FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
(Click on a question to jump to it's answer)
1: How to determine the right size for me? Recommended Sizes (may not apply to everyone, but will apply to the far majority based on feedback from thousands of customers).
2: Is this product covered or reimbursable under private insurance or Medicare/Medicaid?
3: Is buying online secure here at Stomagear.com?
4: Do you ship worldwide? How soon can I get it?
5: Can I use the StomaShield right after ostomy surgery?
6: Is the StomaShield available through any medical catalogs or distributors?
7: How do I maintain the StomaShield?
8: What if the shield doesn't fit right after I receive it?
9: How durable is this? Can I go swimming with it? Does it come with a warranty?
10: How do I use the StomaShield? Are there any instructions?
11: Do I need to get larger pants?
12: Do you offer a double shield solution for those with two ostomies?
13: Do you offer kids or petite size versions of the StomaShield?
14: Can I still use the StomaShield if I have a bulging hernia?
15: Do you sell any other ostomy products (ostomy bags, wafers, etc.)?
16: Do you have a catalog?
17: Can you ship to a different address than my billing address?
18: Do you ship to PO Boxes?
19: How do exchanges work?
20: How do returns work?
1: All 3 Sizes of the StomaShield are INCLUDED with your purchase. Pick the size that works best for you when you receive your order.
The StomaShield stoma guard is designed to work underneath clothing so that the "output" of the stoma will flow underneath your clothing without restriction. Here is the size range of shields included with your order:
- If your stoma is Even or anywhere below belt/pants line, I recommend the Small Shield (4" high x 6" wide)
- If your stoma is 0.50" - 2.50" above belt/pants line, I recommend the Medium Shield (5" high x 6" wide)
- If your stoma is 3.00" above belt/pants line, I recommend the Large Shield (6" high x 6" wide)
Ideally, your pants/belt line would rest along the center of the shield (+/- an inch or so). At a minimum, I would have 1"-2" of the shield below the top of your belt (with the shield comfortably resting above your leg), and the remaining shield (above the belt) to protect the stoma. This will allow the bag contents to flow down to the bottom without it being pinched off from your clothing. FYI, the large shield is better suited for taller/longer torso bodies with high stomas. Medium works for a large majority of people with an ostomy. The Small works great for those really low stomas at or below the pant/belt/waist line.
2: Is this product covered or reimbursable under private insurance or Medicare/Medicaid?
Your best chance of coverage is if you use your HSA/FSA credit card for purchase. We are an authorized website for medical expenses.
For everyone else, the StomaShield is not typically covered by insurance, Medicare, etc. Most providers deem it not medically necessary. Nor is there a billing code for these types of products. We have argued this for many years without much success. Therefore, StomaGear does not handle any insurance claims at this time. However, after you purchase the StomaShield, we highly recommend trying to submit a request for reimbursement with your private insurance company. If they are not sure which billing code to use, suggest to them HCPCS code A4396. Keep in mind each insurance company and policy is different. Whether they approve the reimbursement is up to that insurance company. Although it's not always required, ask your doctor or ostomy nurse for a prescription for an ostomy belt/shield, and it could help justify the reimbursement from the insurance company.
The StomaShield is not covered by Medicare either, yet. Medicare approval is unlikely after years of efforts. However, we are working very hard to maintain the affordability of our product and make it easily available to all of those with an ostomy.
3: Is buying online secure here at Stomagear.com?
Yes. Very much so. It's actually more secure to use our website than calling in and placing an order over the phone! Especially with all the 3rd party options available lie PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, etc! When you order online, StomaGear never sees your credit card info, other than last 4 digits on the invoice. If you were to call, we would go to the same website here at Stomagear.com to enter your information just as you would at home/office. So it's not more secure over the phone, just to be honest and to dispose of that myth. We prefer transactions done online to take advantage of the security we have in place on our website and from our partners. Our website backend is ran by Shopify.com and they use a company called Stripe to securely handle all credit card transactions. Stripe is one of the industry leaders for ecommerce payments. You can see many of the major businesses that trust and use Stripe payment processing at https://stripe.com/gallery. They are very impressive and take security very seriously, just as we do at Stomagear.com. Online checkout is encrypted and fully PCI compliant. We want to provide as many secure options as possible for our customers.
