Dermatologist's Sun Protection & Hand Care Tips for Gardeners

Skin care for gardeners like Dr. Bailey - yes, 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.

UVA and UVB Protection

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. Dr. Bailey wears gloves for two reasons - to protect her hands from the dirt and to protect them from the sun. She suggests wearing a high-performance sunscreen like Citrix matte water resistant sunscreen for when you have to work without your gloves, and on skin any that can't be covered.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. She wears a broad-brimmed hat, such as Dr. Bailey's favorite bucket hats for sun protection, 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!
   
   
   
3. She always wears sun-protective clothing and has a drawer full of UPF50 tees from Coolibar.
4. Try to stay in the shade as much as possible. Plan your gardening tasks to follow the shade in your garden.

Hands Protection from Dry and Cracked Skin

After a glorious day in the garden or landscaping, soothe your hands with Dr. Bailey's Dry Hand Skin Repair Kit. She has used her products on her own dry, cracked skin to test their efficacy, which is how she knows they work.

Everything you need comes in one convenient kit, an easy way to keep your skin soft and beautiful:

1. Use only non-drying soap to wash your hands. The natural bar soap in the kit is glycerin rich so it won't strip your skin's natural oils.
2. Use a protective, but non-greasy hand cream throughout the day after hand washing.
3. A secret for deep hydration of both your skin and your nails: the combination of Bag Balm and Cotton Gloves 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.

"Gardeners and landscapers 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

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!

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!