Caring for and cleaning your stoma

Refrain from using soap when cleaning

You should obviously handle your stoma with care, but there is no need to be afraid of touching it. To clean it, simply use tap water and soft medical wipes or soft cotton wool. 

The stoma and the skin around it doesn't need soap for cleansing, and in fact, soap could irritate it - as could baby wipes. 

Taking a bath with a stoma

Showering and bathing will not damage either the stoma itself nor your ostomy appliance, so you can shower with or without your pouch as you please. Just remember to keep soap, oils, or creams etc. away from the stoma.  

Let your stoma and the surrounding skin dry carefully before you put a new appliance on – and that's actually all you need to do. You could use soft non-woven swabs to gently stop any output dripping while allowing your skin to dry.