There are a lot of different brands of supplies for your ostomy available, including wafers. While it’s cool you’ve got options, it’s confusing to navigate, and you may wonder what’s good for you. Here, we’ll discuss how to figure out the best ostomy wafer, pouching system, and other factors to consider. An ostomy wafer of course is an adhesive that you put on your skin, and this attaches directly to the ostomy pouch. This is done so it doesn’t irritate your skin. This is ultimately based on the type of system that you have, one-piece or two-piece. One-piece systems involve the pouch and the wafer being combined, and are good if you’re interested in not wanting to change the pouch as much. This is better for those with an urostomy. There is also a two piece option that allows for quicker pouch changes, and is better for colotomy or ileostomies. Many also like this too if they have sensitive skin there in order to reduce your wear and tear.
Types of Ostomy Wafers
There are different kinds of ostomy wafers available for many to choose from. First you have the pre-cut ones, which are good for those who have stomas that are circular or uniform. You can use this without needing to alter it, and s really good for those with a pretty simple stoma. There is also cut to fit, which is good for those who have irregular stomas. You can get these wafers in varying sizes and shapes, and by using the rings as a sort of guide, you can fit this on the stoma. These are for those in-between ostomates or those with a stoma shape that’s not regular in most cases. Finally you have skin barriers that come with moldable technology, which is newer, and probably one of the most convenient means to actually using a wafer like this. These offer the same benefits and custom options as cut-to-fit ones do, but it also offers a more personalized fit that sits snugly around the stoma without having to use scissors. The moldable technology is flexible, skin-friendly, and is great for those who want something simple and effective. You simply put this around the stoma skin, the material will fit directly around the stoma, to offer the best coverage and to prevent leakage issues.
Flat Vs. Convex
You have two types of wafers: flat and convex. If your skin is the type to protrude more than a quarter inch, then you might want a flat wafer for this. They’re flexible, and they fit the contours of your body, which is good for ostomates. But if your stoma tends to be flat or it retracts, you may want to try a convex one since that can cause irritation, leakage, and other problems. On the flip side, if the stoma barrier is smaller than a quarter inch, get the convex ones. This also is important if you have a stoma that retracts or lays flatter when you look at it. They’re not as flexible, but they are good for those that need something for their smaller stoma size.
You simply put the stoma in the center part of the, which creates a protrusion that’s around there, and in turn, it’ll help drain and clean the stoma in order to prevent leakage of the ostomy pouch. When it comes to wafers, they may not seem important in the grand scheme of things, but they can be helpful for you if you need to attach this, and they also prevent skin irritation as well too.