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So like others in the UK, my nurse in the NHS reccomended ILEX skin protectant paste along with other creams.  I've had my ileo-anal pouch since 2018 and use 3 creams in escalating order of how sore the area is.

Bepanthem is my normal daily use cream every time after visiting the bathroom.  If the soreness is too bad, I use Calmoseptine and if that is still not good enough, I use ILEX skin protectant paste for the 'rubber skin' effect.

Like everone else, post covid I have been unable to obtain ILEX for well rehearsed reasons - it's not in production, and no one really knows when it will be (yes I have emailed ILEX and OakMed multiple times).

I tried 'just answer' for an alternative and 2 dermatologists were unable to help.

One suggested medline marathon - which is a bit like superglue with an applicator - i found it almost impossible to apply to myself, so it's a 'fail', but where it did stick, it seemed to protect my skin and stay on a long time (days).  I won't be trying it again.

Someone else on the forum suggested coloplast critic-aid so i have sent for some of that, and I remember the colorplast barrier spray from when I was in hospital and had an external bag - so I'm going to try that.  My final self experiment is going to be Medline Sureprep Liquid Skin Protectant Spray.

I'll let you know how it goes

Graham

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If you have not already, I cannot recommend highly enough buying a Japanese bidet seat.  An absolute lifesaver and made such a difference.  I no longer have irritation or continual wiping in between bowel movements.  They start at £40 for cold water non-electric ones to £400 for a warm water and hot air dry (on Amazon).  It was quite easy to fit but if you do not have a power supply nearby or are not sure how to add a fused junction, then an electrician would be needed.

Creams didn't help me, the bidet sorted it all out. 


A

Medline Marathon is better for excoriated skin around a stoma, especially if your ostomy bag is causing the skin around the stoma to be weepy and raw due to acidic stool collecting around the opening. if it’s the same as I remember it seven years ago, the liquid is too small, expensive, and the applicator tube is too awkward to try to apply to the anal area. Yes, it’s applied using the small self applicator tube but mostly for small stoma areas. When I had my temporary ostomy bag and my stoma was oozing and raw because of a retracted stoma, I tried everything and Marathon liquid was the only miracle that healed and protected my raw skin. It’s not a glue! I remember it as a purple liquid in a small tube and you squeeze the tube to break the security/sterile seal, and the liquid is gently dabbed on the burning area using the self sponge applicator. As it dries it becomes like a second layer of skin around your raw stoma, allowing your own skin underneath to heal. I wept with relief when my poor skin healed and no longer felt like I was on fire when my stoma was actively pushing out acidic stool!

Winterberry

Results

Medline Sureprep Liquid Skin Protectant Spray - nope, not useful, difficult to apply to the area.

Brava Spray - the same as Medline Sureprep Liquid Skin Protectant Spray.

Coloplast 'Critic-Aid' Skin Paste - surprisingly, it provided some benefit when I would have used Ilex in the past i.e. when Bepanthem or Calmoseptine were not sufficient on their own.  Critic-Aid was applied to clean skin after a bath/shower.  I'll be adding this as a third product that I will continue to use.

Coloplast 'Brava Tube Paste' - I intend to try this one, and have ordered one.

I should be clear that neither of the coloplast products is specificially reccomended for use in the anal area and I got the 'consult your medical professional' response when I asked.  This iwould be difficult to do with acknowledged issues of over work with NHS GPs, pharmacists and stoma nurses.

Graham Lerwill


Coloplast 'Critic-Aid' Skin Paste - surprisingly, it provided some benefit when I would have used Ilex in the past i.e. when Bepanthem or Calmoseptine were not sufficient on their own.  Critic-Aid was applied to clean skin after a bath/shower.  I'll be adding this as a third product that I will continue to use.



How many bowel movements (using TP to wipe) do you think this would withstand?  (I'm thinking about travel.)

SM

Sorry for taking so long to reply.  I can only answer in the way I use the various creams.  I've decided to adopt the Critic-Aid as one of the three creams I use.  In UK, fruugo seemed to be the most cost effective source at the moment.

On leaving the shower or bath, I would use the Criti-Aid - it seems to last about 3 wipes as a barrier, but the best effect it has for me is to actually heal the skin.  I use Bepanthem as my regular 'travelling' cream and I use either womens period pants (washable)  or 2 thicknesses of mend boxer briefs to prevent the cream leaking through to my trousers. I use the Calmoseptine when the Bepanthem is 'not strong enough'  I would suggest trying the three I describe and seeing how you fare.  The Calmoseptine is hard to get in the UK, so 'unnoficial routes' rather than pharmacists works well.

Graham Lerwill

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