The Phoenix magazine is the official publication of the United Ostomy Associations of America. Magazine proceeds provide funding for the UOAA as a resource and to help improve the quality of life of people who have, or will have, an intestinal or urinary diversion. Throughout the years Hy-Tape has partnered with the UOAA with memberships, events sponsorships, exhibiting at their annual conferences, and through countless advertising endeavors.
Ask the Ostomate & Hy-Tape
In the most recent 2020 Spring Edition we were mentioned in a number of articles and columns. One of which is an advice column, Ask the Ostomate, by Ostomy Lifestyle Specialist Laura Cox. Her advice is grounded in practical experience and always coated in positivity. In the advice column a new ostomate who is nervous about showering with her pouch asks how to avoid hurting her stoma and affecting the wear time of the pouch. Laura details her experiences showering with and without her pouch, how she cleans around her stoma, and the process she employs to reapply her pouch when the edges come loose.
“Many pouches already have a tape border around the wafer that does a great job at keeping the wafer attached to you, both when you are wet and dry… Most pouches are designed to be showered in without additional products, but if it makes you more comfortable, or you have issues with the pouch coming off while showering, you can use some waterproofing products around your wafer. Some of my favorite waterproofing products include pink Hy-Tape, which you can use to ‘picture frame’ the ostomy wafer”
We agree with Laura that showering should be done with care to not irritate the peristomal skin and she details the steps she takes. We also agree that a border of Hy-Tape will provide a waterproof seal around the pouch and because of the the tapes gentle nature and the zinc oxide adhesive, Hy-Tape will not irritate the surrounding skin. You can learn more in The Phoenix magazine Spring 2020 edition.
Learn More about Waterproofing Your Ostomy:
- Snorkeling & Scuba Diving with an Ileostomy
- Swimming and Staying Active with an Ostomy
- Maintaining a Healthy Stoma & Active Lifestyle with an Ostomy
- Ostomy Securement & Fluctuating Weather
Why Ostomy Pouches Leak & Waterproof Tape
Anita Prinz, RN, MSN, CWOCN, writes an article for The Phoenix magazine titled Why Pouches Leak. In this article she investigates and provides solutions to all the reason why an ostomy pouch may leak. She explains that in general, pouches leak from the inside-out. This is a bad situation because when waste stays on the skin for a prolonged period of time, the risk of rash, infection, and skin problems increase exponentially. There are also instances where leaks occur from the outside-in.
“A pouch may leak from the outside-in when swimming, bathing or from a nearby draining wound – this is when the pink tape is helpful.”
Hy-Tape is often used when swimming, snorkeling, bathing, or when patients may sweat while exercising.
The article details various reason why a pouch may not fit correctly, how to achieve the correct fit, and some do’s and don’ts when preparing and applying your pouch. This is a great resource for those who are struggling to understand why their pouching system is not working correctly.
Ostomy Management with a Disability
Hy-Tape is also mentioned in another article by Anita Prinz, RN, MSN, CWOCN titled Managing with a Disability which addresses the needs of those with a disability who also have an ostomy. One of the patients with spina bifida uses pre-cut strips of Hy-Tape to waterproof his urostomy and details the extra preparation needed to attach his ostomy pouch. Throughout this article the author follows a few patients with a variety of disabilities and tells their stories to help educate readers who may also be working to get used to an ostomy while dealing with a disability.
The Phoenix Magazine
Hy-Tape is proud to be a partner with America’s leading ostomy publication, The Phoenix magazine. Hy-Tape Newsletter readers can get a 38% discount on a print subscription by using code PHX15. Click here or call 800-750-9311 to learn more about how to get answers to the challenges of living with a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy.