Any ostomy surgery, whether it is a tracheostomy, urostomy, or a colonostomy, is a big deal. A hole is being created in either someone’s throat, urinary system, or abdomen and that hole stays there. With a tracheostomy, a person needs that particular hole in order to breathe. With a urostomy procedure and a colonostomy procedure, bodily waste is being transferred from the appropriate area, through a tube, that comes out of the hole, and then into a bag. Although ostomies are serious surgeries, post-ostomy care is easy, with Smith & Nephew ostomy supplies.

When you’re helping your loved one recover from an ostomy, one of the most important aspects of post-ostomy care is cleaning the stoma. The stoma is the opening through which this breath or body waste passes. Before you clean your loved one’s stoma, you have to remove the gauze that is already around it. Smith & Nephew offers a skin-prep protective barrier spray that reduces the pain of removing sticky adhesives. They also offer adhesive remover wipes that take away any and all residue left over by the tape. These wipes are gentle and contain aloe, which works to soothe and moisturize the skin.

Many people who have just had an ostomy procedure will get a rash where the stoma is. Smith & Nephew has a solution for that. If your loved one gets a rash, the company produces a protective cream that gets rid of those unsightly rashes. They also offer a spray known as tincture of benzoin that protects skin from adhesives, so using that is another great way to avoid getting any kind of rash.

When you clean your loved one’s stoma, your doctor might recommend that you use soap and water. You can also use no-sting skin prep wipes. They are great for cleaning the area around the stoma, and best of all, they are skin-sensitive so they won’t irritate your loved one’s skin.

Once you’ve cleaned your loved one’s stoma and the area around it, you still have to worry about the pouch. The pouch, or bag, is what is connected to the exterior tube and it is what your loved one’s body waste goes into. If you have cleaned your loved one’s pouch, you know that they can be rather smelly. To reduce that smell, Smith & Nephew offers a Banish II liquid deodorant that keeps your loved one smelling fresh.