With Comic Relief Red Nose Day taking place on Friday 15th March, people across the country will come together to take part in a whole host of events which will ultimately contribute to one thing: supporting vulnerable people and communities across the UK rest of the world.
You may be thinking of getting involved too and the last thing you want to be worrying about is the security of your stoma bag.
Whether you’re dressing up with friends for a sponsored run, hosting your very own bake sale or doing something a little more daring, we’ve put together some quick tips to help you feel comfortable that your bag is as secure from leaks as possible. So all you’ll need to worry about is enjoying your chosen event!
Find a bag that works for you
This might seem like such an obvious piece of advice, however, it’s important that you are using stoma bags that are well-suited to you. As you know, people come in different shapes, sizes, and are good at different things. The same goes for your bag.
If you’re taking part in a slightly more physical activity this Red Nose Day, such as a sponsored walk, we would recommend using a bag from our Microskin range. Its light and thin wafer means that the bag is not intrusive, but it still has a strong adhesive which means that the likelihood of any leaks is much lower.
Take good care of the skin around your stoma
Even if you’re not taking part in strenuous activities, we would always recommend that you take good care of the skin area around your stoma. Your stoma nurse will be able to advise on some of the best steps to take to look after stoma skin.
Making sure that you keep on top of your health in this area will help to prevent any unwanted leakages when you’re trying to enjoy yourself because healthy skin quite simply helps your bag to stick better. Many patients find iLEX skin protectant is the perfect way to soothe and heal damaged skin. Available on prescription, iLEX is designed to protect the skin against harmful irritants and is ideal for fistulas, ostomy site irritations and excoriation.
Be sure to change your stoma bag regularly
Whether you’ve been exercising or not, it’s always a good idea to try and change your stoma bag as regularly as is possible, within reason, of course! Not only can this help to reduce the chances of any leakages, but it will also help to make you feel much more comfortable when taking part in your Red Nose Day festivities.
What should you wear?
You’re probably already aware, but it’s worth remembering; your choice of clothing can make a difference to the amount of support that your stoma bag is given. For example, if you’re taking part in an activity that might require moving around more than usual, why not try wearing a pair of running trousers? The extra compression that they offer can help to increase bag security, lower the chance of leakages and let you get on with what you enjoy doing!
If you do have any questions about bag security or your stoma health in general, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We hope that you make the most of this Red Nose Day and have plenty of fun
