Barrier strips can be used under a wafer to protect the skin from a blowout and also around the exterior of the wafer, holding it down to create a pocket to hold output from getting all over the place.
Also, if one is allergic to the adhesive of one product maker's wafers, one can use another's barrier strips underneath.
You need to get some no-sting paste for this, but perhaps rings would work; I just haven't tried them yet.
The first objective is to prepare the skin around the stoma well, using a tiny amount of stoma powder, dry brushed until gone, and a couple of coats of skin protectant blow-dried very well after each coat. If not dry, then nothing is going to work.
Next, apply a thin coating of no-sting paste, barely covering the skin and out to about 1/2" away from the stoma. It's not designed to marry to the wafer, rather to protect the skin and being thin provides flexibility. Or apply a ring well and close to the stoma, pressing down to get closer and a tight seal.
Next, use extra-large moon barrier strips cut 50/50 and use the curved part right next to the stoma all around. Overlapping them isn't a problem, but make sure the skin is dry and that they adhere well, pressing them down around the stoma for a good seal. If the skin is chapped, rough, dry, it should stick well.
Unlike slapping a wafer on, which can be hit or miss, this is very up close and personal insurance that a good bonding occurs.
Scar tissue (if present) can be covered with pieces of thin cardboard coated underneath next to the scar with olive oil or coconut oil-based skin lubricant. It provides protection from the adhesive grabbing and drying it out, causing itching.
Next, use no-sting paste around the stoma on top of the barrier strips and out a little bit as not to be covering the stoma when the wafer is applied. Put another ring of paste around the first one for good measure.
For a ring, obviously another one will be needed to marry to the wafer.
Place your wafer on top of the barrier strips, press the wafer flanges down, and then put barrier strips all around the outside of the wafer. This creates the pocket between the wafer and the barrier strips in case of a blowout. Blow dry to activate barrier strip adhesive.
If using paste, press enough that the paste just forms a ring around the wafer hole edge, never cover or block the stoma. It protrudes out and needs to slide alongside the paste or ring, not pushing it up and off, which can cause a leak. Remember, you already created the skin seal earlier, so no need to press too much with the wafer. In fact, I float my convex to better insulate my granuloma and it works; it's almost gone.
If using a lot of paste, give it a few hours lying on your back to set it up before moving, or it could ooze and slide out and down, causing a leak.
The benefit here is not only is the skin being protected, but the edge of the barrier strip next to the stoma acts like a sort of seal that can flex a bit if the stoma moves up and down. Also, the barrier strips are rather flexible, being individual, unlike one large protective sheet which can buckle.
Some moldable rings do this seal alongside the stoma thing; however, I have a belly fold with a near flush stoma and a granuloma from using the convex belt, so it's a bit more of a challenge.
Do not use barrier strips by themselves without a paste or ring seal next to the stoma; it won't work.
I thought I'd share this unusual ostomy bag method in case one was thinking about it or is active, and if a blowout occurs, needs to have something already in place to contain the mess and protect the skin from burns until they can address it properly.
Mind you, all these extra barrier strips are pricey as one is looking at using around 6-7 of the extra-large ones per bag change.
However, for more peace of mind and longer bag wear times (5-7 days for me), it might be well worth the extra effort.
Good luck. ☘️
