Sunday, July 8, 2018

How To Conceal Your Ostomy Appliance

An ostomy appliance peeking through underneath the clothes is one of the significant concerns that most people with ostomies have. In this article, we will talk about ways to conceal your ostomy appliance under your clothes.

 

The type of ostomy appliance you wear may be more noticeable than others. It is mainly about how far the pouch is sticking out from your skin. Generally, a two-piece ostomy pouch sticks out more than a one-piece system. The coupling mechanism used in a two-piece ostomy system adds significantly to the amount of hardware used in the system. The good news is that companies have been working on the development of lower profile 2-piece systems that tend to remain discreet in the same as a one-piece ostomy system. This variety of ostomy pouches is available in the market, but it might not be suitable for individuals who need convexity. You may want to talk to your ostomy care nurse regarding whether this option suits you.

Another way to conceal your ostomy appliance is to modify your clothing choices. You don’t have to stick to loose-fitting clothes, as there are a lot more options you can consider. You may opt for clothes that have color patterns. Certain patterns do well to hide the bulge of your ostomy appliance almost entirely. Generally, you will want to wear clothes with dark colors to conceal your ostomy pouch. Men can wear suspenders instead of tight belts.

 

Most people are concerned about their ostomy bags getting visible due to tighter swimming suits. This situation causes them to shy away from swimming, which can be a beginner activity for an ostomate to build enough strength to start a fitness regimen. Swimming suits are tight enough to allow a bulge to occur at the site of the stoma bag. Again, wearing dark-colored swimsuits or the ones with patterns may help you conceal your pouch. You can consider wearing surfer type shorts, which have longer legs and rise in the crotch. If you have an intestinal stoma, you may be able to predict the schedule of your stomal output. Even better, you can set a schedule for bowel movements. It will allow you to wear a small bag or a stoma cap while swimming.

 

The location of the stoma matters a lot when it comes to concealing your ostomy bag. Generally, the ET will want to mark the stoma site above or below the beltline. It means that you may have a choice to select a site for your stoma. You can talk about it with your doctor or ET.

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