The skin barrier is an important part of an ostomy product. It protects the peristomal skin from excrements and secretion, keeping the skin physiology intact by absorbing or permeating sweat. The skin barrier also holds the ostomy bag in place to the patient skin and requires adhesion properties that allows the bag to stay in place and be removed when required.
The properties of skin barriers differ significantly between products and there is a requirement to evaluate each product to determine performance. SMTL have extensive experience testing the characteristics of skin barriers for ostomy aids to BS ISO 12505-1 where the following characteristics are evaluated:
Skin characteristics vary from person to person, and the products behave differently from each other depending on type of stoma, purpose of use, atmosphere, and other environmental factors. These make the testing situation complex and several test methods have been developed. SMTL have extensive experience of modifying testing parameters to more closely simulate clinical conditions.
If you would like further information or would like to discuss a tailored testing programme, then contact the SMTL smtl.info@wales.nhs.uk
Relevant Standards