4: Do you ship worldwide? How soon can I get it?
Yes, we ship worldwide! We typically get all orders shipped out typically within 1 business day. You will get an email after we create a shipping label with a tracking number (just click on the tracking # in the email). Allow 24 hours for the tracking info to be updated. Then it will show an estimated date of arrival.
Shipping within USA
We have migrated nearly all shipping options to UPS. USPS is still an option if you have a PO Box, but we recommend using UPS for the best service for everyone else.
UPS Ground is around $11 and can reach most of the USA in 2-3 days once its shipped. There are faster UPS options available at checkout (2nd day air, next day air, etc). The price of those will be automatically calculated at checkout after you enter your shipping address. Below is a map of UPS Ground typical shipping speeds:
Shipping to Canada: (at the time of delivery you MAY be subject to additional taxes or fees such as VAT and clearance fees, please check with your local post office for details)
After you enter your shipping address at checkout, shipping rates and options will be shown.
Shipping to all other international countries: (depending on your country's policies, at the time of delivery you MAY be subject to additional taxes or fees such as VAT and clearance fees).
After you enter your shipping address at checkout, shipping rates and speed options will be shown.
5: Can I use the StomaShield right after ostomy surgery?
Yes you can. I wish I had this when I went home from the hospital. Seat belts and stomas do not mix! However, at first while you are healing, I would only wear the StomaShield when necessary. Riding in a vehicle for seat belt protection, for example. As you begin to heal and the tenderness and swelling goes down, you can increase the tension of the elastic belt to suit your needs. As you probably saw, the StomaShield comes with 3 different thicknesses of removable padding. When you first have surgery, the stoma is swollen. It will gradually shrink a small amount. With our padding system, you can start with the thicker padding for optimal clearance. Then reduce padding thickness as needed. Truly customizable and adjustable for every stage of your life with an ostomy.
6: Is the StomaShield available through any medical catalogs or distributors?
Not yet! The StomaShield is only available direct from this website at this time. However, since the majority of the ostomy community is asking for a stoma guard type product, the medical distributors or manufacturers should seriously consider adding our StomaShield to their product line. Next time you place an order for ostomy supplies, tell that company they need to carry the StomaShield and have them contact us!
7: How do I maintain the StomaShield?
The shield part is a solid material, and does not absorb any moisture. If it gets dirty, simply wipe clean with soap and water. The elastic waistband and shield padding are also easy to maintain (this is why the belt and padding are removable - easy to maintain and low maintenance!). Simply remove the belt and padding (it's attached by velcro). Put the belt and/or padding in your washing machine as follows:
Machine wash in cold temperatures only
Then let both the padding and waistband air dry
Blot dry to speed up drying process
The padding is made out of custom made thick neoprene cushion (similar to wetsuit type material), so the only parts that can get damp are the thin fabric covering (nylon and velcro loop) on each side of the padding. The fabric of the padding also comes with an anti-microbial properties to reduce mildew and odors. The belt is elastic, so these synthetic materials also do not easily absorb moisture or odors, and it dries very quickly. I hope you will enjoy how low maintenance this product is. It was designed from the ground up with this in mind!
8: What if the shield doesn't fit right after I receive it?
Satisfaction guaranteed within first 30 days. Since we now ship all 3 size shields with every order, we have nothing else to offer if it doesn't fit! But be sure to try the different size shields and padding thicknesses we offer before giving up on it. Although we find that the StomaShield works for over 95% of the people who buy it, we know its not realistic to have it fit all body types and surgery locations. If it doesn't work for you, simply return it for a no questions asked refund (does not include original shipping cost).
9: How durable is this? Can I go swimming with it? Does it come with a warranty?
The StomaShield is nearly indestructible. Ourselves and our customers have tested the StomaShield in a variety of scenarios: construction, law enforcement, all kinds of sports, cross country road trips, offroading in Moab, plus many more. There is a no questions asked lifetime warranty (for the shield only). If the shield material ever breaks, we will replace the StomaShield free of charge. If the padding or elastic belt fails due to manufacturer defect within the first 30 days, we will replace it at no charge. we do sell additional belts and padding in the Store here (click on Accessories) if you would like to purchase an extra one. We have been in business since 2013, and we still have very few customers coming back yet to buy new belts or padding that have worn out. We use high quality materials (you truly get what you pay for) that are easy to maintain and will last a long time if you take care of them. Swimming is no issue for the StomaShield. The owner, Brian, enjoys swimming with his kids in the pool and in the ocean. Tough plastic shield, elastic belt, and closed cell padding make this the ideal stoma shield and ostomy support belt for any water activity.
10: How do I use the StomaShield? Are there any instructions?
Simple and ready to wear! Instructions are included with your purchase. Put center of StomaShield on top of stoma/ostomy bag. Wrap waist belt around body, weave through black ring, then pull to tighten. Be sure that the bottom of the shield is at or above the bend of your leg. The shield should not push up when sitting. Once you find a comfortable position that works for you, wear clothes (pants, shorts, etc) over the top of the StomaShield and ENJOY LIFE TO THE FULLEST!
11: Do I need to get larger pants?
Probably not! I assume you don't currently wear tight clothes, as most of us living with any sort of ostomy bag in the past have already resorted to the "next size up" in our clothes to manage the contents in our bag. If this is the case for you, and you already have the "next size up", then the StomaShield should work perfectly with this, and no larger pants size will be required. FYI, The StomaShield will add about 1" to your standard, snug waist size (as with any solid shield covering your stoma). What I mean by "standard" is: zero compensation (or room) for your bag or stoma. TIP: if you need to get new dress/casual pants or shorts, I highly recommend some of the latest from Dockers or Haggar (I personally like Haggar) that have the hidden internal elastic waist band. The pants stretch up to 2-3 inches without looking like the crinkled elastic waist band from an older era. You can't even tell it's there, it's a brilliant design! These work perfectly with the StomaShield. Once you get your StomaShield, stop by any major department store or mall and ask to try some on.
12: Do you offer a double shield solution for those with two ostomies?
Unfortunately, we only offer single shield solutions at this time. Two of our shields side by side is not functional or realistic due to the wide and comfortable nature of our shields. Check back in the future though as we hope to offer more solutions like this.
13: Do you offer kids or petite size versions of the StomaShield?
Unfortunately, we only offer the 3 adult sizes at this time. We recommend a minimum of 30" waist size for comfort with the StomaShield. However, we have a 30 day money back guarantee if you would like to try to see if it could work. Check back in the future though as we hope to offer more solutions and sizing options like this.
14: Can I still use the StomaShield if I have a bulging hernia?
Results will vary, as everyone's situation is unique. It's impossible to know if it will work in your particular case. That is one of the many reasons why we have the 30 day money back guarantee. Some people that wear a hernia belt to prevent a hernia before it bulges can wear the StomaShield on top the hernia belt. However, results may vary.
15: Do you sell any other ostomy products (ostomy bags, wafers, etc.)?
Not at this time. We currently only design, manufacture and sell one product, the StomaShield. This may change in the future though.
16: Do you have a catalog?
This website is our catalog! We currently design, manufacture and sell only one product, the StomaShield.
17: Can you ship to a different address than my billing address?
Yes! It's quite easy actually. When you checkout, it will ask you for your Shipping address first. Then below that after confirming shipping speed it will ask you to fill out the billing address and credit card info. This can be different than the shipping. No problem!
18: Do you ship to PO Boxes?
Yes! We can ship via USPS Priority Mail for PO Box addresses.
19: How do exchanges work?
Exchange options are no longer available since we ship all size options available with every order.
20: How do returns work?
We understand that the StomaShield product series can't possibly work for everyone. There are infinite amount of stoma locations, stoma sizes and body shapes. We stand by our 30 day satisfaction guarantee policy. For an easy, no hassle return process (for all USA orders) get a prepaid shipping label by going to our Returns page here.
It will ask for your order number and shipping zip code, email, or phone number to get started. To find your order number, check your email for the order confirmation. Follow the directions to print out your label.
For international orders, sorry, prepaid label options are not available. All international returns can be shipped back to us at your cost to the following address: