Removing my colon gave me spots

For the past few weeks, my skin has decided that I am teenager again. My forehead looks like a Dot to Dot, my cheeks, chin, and nose are covered in a multitude of spots, pimples, zits and whiteheads. It is taking all the will power I posses not to pick and pop the map of mini volcanoes on my face. It's strange, because I wasn't afflicted with "problem skin" when I WAS a teenager, I was blessed with flawless skin. I was that annoying friend that listened with a sympathetic ear to my friend's pimple woes, but I couldn't empathise, as I was secretly jealous that they had pimples to pop (yes, I am that girl who watches boils being lanced on YouTube).  Fast forward 20 something years, and I can finally empathise, and it's miserable. Even worse, my face is now covered in scars as I have gone into a pimple popping frenzy.

I started to worry about what could be causing it. Could it be a hormone problem? Because that's exactly what I need, another health condition to deal with, on top of  Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic pain, and a permanent Ileostomy.  I then started to think that I was having sympathetic break outs. My daughter is entering puberty, perhaps our hormones have "synced". What better way to teach her how to get through the hell of "blossoming into a woman" than to go through it with her?

 I won't lie, it's been getting me down.

Then I remembered. The skin is the largest organ and it requires hydration in order to flourish, and because I have an ileostomy, I am prone to dehydration.

One of the main jobs of the Colon / Large intestine, is to extract water from the food that has previously had its nutrients extracted in the small intestine. This water helps to keep the body hydrated. I don't have a Colon, therefore I need to take on more liquids, and I am really bad at this. It's not that I don't like water, because I do, It's just that I forget to drink. Last night, as I was complaining to my better half that I had a headache, I realised that I only had one drink throughout the whole day, and I didn't even finish it. Add in the fact that this September is the warmest one in decades, July and August were equally glorious, and I have spent most of this summer outdoors in as few clothes as decent. The answer to my pock marked skin becomes glaringly obvious.

That being said, I will be mentioning my terrible skin to my GP when I see him next week, just in case there is something more insidious going on. In the mean time, I am setting alarms to remind myself to take on fluids regularly throughout the day, I'm aiming for three litres. I am also taking my daughter on a skin care shopping spree, Simple products for her, Clinique for me. I also intend to use this as an opportunity to teach my children that water is magic juice, to be savoured and appreciated, and that
popping you pimples is as damaging to your skin as it is satisfying to your soul!