Few things feel as satisfying as an afternoon in the garden in spring, and few leave hands and skin in rougher shape. Soil dries the skin, sun catches the back of the neck, thorns and rough stems leave scratches, and pollen settles on everything. A simple care routine after yard work keeps the pleasure without the sting. This is general skincare information; for cuts that look infected, rashes or persistent irritation, see your doctor.
Before You Start
The gentlest after-care begins before you pick up a trowel. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your face, neck, ears and the backs of your hands, and reapply if you are out for more than a couple of hours. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and, if the sun is strong, a lightweight long-sleeved shirt. Put on gloves. Many gardeners also rub a little hand cream or balm into their hands before gloving up, so that soil has less chance to settle into dry skin. Scrape your nails over a bar of soap to keep dirt from packing underneath them.
Washing Up
When you come in, wash your hands first with lukewarm water and a gentle soap. A soft nail brush helps with the creases of knuckles and under nails. Resist the urge to scrub with harsh grit, which leaves skin raw. Then wash your face and the back of your neck, where sweat, sunscreen and pollen have been collecting all afternoon.
If you have been working around plants with sap, such as figs or euphorbias, wash any skin that touched them promptly, since some plant saps can irritate skin, especially in sunlight. If you suspect you brushed against poison ivy, which is common along Georgia woods and fencelines, wash the area thoroughly with soap and cool water as soon as possible and launder the clothes you were wearing separately.
Scratches and Splinters
Rinse small scratches with clean water, pat dry and cover them if they are in a spot that will get dirty again. Remove splinters with clean tweezers. Keep an eye on any break in the skin from soil or thorns; if it becomes red, warm, swollen or painful over the next day or two, see a doctor. Rose thorns and old wood in particular are worth watching.
Moisturize Generously
Soil, water and sun are a drying combination. After washing, apply a rich hand cream while your hands are still slightly damp and work it around the nails and cuticles. Many gardeners keep a thick balm by the bed and wear thin cotton gloves over it overnight once or twice a week during the busy season. For the face and neck, use your usual moisturizer, and consider a lighter lotion for arms and legs if they were exposed.
Kneeling and crouching are hard on knees and the tops of feet, and sandals let dirt in everywhere. A kneeling pad saves both knees and clothes. In the evening, a warm foot soak with a handful of plain salt, followed by a pumice stone on rough patches and a layer of cream, is a pleasant way to close a gardening day.
Making It a Ritual
None of this takes long. Fifteen minutes of washing, tending and moisturizing is a small price for an afternoon outside. Many people come to enjoy it as the last act of the day’s work: a slow wash, a scented cream, a glass of cold water and a look out the window at what they have planted. The garden rewards care, and so does the gardener.