Summer is here! For many, that means vacation plans, fun outdoor activities, swimming, biking, hiking, and more. You don’t have to avoid having fun in the sun if you have an ostomy. With a few precautions and tweaks to your ostomy routine, you should still be able to join in on summer activities like swimming with an ostomy. So here are a few of our top tips for sweating and swimming with an ostomy.
If you have recently had surgery, please check with your doctor before engaging in strenuous activity. For medical advice, please consult with a medical professional, such as an Ostomy Nurse or your treating physician.
Tips for Swimming with an Ostomy
Do you want to go swimming but are worried your ostomy bag will loosen or fall off? Luckily, many people with ostomies can enjoy fun water sports and other summertime activities.
1. Use an Ostomy Pouching System with Quality Adhesives
First, ensure you’ve got a good ostomy appliance that works best for your needs. Today’s ostomy pouching systems include water-resistant adhesives that should seal well. This is helpful not only for normal sweating, showering, and bathing but also when swimming with an ostomy.
2. Try Ostomy Accessories like Barrier Strips
180 Medical offers high-quality ostomy supplies and accessories to help ostomates with pouch-sealing difficulties. For example, in addition to your normal pouching routine, you may want to include ostomy barrier strips like Convatec ease™ Strips, which lay around the edges of a skin barrier. These comfortable, flexible strips are water-resistant and help your ostomy pouching system stay in place longer without lifting.
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3. Conceal Your Pouch with Specialized Ostomy Wraps
When swimming with an ostomy, you may want to conceal your ostomy pouch
Ostomysecrets.com offers ostomy wraps in various colors to go beneath your swimsuit for comfortable support for your ostomy pouch. They offer specialized swimwear, too.
Women with an ostomy may prefer to wear a one-piece or a tankini to help support and cover their ostomy pouch.
For men, wearing an ostomy wrap may help support and conceal the pouch. However, depending on the placement of your stoma, you may also feel more comfortable wearing a t-shirt over the wrap along with swim trunks.
Want to know more? 180 Medical customers get a 35% discount on their first order with OstomySecrets, so contact us today to get started.
Tips for Sweating with an Ostomy
With increasing temperatures, you may perspire more than usual.
However, today’s ostomy pouches can stay sealed to the skin for up to a few days, even with the typical daily moisture, such as normal showers, baths, and sweating. Finally, after a few days, the seal will start to loosen.
On average, people change their skin barriers every few days and reapply. However, remember that this schedule depends on each individual’s needs, usage rate, and ostomy product types.
Most ostomy appliances have a water-resistant adhesive that should seal quite well. However, if you’re having difficulties keeping your pouch sealed to your skin, special adhesives are available that create a stronger seal than usual.
180 Medical carries Convatec’s full line of extended-wear ostomy products, including skin barriers and one-piece and two-piece pouches.
Dealing with Skin Irritation
If you’ve been changing your pouch more often and the skin surrounding your stoma has become more irritated (redness, chafing, bumps, etc.), you may want to look into a powder to absorb perspiration.
As always, please consult your treating physician or an Ostomy Nurse for specific care if you find skin irritation, rash, or discoloration around your stoma.
Remember, on hot sunny days, the temperature inside your car can soar quickly, so be sure not to leave your ostomy products and other medical supplies in the vehicle.
With the right products and information, summer fun could still be an option for you, even with a colostomy, urostomy, or ileostomy.
