Stoma Care Basics: Protecting Your Skin and Living Well with an Ostomy

A stoma is an opening on the abdomen that lets waste leave the body into a pouch, created after some bowel or bladder surgeries. Living well with one comes down to a good pouch fit and, above all, protecting the skin around it. Most ostomy problems are skin problems — and most are preventable with the right routine and products.

What is a stoma (ostomy)?

An ostomy is a surgically created opening — a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy — where the bowel or ureter is brought to the surface of the abdomen. Output collects in a pouch attached to a skin barrier (baseplate). Millions of people live full, active lives with a stoma.

Why does peristomal skin matter so much?

The skin around the stoma ("peristomal skin") is the most common source of trouble. If output leaks under the barrier, it can irritate and break down the skin, which then makes the next seal harder to achieve — a cycle worth preventing. Manufacturers actively research how barriers and adhesives protect this skin; for example, a completed Coloplast study, NCT03044262, evaluated how baseplate adhesives interact with peristomal skin to reduce the effect of output on it.

We cite this study to show the focus of current ostomy-product research; it is not individual care advice. Your stoma care nurse will recommend the products and routine that suit you.

Everyday stoma-care tips

• Get the fit right. The barrier opening should match the stoma size — too large exposes skin to output, too small can rub. Re-measure as a new stoma settles.
• Change on a schedule, not just when it leaks. A predictable routine protects the skin.
• Clean gently with water; pat dry fully before applying a new barrier.
• Watch the skin. Redness, itching or soreness means the seal or fit needs review — speak to your stoma nurse early.
• Use accessories as advised — barrier rings, pastes or sprays can improve the seal on uneven skin.

Ostomy supplies in Singapore

EMIS+ stocks ostomy pouches, baseplates and skin-barrier accessories — including Coloplast products — in Singapore, with fast islandwide delivery so you never run low. Explore EMIS+ ostomy care →

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine — study NCT03044262 (Coloplast A/S).

This article is general health information, not medical advice. Stoma care should be guided by your surgeon and stoma care (WOC) nurse — please consult them about your situation, especially if you notice skin changes or persistent leakage.