Platinum with Vitamin E Review | Love your Stoma Skin

Can one ever be truly comfortable in one’s skin after stoma formation? There is such an emphasis put on body confidence and positivity following surgery. Does anyone ever stop to think about the impact that wearing a stoma bag has on our skin? We’ve seen the posts regarding sore skin, stripped skin, burnt and the age old “Does the ring from the baseplate ever go away?”

There is a huge market for skin care and beauty products… is there such a market for peristomal skin care?

It seems like a lifetime ago, a second time around ostomate found out that she was allergic to the majority of adhesives on stoma bags, life seemed bleak, she visited her stoma nurse and was given several boxes of stoma bags to try, she picked the Pelican bags and hasn’t looked back. The ostomate visited Pelican HQ back in October of 2017 and was asked if she would like to trial a new baseplate with an added extra, that extra was Vitamin E and she has never looked back.

Vitamin E baseplate

I have trialled some baseplates in my time and the majority remind me of a really inflexible frisbee that wouldn’t look out of place if I threw one for the pups down at the park. I can’t wear anything that is rigid, heavy or inflexible. It is a little like foundation, too heavy and you can feel the sweat and the spots brewing.

I always get asked how is your stoma site so healthy? I also get told “I wish my skin looked like yours” or the “why is your stoma so dinky?” I guess I am lucky with the having a small stoma. I also have an end ileostomy which is always slightly more attractive than a loop in my personal opinion having had a rather epically sized loop ileostomy for 5 years.

I have been using the Vitamin E baseplate now for nearly 6 years. I love the added bonus of the added skin care element that lasts for up to 72 hours.

Before Vitamin E

After Vitamin E

The other appealing aspects of the baseplate for me are the petals and the flexibility. It’s so light I forget I have a bag on the majority of the time; it allows me to get on with life, bend down, walk the dog, partake in adult shenanigans and much, much more.

Here are the key benefits of the Vitamin E baseplate:

Promotes healthy peristomal skin.
It may help to improve skin condition.
It helps to moisturise and nourish the delicate skin around your stoma.
It may help reduce sore irritated skin caused by the application and removal of a stoma bag.
It may help to improve overall comfort level of the adhesive baseplate.

For me peristomal skin health is just as important as the skin care I use on my face. In all honesty I take better care of my stoma than I do with the rest of my body. This has allowed me to be comfortable in my own skin, adapt to stoma life and go about my normal life.

As always,

Many thanks for reading

Louise Xx

@crohnsfighting