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From the archives – The ROAR! guide to the top ten…

From the archives – The ROAR! guide to the top ten barrier creams for J pouch

In this our 30th anniversary year of the Red Lion Group, we continue our journey back in time to early versions of our ROAR! magazine. In this article, we go back to issue #53 published Summer 2017 which contained this article on the subject of Recommended barrier creams for people with a J Pouch.

Names have been anonymised for publication on our website.

The Roar! Guide to the top 10 Barrier creams for J Pouch – by Roar! editor, Christopher Browne.

Anal soreness and irritation are two of the most unpleasant after-effects of a J pouch op. So here is our user-friendly guide to the top 10 products to help you banish those bedtime blues!

How many of you have suffered from soreness, irritation and rashes? Quite a few I should think from the number of times these daily discomforts are mentioned at the Information Day workshops. They can affect both men and women. But what products can we use to help clear them up and where can we buy them?

Here is our top ten guide to the most highly rated creams and lotions based on your own experiences and some authentic medical evidence.

We’ll start with Calmoseptine ointment which Red Lion member  Tracey S says she depends on and refers to as “a bit like a very thick calamine lotion and a product that I have found both very gentle and effective”.

Visit the US-based website https://calmoseptineointment.com for more information.

{Note from GB – this product is not officially distributed in the UK but can be found online, on eBay or Amazon, for example}

Adds Tracey: “The other cream I use when my skin is at its most sore is Ilex Skin Protectant. It really does the job in terms of protection…It’s very gluey and can stick your bottom together a bit but the instructions suggest you use a top layer of Vaseline to avoid this, and it really does the trick!” 

For more information see  https://www.ilexhealthproducts.com

One of the most highly recommended creams at the female workshop at this year’s Information Day was Sudocrem, a nappy rash treatment which you can buy over the counter at most supermarkets and chemists. For further information see https://www.sudocrem.co.uk

Equally effective, Red Lion members agree, is the award-winning Cavilon barrier cream. You can buy this product on prescription as a pump spray or cream – though the latter is easier to apply apparently. 

To find out more, see https://www.3m.co.uk/3M/en_GB/Cavilon-Durable-Barrier-Cream/

The brand name Clinell covers a group of hand and skin care products which their manufacturer Gama Healthcare describes as “antimicrobial disinfectants”.

The Clinell spray or wipes are used for anal soreness and rashes and can be ordered from https://gamahealthcare.com/range/universal-range/ .

While Vaseline, which many of us use as back-up to other products or as a regular ointment can be bought over the counter at all main UK chemists.

Hydromol is another ointment that is recommended by several of you. It helps treat dry skin and eczma-related conditions and can be bought on prescription or ordered from https://hydromol.co.uk/products/hydromol-ointment/

St Mark’s Hospital recommends sufferers try small doses of Metanium. This ointment is usually used to treat nappy rash but can be used by adults as well. It is sold by all the main UK chemists.

An oft-mentioned lubricating gel for catheter users – both male and female – which eases catheter insertion and helps guard against infection is Instillagel or lidocaine.

{Note from GB – Instillagel and Lidocaine have anaesthetic properties and are available on prescription. An alternative over the counter product recommended for catheter users is KY Jelly}

Our former Red Lion membership secretary, Susan Burrows, {who sadly, has since passed away}, said “At the Information Day workshops most people agree that certain drinks and food can increase anal irritation and there is some consensus that the condition does improve as the skin in that area adapts. Everyone – both male and female – finds using creams and lotions an excellent way to relieve irritation – and if you are lucky enough to have a bidet that can really help application too.”

A leaflet on skincare from St Mark’s Hospital advises: “If you are leaking pouch contents onto your skin, there is a possibility that you will become sore. This is more so than with ordinary stool as pouch contents contains digestive enzymes and can be quite corrosive. The best way to prevent soreness is by cleaning as soon as you can, and meticulous attention to removing all trace of stool. There are also many different creams that can help with sore skin or used as a barrier. The success of different creams seems to be very individual – it is worth experimenting to find the best one for your skin.   It may be worth contacting your GP or stoma nurse for advice on available products.”

So, dear readers, if you know of any other creams, ointments, lotions or sprays that are recommended by healthcare professionals and have worked for you, please contact Gary Bronziet at  membership@pouchsupport.org

Christopher Browne
ROAR! Editor

Member Feedback

Stephen Woods commented “I find Bepanthen is very good. Not the cheapest, but readily available and tube lasts ages as you really only need a thin smear. Quickly soothes even very irritated skin“

To read the original article and the rest of issue #53 of ROAR! you can download the entire issue below.

ROAR – Issue 53: Summer 2017

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ROAR! is the magazine of the Red Lion Group that is published twice yearly. If you are a member of the Red Lion Group, you will have online access to ALL issues of ROAR! going back to issue #1 which was published in 1994. If you would like to find out about membership of the Red Lion Group please go to pouchsupport.org/join/