The skin around my stoma is red and sore. What causes it and what helps?
Healthy skin around a stoma should look like the skin anywhere else on your body, not red, broken, or itchy. When it does get sore, the most common reason is leakage: output creeping under the barrier and sitting on the skin. Other causes include a bag changed too roughly or too often, or a reaction to a product. The first move is usually to fix the fit so output stops reaching the skin, then to protect the area gently: clean with plain water, dry well, and a stoma nurse may suggest a barrier powder or a short skin break. Sore skin is common and treatable, so if it does not settle, your stoma care nurse can find the cause.
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Sore skin around a stoma is one of the most common bumps in the road, and it is worth knowing the baseline. The United Ostomy Associations of America puts it simply: the skin around your stoma should look just like the skin elsewhere on your body, ideally intact and free of redness, irritation, or damage (UOAA). When it strays from that, there is usually a fixable reason.
What causes it
The leading cause is leakage. When output creeps under the barrier and sits against the skin, it irritates it, and UOAA lists recurrent leakage under the pouching system as a key cause (UOAA). Other triggers include changing the bag too roughly or too often, an opening cut too large, or a reaction to a soap or product used on the skin. Because leakage is so often behind it, sore skin and a leaking bag tend to be the same problem looked at from two angles.
What helps
Gentle, consistent care does most of the work:
- Keep it clean and dry. MedlinePlus advises washing the stoma and the skin around it carefully with soapy water, and notes the skin should end up dry and smooth, with no wrinkles under the barrier (MedlinePlus).
- Protect irritated skin. UChicago Medicine suggests that after gently cleansing with warm water and drying, a skin barrier powder can be applied, and a short skin break, leaving the area uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes after removing the bag, can help (UChicago Medicine).
- Fix the fit. If output keeps reaching the skin, sorting out the seal is what stops the cycle.
When to ask for help
Sore skin is common and treatable, but you should not have to manage it alone. UOAA advises contacting your stoma care nurse for any sign of a peristomal skin problem, and working with your team to find the exact cause and the right solution (UOAA).