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It has been reported that one in 500 people in the UK are living with a stoma (Colostomy UK, 2022) and nearly three-quarters of people with a stoma experience skin problems. Therefore, skin assessment, cornerstone of peristomal skin care. This article introduces common peristomal complications, focusing on the assessment and prevention of two distinct groups of peristomal skin damage; peristomal moisture-associated skin damage (PMASD), one of the types of moisture-associated skin damage (MASD), and peristomal medical adhesive-related skin injuries (PMARSI).

Faecal incontinence (FI), always has an underlying cause (Harari, 2009). It is defined as any involuntary loss of faeces that is a social or hygiene problem (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2007).

The population of the UK, as with other developed nations, is ageing. Estimates show that in 50 years’ time, there are likely to be an additional 8.6 million people aged 65 years and over living in the UK (Office for National Statistics [ONS], 2018a). The increased ageing and morbidity of our population is driven by several factors.