Dr. Bailey's Hand Care & Sun Protection Tips for Gardeners

Skin care for gardeners like Dr. Bailey - yes, spring is here and we are going outside into the garden for hours! This is the time of year those with a green thumb have been waiting for - time to play in the dirt! While you're outside, don't forget to take care of your skin.

As Dr. Bailey says, "If your garden looks great, your hands probably don't."

As an avid gardener, Dr. Bailey understands this scenario well. She has avidly tended her various gardens for over 30 years and in the process she has mastered the "art" of protecting her skin at the same time. Dr. Bailey believes that, as with garden pests, one of the best ways to protect your skin from problems is to start with prevention.

Here are a few tips from Dr. Bailey to help protect you gardeners from skin problems. First and foremost, protect your skin from the UVA and UVB rays that are harmful all year round:

Get everything Dermatologist Dr. Bailey uses to protect her skin in the garden from her collection of sun protection products.  

1. 
   She wears a broad-brimmed hat, such as Dr. Bailey's favorite bucket sun hats, with at least a 3-inch brim all the way around and solid stitching - nothing with holes. Remember the top of your scalp needs protection too, so no visors! 
2. Dr. Bailey wears gloves for two reasons - to protect her hands from the dirt and to protect them from the sun. Dr. Bailey suggests wearing a high-performance sunscreen like Sheer Strength Pure Physical SPF 50+ Water Resistant Sunscreen for when you have to work without your gloves.
3. She always wears sun-protective clothing and has a drawer full of UPF50 tees from Coolibar.
4. On skin that can't be covered, Dr. Bailey is sure to use water-resistant sunscreen. Dr. Bailey's favorite gardening facial sunscreen is Sheer Strength Pure Physical SPF 50+ Spray Sunscreen.
5. Try to stay in the shade as much as possible. Plan your gardening tasks to follow the shade in your garden.

After a glorious day in the garden, soothe your hands with Dr. Bailey's hand care kit.

Ward off gardener's hand dermatitis and the cracks and fissures that happen when your busy hands are chapped and irritated from all that beautiful garden work! A successful garden is the product of hard work and hands take a beating

"Gardeners are particularly prone to dry and cracked hand skin because we are in and out of drying soil, subjecting our hands to stickers, plant allergens, and a lot of friction." - Dr. Bailey

1. Use only non-drying soap to wash your hands.
2. Use a protective, but non-greasy, hand cream throughout the day after hand washing.
3. Use a healing therapeutic ointment at night to help heal cuts and other minor wounds and to soften dry, overworked skin.
4. Control excess dead skin and calluses with a gentle file to prevent cracks.

Dry Hand Skin Repair Kit for gardeners

If your hands are crying out for some TLC, Dr. Bailey's favorite fix is her Dry Hand Skin Repair Kit. The non-drying, foaming soap is glycerin rich so it won't strip your skin's natural oils. The dry skin hand cream is a non-greasy formula that you can use every time after washing your hands. She also has a secret for deep hydration of both your skin and your nails: the combination of Bag Balm and Cotton Gloves. All this comes in one convenient kit, an easy way to keep your skin soft and beautiful!

Gardening can be a great stress reliever, as well as a joy for those who really enjoy taking care of and cultivating plants. Fortunately, with Dr. Bailey's help, your favorite pastime no longer has to be so hard on your skin!