Useful Information About Ostomy Skin Barrier

An ostomy skin barrier goes against the peristomal skin while allowing the stoma to pass through the opening at its center. This barrier sticks to the peristomal skin to form a seal that prevents leakage of the stomal output.

In a two-piece ostomy pouching system, the barrier and bag are two separate devices. Both these devices connect to allow the pouching system to function. However, a one-piece ostomy pouching system comes with the pouch and barrier already connected, and they are inseparable. The barrier or flange is commonly square, and it comes in pre-cut, cut-to-fit, and moldable varieties.

Pre-cut ostomy barriers

If you have a stoma that is common amongst most of the individuals with ostomies, you can consider using a pre-cut ostomy barrier. These barriers are uniform and circular. The most significant advantage of a pre-cut barrier is that you don’t have to cut it. The barrier is ready to use the moment you open the box. However, you are going to have to make sure that it fits the size of your stoma. Forcing the barrier to fit over a stoma can result in injury to the stoma. A pre-cut barrier works best when your stoma is fully developed.

Cut-to-fit barriers

A cut-to-fit barrier comes with printed lines that guide the user to create an opening of any particular size. And this barrier doesn’t limit a user to only create a circular opening. You can create an opening of any shape, depending on the shape of your stoma. Even if you have an irregular-shaped stoma, you can use scissors on a cut-to-fit barrier to creating an opening that fits the size and shape of your stoma. The only concern caused by cut-to-fit barriers is that cutting them might be time-consuming. The best way to tackle this issue is to cut wafers for a week or month ahead of time. Readying several barriers beforehand can be particularly beneficial if you are planning to travel abroad because most of the airports in the world do not allow passengers to carry scissors in their luggage.

Moldable wafers or barriers

Newer technologies have made things even easier for ostomates. Take ostomy barriers, for instance. There are moldable barriers available that are much easier to use than all other conventional types of barriers. The concept of the moldable barrier is much similar to that of a cut-to-fit barrier. The only difference is that you are not going to have to use scissors to shape the opening in a moldable barrier. All you have to do is to roll edges of the opening outward and unravel them after applying the barrier on the peristomal skin. That will form a leak-proof cuff around the stoma. The moldable material in the barrier is so soft that it doesn’t trigger any irritation in the stoma or peristomal skin. Yet, it adheres to the skin very nicely to prevent the leakage of stomal output in the best possible way.