**3.1 Protecting the peristomal skin**

The protection of peristomal skin is better achieved with simple measures such as:


The abdominal skin around the stoma should always look the same as the skin anywhere else on the abdomen. Ostomy output can make this skin tender or sore. To prevent skin dermatitis, the American Cancer Society recommends:


Loop ileostomies are typically more difficult to manage than end ileostomies because the stoma frequently empties close to the skin surface [6].
