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Short answer
An “Eakin ring” is the everyday name for a stoma seal: a ring-shaped accessory, also called a washer or barrier ring, that sits under the baseplate of an ostomy appliance. The name comes from Eakin Healthcare, the manufacturer that says it invented the seal. Eakin says it keeps output off the skin around the stoma.
This page gives general product information from a manufacturer page and a federal regulation. It is not medical advice. Questions about a specific stoma, skin condition or leaks belong with a stoma care nurse.
Definition and scope
What is an Eakin ring?
Eakin Healthcare’s own product page defines a seal, “also known as a washer or barrier ring”, as a ring shaped appliance that can be applied under the baseplate to provide an extra layer of security (Eakin Healthcare, stoma seals page, checked 2026-10-30). Because Eakin states that it is the original inventor of the seal, its name became shorthand for the whole category, in the way a brand name can stand in for a generic product. That brand-to-generic link is the reason the same item turns up under several names.
Are Eakin rings and barrier rings the same thing?
Eakin uses “seal”, “washer” and “barrier ring” as names for one product category on its own page. “Eakin ring” is a colloquial label for that category, while Eakin’s current product lines carry their own names (listed below). Other manufacturers make rings and washers under different brand names; this page describes only what Eakin states about its own range.
Where the seal sits in a full appliance, including the pouch, baseplate and one-piece versus two-piece systems, is covered in the CASRAI guide what is an ostomy bag. This page stays on the ring.
How it is used in practice
According to Eakin, a seal sits under the baseplate as an extra layer of security. Eakin says some seals are mouldable so they can be shaped around the stoma, and others can be stretched or trimmed to match its size and shape. It says many seals are compatible with both one-piece and two-piece systems, and refers readers to the product information or a stoma care nurse for compatibility with a given bag. Application steps are not given here; they belong in the manufacturer's instructions and in guidance from a stoma care nurse.
Types: Eakin's named seal ranges
Eakin's seals page lists two ranges. Every description below is the manufacturer's own statement, not an independent test result.
| Range and product | What Eakin says about it |
|---|---|
| Cohesive slims, Cohesive small, Cohesive large | Sizes within the eakin Cohesive range, which Eakin says includes its thickest and widest seals. |
| Cohesive stomawrap | An oval seal with a cut-out, as described by Eakin. |
| freeseal air and freeseal versa | The eakin freeseal range, which Eakin describes as designed to flex with the body, including its thinnest seal at “just 1.8mm thin”. |
Regulatory context
In the United States, 21 CFR 876.5900 covers “Ostomy pouch and accessories”. It identifies the device as a bag attached to the skin by an adhesive and used as a receptacle for fecal material or urine after an ileostomy, colostomy or ureterostomy, and lists accessories such as the ostomy adhesive and the ostomy protector. It classifies the generic type as Class I (general controls) and exempts it from premarket notification under subpart E of part 807, subject to the limitations in 21 CFR 876.9 (eCFR, checked 2026-10-30). The regulation does not name seals or rings specifically, so whether a given ring falls under this entry is a question for the manufacturer's labelling and regulatory records.
A ring is a separate accessory to the pouch and baseplate, and compatibility sits with the product information of each system. For adjacent device background see the guides on wound dressings and hydrocolloid wound care, and on FDA 510(k) premarket notification, the process that the Class I exemption refers to.
Common misunderstandings
- "Eakin ring" names one product. It is a colloquial name for a category; Eakin sells several named seals, and the category also goes by washer and barrier ring.
- Class I means no rules apply. Class I devices remain subject to general controls; the exemption is from premarket notification only, within the limits of 21 CFR 876.9.
- One ring fits every system. Eakin says many work with one-piece and two-piece systems, and still directs readers to check the product information.
FAQ
What is an Eakin ring?
A stoma seal, also called a washer or barrier ring, worn under the baseplate of an ostomy appliance. The name comes from Eakin Healthcare, which says it invented the seal.
Do stoma seals work with one-piece and two-piece systems?
Eakin says many of its seals do, and refers readers to the product information, or a stoma care nurse.
Where can I find usage instructions?
In the manufacturer's product information and from a stoma care nurse; this page does not give application steps.
Sources
- Eakin Healthcare, Stoma seals for leak protection and skin care, manufacturer page, checked 2026-10-30.
- U.S. Government, 21 CFR 876.5900, Ostomy pouch and accessories, eCFR, checked 2026-10-30.
