- 1). Shield a tracheal stoma either with a cover available from your health care provider, a dry cloth or a child's bib, fastened with the plastic side facing outward. This allows you to breathe while preventing water from entering the stoma and going directly to the lungs. Stomas from colostomy and urostomy procedures do not need shielding during a shower.
- 2). Keep the shower spray or hose at chest level with a tracheal stoma to limit its exposure to water. Shower to your usual preference with urostomy or colostomy stomas.
- 3). With urostomy and colostomy stomas, determine whether you want to shower with or without your waste collection pouch. Both are acceptable, but you might feel more comfortable showering with your pouch in the initial weeks following your surgery as you get used to the stoma's function. When you're ready to shower without your pouch, you might want to procure an absorbent ostomy belt to wear after showering to prevent waste from escaping while the pouch is off.
- 4). Clean your urostomy or colostomy stoma with warm water and a soft washcloth while showering. Gently apply pressure if the stoma begins to bleed, which is normal due to its small blood vessels. Because of the risk of getting water or soap in the lungs, do not clean the tracheal stoma while in the shower.
- 5). Use a mild soap that leaves little residue while showering. Moisturizing or oily soaps might linger on the skin and interfere with the waste collection pouch's adhesiveness. Heavily perfumed soaps and bath products might irritate the skin around the stoma.
- 6). Pat the stoma gently with a towel to dry after showering. Do not apply any talcum powder or cleaning wipes to the stoma, as they too might interfere with the waste collection pouch's adhesive capabilities.
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