The moisture around stoma can cause ostomy barrier/flange to lose adhesion, leading to the leakage of stoma output. Furthermore, this leakage can cause serious kind of irritation in the skin surrounding the stoma. One of the ways you can stop this moisture from leaking out and causing damage to the ostomy pouching system and your skin is to use the stoma powder.

Stoma powder is not something like baby powder or body talc. So it is not going to be a good idea to use them interchangeably. This powder can be used with a colostomy, ileostomy, and/or urostomy. The main function of this powder is to absorb moisture to stop it from reaching the flange/barrier in order to let it adhere to the stoma in a better way. And by stopping the moisture from leaking out, it helps the skin around the stoma to heal. But remember, this powder is not a skin protectant. It doesn’t also prevent irritation. It just stops moisture from leaking out and dissolving the adhesives of the flange/barrier. The relief that you get from irritation by using this powder is due to the powder’s ability to absorb moisture from the skin, letting it heal properly.

Why does the skin around stoma get irritated?

The irritation in skin can occur due to coming in contact with the stomal output and/or moisture. Leakage can occur as a result of inappropriate fitting of the ostomy skin barrier. In certain cases, the stoma can get recessed. It can cause the stomal output to leak out instead of going into the pouch. You are going to need a convex ostomy system to manage the recessed or flush stoma. Removing the ostomy barrier too often can lead to the tearing of top skin layer of skin around the stoma; and it can also lead to irritation. You have to make sure that the skin around your stoma is as healthy as the skin elsewhere on your body. The ostomy pouch will not adhere properly if the skin is broken, raw, or weeping. If your skin remains moist and irritated, you can contact the medical professional for help.

Using the stoma powder

• Clean the skin by washing it thoroughly; and dry it.
• Apply stoma powder on the irritating part of the stoma skin.
• Make sure that you are applying stoma powder only on the raw or moist part of the skin.
• Use a soft tissue to brush away the excess powder. The powder applied on the moist part of the skin will stick.
• Make sure that no stoma powder is left on the surrounding skin because it doesn’t help in preventing irritation, and it can also interfere with the proper adhesion of ostomy system.
• You need to stop using stoma powder once the skin is healed.