Sudden Allergy to Ostomy Products After Years of Use?

Hi Guys,

  So for those who weren't here a year or two ago I developed major skin issues under my barrier after using the same Hollister products for almost 7 years without incident.  I didn't change anything, or how I was doing anything, yet my skin just said F-this and got ugly pretty quickly.  None of the normal recommendations for irritated skin worked, and I stumped all the ostomy nurses within a 250 mile radius. 

I finally got my skin back to as close to normal as it's going to get, and life is good again, but I was never really able to identify the cause of the irritation.  I've gone down the dermatological fault tree for skin irritation and addressed each cause, to no real avail.  I've been to more Dermatologists than you have fingers........and none could figure it out.  So it's being chalked up as one of life's great unsolved mysteries for now.  

But I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem, where you're using something successfully for what seems like forever, and then one day it all starts going to shit for no obvious reason?  Every dermatologist has said "it sometimes happens", but none could explain why the skin suddenly develops an allergy toward the material.  So now I'm curious if what they said is true or not.  Does it 'just happen'....and to a significant number of folks......or is that just BS to end the consultation on time?  

If something like that has ever happened to you let me know.  And how did you resolve it?  I'm just curious.

thanks,

bob

Hey bob, I have never experienced your particular problem.  however…. I have been around long enough to know that  companies change suppliers, ingredients, methods of manufacture etc…. Nothing that you use remains constant. Perhaps you haven’t changed anything on your end but they have. I would search for a substitute product and see if the problem persists. Good luck

Yes twice over almost 30 years and that was the first suggestion from ostomy nurses it was an allergy to the adhesive.....also be aware company's can change the adhesive they have been using to another type. I've always  thought from what I've read and ostomy nurses have told me it's quite common and happens to a lot of us over time. I'm shocked that the ostomy nurses you spoke to didn't even consider an allergy to the adhesive. It's not always the case but if you press on red skin around stoma if it stays red there's a strong possibility your allergic to the adhesive if goes white more likely to be something simple like shaving rash/ingrowing hairs.

Hi Guys,

  Yes, you're right.......manufacturers can change materials at will, and that really could mess with folks' skin.  But in this case I checked that to make sure the Hollister barriers were still made of exactly the same stuff they used to be.  I have access the the Navy's Chem Lab, and I called in a favor and had an old barrier compared to a new barrier by our Materials experts.  There was no difference.  But I wish there was, as it would have simplified the whole process.  Now that my skin is almost back to normal I'm going to try going back to the Hollister stuff in a bit.....just to see what happens.  Should be an interesting experiment.  

;O)

I used Hollister products for about the first 10 years of my ostomy life...then became allergic to their bags..my skin would become red and inflamed...I tried a couple of types. Had to swatch to Coloplast bags which have worked very well for me.

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister