What colour should a stoma be, and when should I seek help?
A healthy stoma is pink or red and moist, much like the inside of your mouth, because it is well supplied with blood. It can bleed a tiny bit when cleaned, and that small amount is normal. What is not normal, and should prompt a call, is a stoma that turns dark, dusky, or black, or becomes very pale, since colour change can signal a problem with its blood supply. Also seek help for heavy or continuous bleeding, ongoing pain or swelling, or an unusual change in the stoma's size or shape. When in doubt, your stoma care nurse would always rather you checked.
Listen to this article · AI-generated narration
Once you know what a healthy stoma looks like, it becomes much easier to tell an ordinary day from one that needs a phone call. The good news is that the normal picture is steady and easy to recognise.
What a healthy stoma looks like
Cleveland Clinic describes it well: a healthy stoma is pink or red in colour and looks like moist tissue, similar to the inside of your mouth (Cleveland Clinic). That colour comes from a rich blood supply, which is also why it can bleed a tiny bit when you clean it. The American Cancer Society adds that a stoma is normally moist and pink or red, though it may be darker at first in the early days after surgery (American Cancer Society). A small smear of blood on the wipe is part of normal cleaning, not an emergency.
When to seek help
Some changes do deserve attention rather than waiting:
- Colour change. A stoma that turns dark, dusky, or black, or becomes very pale, can signal a problem with its blood supply. Cleveland Clinic lists a stoma that turns black as a reason to contact your provider, and the American Cancer Society advises calling about an unusual change in your stoma's size or colour (Cleveland Clinic; American Cancer Society).
- Bleeding. More than a little bleeding when cleaning, a lot of blood from the stoma opening, or continuous bleeding where the stoma meets the skin are all worth reporting.
- Pain or swelling. Ongoing pain, swelling, or irritation around the stoma should be checked.
- Change in size or shape. An unusual change in how the stoma sits or its size is a reason to ask.
None of this is meant to make you anxious at every glance. A stoma settles into a familiar look quite quickly, and once it does, a real change stands out. When you are unsure, your stoma care nurse would always rather you checked than waited.