How to wear your Ostomy Bag: Horizontal vs. Vertical

NOTE: Vertical Belts offered beginning November 2020!

The big question. Should you get a horizontal or vertical style ComfortBelt?

The answer… it’s up to you! Ultimately, the direction of your belt depends solely on your personal preference. The most we aim to do is inform you on the benefits of each!

ComfortBelt used to offer only a horizontal style. We chose to do this because we believed the benefits of a horizontal belt were undeniable! A few of those benefits / features include:

1. Complete support of your ostomy- in a horizontal, or sideways, direction your bag is supported from end to end. This eliminates the constant pulling and tugging on your adhesive, lowering the risk of blow-outs and leaks!
2. No restriction on output- output can freely fill your appliance without being restricted by waistbands, seatbelts, etc.
3. Discretion and aesthetics- Having your bag positioned horizontally across your body helps to completely hide it from the visible eye. Imagine wearing clothing that doesn’t have to cater to an ostomy. What better way to regain confidence!?

As mentioned above, ComfortBelt used to offer only horizontal styles until recently! After partnering with Stealth Belt Inc., we did some more research on their Vertical style belts and have decided that we MUST offer them. We found that while the horizontal style offers a few features that the vertical style cannot, the same is true for the vertical style! Here are just a few of the benefits / features that the vertical belt has to offer:

1. Complete support of your ostomy- the support of the Vertical belt comes from the pouch length. The vertical belt pouch is cut slightly shorter than the appliance's bag. This is done so that as the bag fills it is supported at the bottom and doesn’t create a tugging sensation on the adhesive. This also helps eliminate blowouts and leaks!
2. For customers with high output- The vertical style is more suited for those who have high output ileostomies and urostomies. The belt provides all day comfort and support for you, while concealing your ostomy.
3. For those who love wearing your appliance vertically- We hear you! Some of you have always worn your appliance vertically and wish to continue doing so, but you desire the protection and support of our belts. Our vertical style is made for you!

If you have more questions about our belts, reach out to our customer service team at customerservice@comfortbelt.co.uk. As you can see, the choice is yours, and we’re here to support you however we can. In this case, that is now horizontally and vertically!