Do you have a favorite trimmer for cleaning up around stoma?

Hi All,

Three and a half months post-op with a permanent ileostomy here and I find myself in the market for a new trimmer. I'm a hairy guy and I've found a little electric trimmer to be the best way to clean up around the stoma before putting on a new wafer.

Does anyone have any insight to what might be a super awesome trimmer for this particular purpose? I find the little one I had that died often got clogged with gluey goop from the wafers and would slow down to barely a snip. This might be something I always have to deal with so I wonder whether to buy a cheapy trimmer and plan on replacing it a few times a year or if there was a good one that was easy to clean and held up really well to this application.

Thanks in advance!

Brent

Sorry I don't have a suggestion on a clipper brand but a long time ago someone posted that they used an empty TP roll to protect their stoma when they clipped/shaved the wafer area...hopefully someone will have a suggestion soon!

I've been having the same concern since I got my ileostomy a few months ago! I'm male, but I've found that using something with a small head like a bikini trimmer gives you precision and control in shaving the area. I personally use the Philips Bikini Trimmer; it was a tad pricy but if I remember I may have gotten it on sale (feel free to PM me if you'd like more specifics) and it serves my needs well. It comes with several head choices, but I find the original trimmer head works best as it is "hammerhead" shaped and small, and I was told to avoid using a foil razor in that area (I'm assuming to avoid razor bumps or ingrown hairs?).

After removing the appliance and using adhesive remover wipes (I use the orange oil, non stinging ones - you'll def want non-stinging if you'll be shaving), i wash the area, dry it, and with a plastic bag to catch any errant output, carefully shave around the stoma, being careful to stretch the skin. You won't get all the hairs with the one I use, especially the ones growing at the rim of the stoma, but it does the job. I change my whole 2 piece appliance every ~5 days, and shaving like this every change prevents the hairs from getting long enough to bother me and makes changing pretty easy. Hope it helps!

I recently replaced an old Braun 360 shaver (series 5) for a Braun Series 3 wet/dry shaver, and it's been a good experience. Never owned a wet-dry shaver before, and while I don't shave around my stoma while in the shower, I do feel that I have more assurance having a foil I can wash and get wet.

One thing that I find works really well with my electric razor is a product from Remington called the "Face Saver pre-shave". It's basically a stick of powder that you rub on your skin and shave dry - I find it causes less irritation and fewer ingrown hairs.