I'm wondering if this dark area around my old stoma sight will ever go away, it doesn't seem to be lightening up at all. I believe this to be from the convatec base I used while I had my temp ileostomy. Its not irritated, so I ruled out a rash. Its just a discoloration of skin. Is there a special cream/lotion I should be using or should this go away over time? Not complaining, just curious is all. Thanks in advance for any replies
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I have never had darkening around the stoma site it has always lighter like an old scar. Have you spoke to your surgeon to see what they think. Could just be different with people with different complexions. I would try asking a professional just to be safe.
Thank you for responding Phoenix2g..
Wow I thought this was common placed but upon further investigation on the internet I can't find anyone that appears to have this problem or at least post about it... The dark area I'm referring to is like a ring/circle surrounding the stoma sight... As I've stated it doesn't hurt or itch... Just looks a little funny... Almost as if I tanned every except that area... Im pretty sure it is from the round moldable base from the two piece convatec system I used when I had my ileostomy... I'm fairly fresh out of surgery, almost 7 weeks post takedown to be exact... So I'm hoping over time the color returns to match the rest of my body... We will see... Thanks again for your response...
Wow I thought this was common placed but upon further investigation on the internet I can't find anyone that appears to have this problem or at least post about it... The dark area I'm referring to is like a ring/circle surrounding the stoma sight... As I've stated it doesn't hurt or itch... Just looks a little funny... Almost as if I tanned every except that area... Im pretty sure it is from the round moldable base from the two piece convatec system I used when I had my ileostomy... I'm fairly fresh out of surgery, almost 7 weeks post takedown to be exact... So I'm hoping over time the color returns to match the rest of my body... We will see... Thanks again for your response...
I had that dark circle for a long time. It's now all white. I can't remember how long it took, but one day it was all gone.
Yes, I had a discolouration of the skin around the ostomy site. I'm not sure if it's exactly what you describe; mine was sort of an after-impression of the barrier. You could actually see the square outline of the flange on the skin for quite some time. The skin there was darker and somewhat shinier than the skin on the rest of my body. Even my surgeon commented on this. But I had my ostomy for almost 2.5 years, though, probably why I had marks left.
The discolouration eventually faded gradually, but it took quite a while as I recall, many months in total. I did use bio oil and cocoa/shea butter to try to smooth it out.
I agree that skin reactions like this are likely dependant on our individual skin type/complexion. My skin is pretty pale and generally sensitive. To be honest I was surprised I wasn't allergic to the barrier!
I also think skin changes probably become more apparent the longer you have the ostomy. With that in mind, perhaps more people don't post much on the topic because most people getting a j-pouch don't have ostomies for more than a few months, maybe not long enough to cause an issue like this (I was definitely an exception). Also, perhaps it's because something like this is more of a cosmetic concern than a medical issue, so it doesn't make its way to the forum. But, if your skin does not hurt or itch and there is no real irritation, I wouldn't worry excessively. Most likely your marks will fade or at least get lighter with time. I suppose you could always ask for a dermatology referral if it's really bothering your or doesn't seem to be improving.
The discolouration eventually faded gradually, but it took quite a while as I recall, many months in total. I did use bio oil and cocoa/shea butter to try to smooth it out.
I agree that skin reactions like this are likely dependant on our individual skin type/complexion. My skin is pretty pale and generally sensitive. To be honest I was surprised I wasn't allergic to the barrier!
I also think skin changes probably become more apparent the longer you have the ostomy. With that in mind, perhaps more people don't post much on the topic because most people getting a j-pouch don't have ostomies for more than a few months, maybe not long enough to cause an issue like this (I was definitely an exception). Also, perhaps it's because something like this is more of a cosmetic concern than a medical issue, so it doesn't make its way to the forum. But, if your skin does not hurt or itch and there is no real irritation, I wouldn't worry excessively. Most likely your marks will fade or at least get lighter with time. I suppose you could always ask for a dermatology referral if it's really bothering your or doesn't seem to be improving.
I have had my stoma for 8 years (YIKES!) and I use a convex wafer and the skin where the wafer sits is a different color than the rest of my belly skin. There is a definite shape left by my wafer. I would say its normal.