Garden Day: 4 ways to protect your skin while gardening

As South Africans prepare to celebrate Garden Day on October 18, gardening enthusiasts are being encouraged to take better care of their skin while digging, planting and pruning this spring.

While spending time in the garden can be relaxing, working with soil, thorns, plants and gardening tools can leave hands rough, dry and vulnerable to cuts and scratches.

According to South African foot and skin care brand Kroko, paying attention to minor injuries and protecting exposed skin can help gardeners enjoy their favourite outdoor activity without unnecessary discomfort.

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The brand has shared four tips to help keep hands, arms and legs healthy while tending to the garden.

1. Protect your hands before gardening

Wearing gardening gloves can help protect hands against thorns, rough plants, soil and sharp tools. Gardeners should ensure their gloves fit comfortably and are clean and dry before use.

Kroko managing director Lynsey Hammond recommends using the brand’s foot powder inside gardening gloves to help keep them dry and fresh.

Sun protection is also important, particularly when spending extended periods outdoors. Apply sunscreen with a high sun protection factor to exposed areas, including the hands, arms and legs.

2. Treat minor cuts and scratches promptly

Small cuts and scratches may seem harmless, but dirt entering a wound can cause irritation and increase the risk of infection.

Gardeners should clean minor wounds with clean running water, gently pat the surrounding skin dry and cover the injury with an appropriate dressing where necessary.

Kroko’s SkinFilm is marketed as a plaster-free alternative for minor cuts and scratches. The product forms a flexible, waterproof covering designed to remain in place during everyday activities.

However, deeper wounds, persistent bleeding or signs of infection, including increasing redness, swelling and pus, require medical attention.

3. Keep dry skin moisturised

Regular contact with soil and water can leave hands feeling dry and rough. Washing hands gently after gardening, cleaning beneath the nails and applying moisturiser can help maintain the skin’s condition.

Gardeners who frequently work outdoors should make moisturising part of their routine, especially after washing their hands.

4. Pay attention to calluses and hardened skin

Repeated friction from gardening tools can cause calluses and thickened skin, particularly when gloves are not worn. Products intended to remove calluses should be used according to their instructions, with people who have diabetes or poor circulation advised to seek professional guidance before treating them at home.

After a day in the garden, gardeners should also check their hands, arms and legs for minor cuts, scratches, dry patches and irritated skin.

With Garden Day encouraging South Africans to reconnect with nature and enjoy the outdoors, a little preparation and aftercare can help keep minor skin problems from spoiling the experience.

After all, a flourishing garden deserves care, and so does the person tending to it.

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