Alyssa Zeldenrust, diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when she was 14, underwent various treatments before having ostomy surgery, which treats certain digestive or urinary conditions by creating an opening from inside the body to the outside, requiring her to wear an ostomy bag.

For Zeldenrust, now 30, having something pretty to cover her bag is an important part of her well-being.

“A pretty ostomy bag cover can be an important coping mechanism,” says Zeldenrust, whose covers include printed fabrics; a belt-like support band for physical activity; and lovely lacy ones “that make me feel sexy and pretty, which is important because having an ostomy bag really affects body image.”

Zeldenrust is not alone in having a medical device that may be uncomfortable or unsightly.

Luckily, makers are crafting medical device covers that are fun and functional, pretty and sexy, blinged and personalized. There are covers for everything from ostomy bags and PICC lines to slings, eye patches, even baby helmets, all easily found on Etsy.

“These cover-ups make me feel empowered,” Zeldenhurst adds. “I feel like I am taking control of my situation and refusing to let my medical conditions get me down.”

Here are a few other device disguises: 

Miel Barman’s grandmother was so embarrassed at having a colostomy bag that she wouldn’t go out much. When Barman learned about a nurse who made fabric covers for ostomy bags, Barman was intrigued.

“I love to sew and was so happy to find a product I could make that would help people feel better about themselves and their situation,” Barman says.

She opened her Etsy shop, ThizNThatSewing, in 2017. When sales blossomed, Barman realized “this was an important product to a lot of people. (A pretty cover) gives ostomates confidence to go out in public.

Barman, who has sold about 1,550 covers, is gratified by customers who report that not only does a cover add comfort, but “it makes them feel better about a difficult situation.  I enjoy knowing that I am bringing a little joy to peoples’ lives.

Heads Up and Adorable

Parents are often understandably distressed when their babies must wear a helmet to correct plagiocephaly, a common, treatable disorder that causes flattening on a baby’s head. But artist Paula Strawn turns sympathetic “ooohs” into appreciative “ahhhs” with personalized painted helmets.

“A fun and friendly design (on a helmet) is an attitude changer,” says Strawn. “Instead of people saying ‘oh, poor baby,’ they say ‘oh, how adorable’ when they see a cute design. It gives parents a chance to have a conversation about the helmet instead of getting pity smiles.”

Strawn painted her first helmet in 2003 for a friend’s granddaughter. Even the child’s doctor was delighted. “He felt that painting the helmet was fun and friendly and improved the parents’ attitudes about the helmet.”

She has since painted more than 3,000 helmets. Themes include aviator, sports teams, cartoon characters, flowers, hearts and more, using water-based non-toxic paints. Designs take 6 to 12 hours to complete with prices from $140 to about $360.

Strawn finds that the design process itself is often therapeutic.

“Sometimes a parent starts off very sad about their adorable baby having to wear a helmet, wondering what people will think and how it will work. Then we start talking about the design; maybe look at fonts to add a personal touch. By the end, the parents are excited and can’t wait to see how it’s going to turn out.

“I’ve had parents cry because their baby has to wear a helmet, then cry with joy when they see the design the baby will be wearing. It is so fulfilling, joyous, amazing and humbling to be able to do this.”

Bling Your Sling

Pamela Noto’s daughter, Megan, was 13 when she broke her arm playing soccer. After surgery, Megan received a one-size-fits-all sling that was “ugly, oversized, blood-stained and uncomfortable,” says Noto. Megan was not happy.

To cheer her up, Megan’s grandma copied the sling shape and made Megan a snazzy model fit for a fashionista. The pretty floral sling was such a hit that not only did Noto make several other slings for Megan, but in 2015 she opened an Etsy shop, Fracture Fashionz, and has sold more than 2,800 fashion-forward slings, from kid-friendly patterns to glitzy sequin or lace. Occasionally, she’ll get a custom request for a walker or wheelchair bag and she recently blinged a woman’s walking boot. 

Richelle Shadoan’s father was quite the star when he rolled into a doctor’s office sporting a flame-print oxygen tank cover. “He hated his ugly tank,” says Shadoan. “He got a big kick out of the flame cover. He liked a bit of flash.”

Others did, too, and several women – “excited to personalize their oxygen tanks” – placed orders. “Oxygen tanks are quite ugly, so to cover them with something that fit their personality or matched their outfit, made these women feel more put together.”

Richelle Shadoan’s father was quite the bon vivant scooting around once his ugly oxygen tank was disguised under a wildly patterned fabric cover made by Shadoan.

Photo courtesy of Richelle Shadoan

“Almost daily I get an email from a parent thanking me for making life better,” says Brattin, who advocates for early vision screenings and donates a portion of her profits to vision-saving programs.