Crease causing leakage

Have you tried doubling the eakin seal on the crease side? I think you need to build it up so it's level.

I also take a blow dryer and blow dry the seal to my abdomen. It gives me a tighter seal and helps prevent leakage.

Out of desperation I have used those very thin half circle Coloplast protectors that most people use on the outside seal of their wafer to make it more secure. Instead I build up the crease and the cover it with that extra seal while sorta pressing it down into the crease to hold all the build up in place.

I hope you get it resolved. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Clo

Finally..... Have you tried a different wafer? Sometimes when I am having leakage issues I switch from brand to brand, or try different wafer sizes... The smaller ones sometimes help me.

My crease is at my waist line also. There's several ways I've tried that work.

I use 1 Eakin seal (the u kind that is not a complete circle..cut it in half). I clean everything really well, then I put powder, skin protector wipe, powder, skin protector wipe... (You just blot on the skin protectant wipe. You want to make it gooey and wet enough that it sticks. Let that dry. Then put eakin seal into the crease while holding the crease sorta apart. (I lift up the skin and hold it apart and in place with that arm while I put the eakin seal in it.) If needed put the other half of the eakin seal in top of the first one. Blow dry. Put wafer on.

Or I powder... (Always powder and use the protectant wipes ..or spray.. It's gonna protect your skin. ) And do everything the same but I only use 1half of the eakin seal. I press it in place and sorta spread it around on the edges. Then when I put the wafer on I hold up the skin. (Spread the crease apart so your wafer can get in there.) And I firmly press it down. I blow it dry and then I put those very thin coloplast outer seals on it. They are very thin and people use them to secure their wafer on. Make sure you are pushing everything into that crease. If you can't build it up even to the rest of the skin area then make sure that your work goes down into that crease.

The powder and protective wipes will help your skin heal.

They tried to get me to use 2 piece convex. Instead... When I am having troubles I use the coloplast transparent one piece. I order the wafer a size bigger.... That way I have more wafer to push into my crease. It's more flexible than the 2 piece wafers.

There's also a completely see thru tape like bag you can order. It takes some getting used to but the wafer portion is much larger, thinner and see thru. They will send you samples. I've forgotten the name of it. If you need me to try to find it I will... But honestly the best ones for me were the brown colopladt transparent. I hate that they are transparent but I can work with them.

When my skin is breaking out I have to alternate from flat 1 piece to soft convex 1 piece to convex 2 piece. I also work slowly and build up the powder when my skin has broken down.

Please let me know how it goes. There's nothing worse than skin irritation around your stoma.

Clo

Post Edited (clo2014) : 10/13/2022 11:08:07 PM (GMT-7)

Once you get a "system" in place regarding application you will find that you have fewer skin issues and the time to change will shorten. Keep changing your appliance as needed....don't "run over" because you don't feel like changing it. For me that's every 3 days. And I use the remover wipes to slooooowly remove the wafer and seals. I push the skin away from the wafer alittle at a time after lightly running the removal pad around the seal. For me there's a huge difference in pushing the skin away vs just pulling up on the wafer. After I remove it I take a "naked" shower... No appliance, blow dry my skin and then start applying. The skin underneath needs to be cleaned and needs to breathe. My secret is eating 5 to.7 large marshmallows before starting appliance removal... It slows things down....the amount of marshmellow depends on output frequency and thickness. Start out with a few marshmallows at first. You do not want to bind yourself up. Remove appliance and get in the shower asap. Once out dry thoroughly with towel and blow dryer. If you can.... My colorectal surgeon recommends trying to lie down on a towel on your bed... And let that skin air out for awhile. To do this I have kept track of my quiet times and that's when I do it. (Plus the marshmellows help) Once a week there's an airing out time for me. (Total time after wafer removal is about 30 to 40 minutes if I am lucky.... And I keep a plastic baggy by my side just in case the stoma suddenly turns on. It gives me time to get to the bathroom with out a giant mess. It is tricky at first. Lol.

You don't get a pamphlet for your stoma so we all have to stick together. I've had mine since 2016.and I have no plans to be reattached.

Glad I was able to help. Good luck going forward. I check in a few times a week in case you have any more questions.

Clo

1999....wow! I am glad to hear of someone that's had their ostomy for awhile.

I received my colostomy stoma -- in 2016. In 2019 I had a hernia obstruction and we relocated it to the upper just slightly off center portion of my abdomen. My waist has a crease right In the lower third of the wafer that I have to watch closely.

I didn't realize that about the removers. I'll Keep an eye out. Thanks for the heads up!

For me it's skin protectant. If I use too much I can't get my bag to stay in no matter how long I try blow drying it.... Lol...

Traveling with an ostomy. Yes... I too wear loose clothing. I tried using the hernia support wrap while traveling but that did not work for me. If there's any pressure on my stoma--- it won't go.... And that results in pain, cramping and nausea. I bought some larger jeans and a flowing shirt for when I travel. So far so good.

I'm glad there are others here that are checking in. I always fear I will run into an issue that I won't be able to resolve. My stoma nurse is knowledgeable but doesn't have first hand experience... Which makes a huge difference.

Clo

Hi! Thank you for checking in! Doing better since I have been following clo2014 advise. I still have a little skin breakdown next to the stoma because the leakage hasn't completely resolved.
Currently I'm have issues with the tape on the Hollister wafer not sticking after a day. I use a blow dryer but it still wants to lift as if there's no adhesive. My skin will get red and irritated from the tape getting wet from bathing. Sometimes I have to use an antifungal cream very sparingly that my Dr. ordered. I don't know how to keep it from getting wet. I use waterproof tape that helps a.little. Otherwise I'm doing good!

Are your Hollister's older? Are you checking the manufacture date on them when you get them? Sometimes my skin gets so use to a product that the product does not work as well... So I have to rotate products frequently.

On the irritation around the stoma..... You have to use skin protectant around the quarter inch strip all the way around your stoma, quickly puff the powder on, blot more protectant on, puff another thin layer of powder on while the previous mixture is still damp. (It sticks better) Blot with skin protectant one last time, puff powder on. Now blot entire wafer area with skin protectant and then you put in the stoma protective ring around the stoma. Then start building for your creases and finally put your wafer on, blow dry.

Remember, you have to build a good foundation if you want it to hold up... And you can't build a good foundation without realizing that things are always in a state of change. My ostomy nurse recommended finding at least 3 products that work for me. Then you trade them out every week, 2 weeks or months. Whatever works for you. I have 7 that are "doable" but 3 that are my favorite. Since I started switching them out I have had fewer issues. (After I learned each individual building pattern for me to use per wafer style and brand.)

I also use those half circle pieces--they help immensely when I take a shower. Their edges will peel up alittle but the wafer stays firm.

On skin irritation.... I do not allow it to touch my actual stoma... But when my skin breaks out... I first try GermX on it to dry it out. The monistat cream made it too hard to get my wafer to stick. The GermX, I wipe on, fan it a bunch until it's dry, and then proceed as usual. It can hurt.... But it's what works for me.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Clo

Post Edited (clo2014) : 5/11/2023 7:45:10 PM (GMT-8)