as this doesn't disturb the hairs so much.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Shell

Thanks for the help!!!!!

I went back to the hospital and saw the ostomy nurse there. She said it was razor rash and it was really bad. We switched to a coloplast 2 piece system. she said it is better for the skin, then cut away most of the tape portion (I am using a belt to keep it on good since a lot of the tape was cut away). then an iodine powder/cream mixture over the rash/redness and it should heal in the open air.

I hope it heals fast, kind of scary with most of the tape/wafer cut away and having the belt holding it. And I don't like the folding coloplast bag, it is harder to clean and close over the hollister clamp version.

Again thanks for the replies.

Just wanted to add thanks to Lesrich1 and Shell, you guys were bang on with the problem and about going to my ET nurse.

This is a great forum.

Another soothing practice of mine when I had an ileostomy was to get a bottle of liquid antacid (not flavored). Let it sit upright for several hours and then carefully pour out all the thin liquid which rises to the top of the bottle. What you are left with is the thickish white stuff in the bottle. Saturate a cotton ball with this thick white stuff and dab it on the skin around your stoma. Use a hair dryer on low to dry the area. Gently brush off any loose powder from your skin. Repeat the application at least one more time....drying and brushing between application. When finished, use the same procedure you typically use to apply your wafer and bag. Boy did that procedure clear up any irritated skin problems I had around my stoma. The biggest challenge was to find a time of day when the stoma was the most inactive! I'd usually wait about twenty minutes in the a.m. and eat a few marshmallows. That gave me enough time to do all of the above. Best wishes!