Pastes & Your Ostomy Supplies

Whenever learning something new, especially anything medical related, it’s important to do your due diligence and research when checking out what’s out there, what you need to know, and what misinformation exists surrounding a product and your health. Just because something is available for purchase on shelves doesn’t always mean it’s healthy or beneficial for your use, and just because it’s marked as “safe” does not necessarily indicate that it’s safe for you and your own needs.

That’s where I think a lot of people go wrong when choosing specific supplies for their ostomy care. We all have different body types, sweat levels, and other factors that can affect how pouching systems and other supplies adhere to our bodies. That’s why you’ll see a slew of different products out there for consumer purchase. Nonetheless, it’s important to know what it is that you need, and that’s why staying in conversation with your healthcare provider can prove much more beneficial than any sort of internet article can lead you to believe.

Since we’ve talked about the different types of products, like the upper end ostomy supplies brands, it’s important to visit other issues that affect the ostomy community, like if you need to use accessories in order to help your skin barriers adhere more easily. Sometimes these can come in the form of pastes or rings or even powders. But not everyone needs them, so it’s good to know the different reasons why you might use them and why they may actually be something you should stay away from.

Let’s start with pastes. These can be used to fill in uneven areas in your skin or creases around your stoma that would typically cause your barrier system to not stay adhered very well. So all it takes is a little bit to help fill them in, which means not to overdo the paste. Strips can be different types of paste that you can use to fill in uneven areas, much in the same way a paste would do. But if your skin around the area is quite smooth, don’t use any. You’re likely misapplying you skin barrier if you have super smooth skin.

It’s important to keep in mind that some of these contain a burning sensation from alcohol, which means you’ll want to know how your skin is feeling and how it reacts to such products. And you should only apply a little around place near your skin barrier system where there’s an area that could cause leaks. Don’t use it more than you need to.

Overall, basic ostomy care practices dictate that the user should be comfortable at all times. If you feel something is off, listen to your body. It likely means something really is off.