Dealing with dry skin after ileostomy surgery - any advice?

Since having my surgery and gaining "Maxine" on my side, I have noticed that my skin has become very dry. I use moisturizer on a daily basis, but it doesn't seem to help a lot. Have any of you who have had ileostomy surgery noticed this? What have you discovered to be the general reason and what has or has not worked for you? I know that hydration is very important and I do my best to stay hydrated, but there must be something more that can be done. My skin sometimes looks like I am turning into a snake! LOL! Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

My family doctor, also a former student, introduced me to Eucerin - not the tubes or the pumps, but the screw-top white jar with solid cream. Few Canadian stores carry it; I finally found it at Shoppers Drug Mart. Eucerin is often used as a base for prescription topical creams and for severely injured or burned skin. One jar will last you a year and unlike the over-the-top expensive creams like Elizabeth Arden, L'Oreal etc., it will cost you under 20 USD. This is definitely one of my best discoveries.

Hi there, I have always had snake-like skin---actually since I got a thyroid problem 36 years ago. When I was in Greece, a Danish doctor saw my dry elbows and instantly said, "You have a thyroid problem, right?" For him, it was a symptom. So my question to you would be, have you had your thyroid checked recently? I can honestly say that since my ileostomy 9 years ago, my skin didn't get any more or less dry. Actually, it didn't get worse from menopause either..... It's been like this for, as I said, 36 years. Sorry. I may not have been of much help to you. Just my 2 cents' worth. Good luck! Julie.

Thyroid problems are common with people having ileostomies and I don't know the reason unless we just don't digest nutrients as well. However, I found a nice warm bath with a little baby oil (can get various fancy types now) added to the water makes all the difference -- don't towel off just wrap one around until you dry naturally and skin stays wonderful for a few days --
I have also used Eucerin cream and there are several others. Good luck!

Hi there, ewesful... I just wanted to say that my thyroid problem happened 3 decades prior to my ileostomy. Perhaps you are right in that many ostomates have thyroid problems, but my hypothyroidism happened during and after my 2nd pregnancy. Bye for now, Julie

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Yes, I am hypothyroid and it is very wacked out right now. The doctors are working on it. Thank you for your reply!