Types of skin problems

Sometimes, even when you take proper precautions and ensure the best care, you may still experience skin problems around your stoma.

If you experience any of these problems, be sure to consult your healthcare professional.

POSSIBLE SKIN PROBLEMS

Condition Causes Description Care Options
       

Irritant dermatitis1

Possible skin problems

Contact with stool or urine, usually from leakage under the pouching system or between the skin barrier and stoma.

Reddened, moist, and painful skin.

  • Consult with your healthcare professional or dermatologist to determine your treatment options
  • Review your product’s application instructions to learn proper usage and self-care techniques.
  • Clean and dry your peristomal skin
  • Use Stomahesive® Protective Powder on raw or highly irritated areas, and AllKare® Protective Barrier Wipes before applying the skin barrier.
  • Re-measure your stoma periodically to ensure you are using the correct size pouch and/or skin barrier.
  • Use ConvaTec Moldable Technology™ skin barriers for a more individualized, custom fit.
       

Allergic contact dermatitis2

Possible skin problems

Exposure to materials and chemical compounds that irritate the skin on contact (i.e.,tape, skin barriers, soap, adhesives, powders, pastes, or pouch material).

Redness and irritation in the area covered or treated by a product.

  • Consult with your healthcare professional or dermatologist to determine your treatment options.
  • Alter pouching system or skin care procedure to eliminate product causing the reaction.
       

Yeast infections (fungal candidiasis)1

Possible skin problems

Leakage, perspiration, antibiotic therapy, or broken skin.

Itchy, bumpy red skin. Potential infection of the vagina, mouth, or intestine.

  • Consult with your healthcare professional or dermatologist to determine your treatment options.
  • Keep area dry.
       

Hyperplasia or pseudoverrucous lesions2

Possible skin problems

Chronic exposure of the skin to urine.

Raised areas that vary in color from white to light gray, deep red or brown, next to the stoma. May experience bleeding and/or pain.

  • Consult with your healthcare professional or dermatologist to determine your treatment options.
  • Re-measure your stoma to ensure selection of a proper skin barrier size.
  • Use ConvaTec Moldable Technology™ skin barriers for a more individualized fit.
  • For flush or retracted stomas, use an extended-wear convex product.
       

Folliculitis2

Possible skin problems

Inflammation of the hair follicles, usually caused by a Staph infection due to traumatic hair removal in peristomal skin.

Reddened, pinpoint, or infected areas at the base of the hair follicles.

       

Psoriasis2

Possible skin problems

A common skin disorder that can occur underneath pouching systems and skin barriers.

Whitish scaly patches on the palms, scalp, elbows, knees and soles and on the peristomal skin.

  • Consult with your healthcare professional or dermatologist to determine your treatment options.
  • Consider decreasing the frequency of pouch changes, if possible.
       

Pressure ulcer1

Possible skin problems

Excessive pressure from an ostomy belt or rigid ostomy appliance.

Painful ulcers due to excessive pressure on the peristomal skin.

  • Consult with your healthcare professional or dermatologist to determine your treatment options.
  • Identify and get rid of the source of pressure.
  • Follow your healthcare professional’s directions for dressing the wound and future applications of your ostomy system.
       

Pyoderma gangrenosum2

Possible skin problems

Skin disease associated with inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Irregularly shaped painful infected ulcers with red-to-purple rolled margins. These may be adjacent to the stoma or elsewhere.

  • Consult with your healthcare professional or dermatologist to determine your treatment options.


References [+]

  1. Allen S, Best R, Butler S, et al. Canadian Ostomy Assessment Guide. A Canadian Consensus. ConvaTec, A Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Company. 1998.
  2. Colwell JC. Stomal and peristomal complications. In: Colwell JC, Goldberg MT, Carmel JE (eds). Fecal & Urinary Diversions: Management Principles. St. Louis, MO. Mosby 2004:308-325.

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