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Most of the people wonder about the wear time of an ostomy bag. That’s because having to replace an ostomy bag can be a daunting task for the new ostomates. In this article, we are going to talk about factors that affect the wear time of an ostomy pouch, and we will also talk about the ways to increase wear time.

Factors that affect wear time

There can be many factors affecting the wear time of your ostomy pouching system. We are going to talk about some of them.

• The type of stoma output affects the wear time of an ostomy bag. The wear time varies with the consistency of stomal output.
• The extent to which your stoma sticks out from the skin also leaves an impact on how long the skin barrier will stay in place.
• If you are living in a hot climate, you sudate more, resulting in reduced wear time.
• The condition of the skin around your stoma has much to with the wear time.
• Wrinkles, folds, and creases in the peristomal skin can reduce the ostomy pouch’s wear time significantly.
• The quality of ostomy care products also has a big say in how long the ostomy pouch will remain connected with the peristomal skin.

Tips to extend wear time

Taking good care of your stoma and the skin around it can increase the wear time of your ostomy pouch. It includes good skin hygiene and regular visits to the ostomy care nurse. Sometimes, all takes is the use of the right ostomy pouching system to prevent skin issues, which can lead to leakage and reduced wear time.

A few things that you will need to consider in this regard may include the following.

• Make sure that you are changing your skin barrier every 3-4 days. You can discuss with your doctor or ostomy care nurse regarding when you should change the flange.
• Plan for the ostomy pouch to change well ahead of time. You need to replace the skin barrier after 3-4 days, even if its adhesive doesn’t show any signs of leakage.
• If you are unable to predict the wear time of your ostomy pouch, you need to consult your doctor.
• If your peristomal skin seems fine, but still you are unable to get the skin barrier staying in place, you may consider choosing a different ostomy pouching system. Again, your ostomy care nurse can help you in this regard.

The key to ensuring the extended wear time of your ostomy pouch entirely depends on the health of your peristomal skin. Make sure that you stick with the best skin care practices.