Bruises around stoma - seeking advice

Hello to everyone,

Recently I have noticed bruises on the skin around my stoma. Has anyone else had these as I'm unsure why this would occur? They don't bother me or hurt either.

Your help would be appreciated. Stay well. Penguins7

Sometimes that happens if you wear a convex flange - don't know whether that's the case for you or not. I wear a convex flange, and that happens to me, but it has never been a problem that interferes with my ostomy in any way. If you're not having any issues because of it, I wouldn't worry about it, but it's always a good idea to mention it to your doctor and/or ostomy nurse, especially if you're concerned.

Laurie

I have bruising also. I just thought it was because my output is like pudding. It just sits on my colon and I have to push it down into the bag a lot. I think the pressure of pushing on the edge of the hole cut out causes it. My stoma is almost flush with the skin so when I push it down the edge of the hole may rub the skin. If that makes sense, it is hard to explain.

Thanks for your reply. I don't wear a convex, but the culprit could be cutting the wafer too tight. I don't want my skin irritated so I cut it very close to the stoma.

Be careful not to choke your stoma. I cut my flange 1/16 of an inch larger than my stoma because as our body does its thing the stoma will enlarge. It can cut you if it's too tight. I use a ring to absorb the moisture as not to eat my skin away. nbsp
Ritz, ileostomy nbsp

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

I'm a newbie but just noticed some bruising also. I'm on blood thinners and use the convex with a belt. I may have cinched too tight for my shower. I'm going to try to be gentler with the belt. Do you use a belt or convex wafer? Wonder if clothing is pressing on the area.

Welcome to the site. No, I don't wear a convex wafer or a belt. I exercise and bike a lot and think the movement might be a contributor and the hole cut too small on the wafer. Stay well. Penguins7

I don't have bruising, but I find that the stoma right where it is sewn back to the skin is very easy to bleed, sometimes even from just wiping it gently to clean away waste. It never hurts or anything, just bleeds for several seconds.

Which, of course, leads to the question - if blood is coming out of a place that is in more or less regular (if not constant) contact with fecal matter and all the bacterial badness associated with feces, does that mean there is a constant risk of infection at the stoma edge? If you rubbed feces all over a cut on your hand or arm, it would get infected. Why not the stoma?

Following......

Hello...yes I have them. Not bothering me too. Bet it's normal. Dee

It sometimes bleeds from the top of the stoma, but most often from the base. The faceplate is being cut with about 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch so not tight against stoma. No sharp edges because my ostomy nurse taught me how to dull the edges by running my finger several times around the circle after cutting. Usually bleeding is during cleaning of waste from around stoma after removing old faceplate in preparation for putting on a new one. Never much bleeding, but usually some every time I change. No other skin problems around stoma. Just curious if this could possibly be a point-source for possible infection?

Lovely, I have to do the same thing and just noticed bruising last change of barrier. I use the convex Coloplast which is a hard material and wondered if that was causing the bruising. I am a side sleeper and just barely miss lying right on my bag. Boy, I sure hope this gets easier.