Your day in the garden doesn’t have to end because of nuisances like sunburn, bruises, blisters, muscle aches, or bug bites.
Keep your first aid kit stocked with springtime essentials like Boiron Arnicare and Calendula medicines. These multipurpose medicines are available in easy-to-apply topical forms such as gel, cream, or ointment. To help you decide when to use Arnicare or Calendula when dealing with common minor injuries, here are some tips:
Sunburns
The mid-afternoon sun can turn exposed skin tender and red even with precautions like sunscreen or a hat. Calendula Cream, made from Calendula officinalis, a garden marigold, can help relieve sensitive burned skin.
Bruises
Arnicare Cream, made from Arnica montana, a mountain daisy, can relieve bumps and bruises from digging, pruning, and weeding. Use the cream on sensitive areas such as the face, but never on an open wound. Also, those who bruise easily will appreciate that the cream can reduce unsightly bruise discolorations on exposed legs and arms.
Blisters
If a blister should arise from wearing new garden clogs or gloves, do not pierce it. This exposes the skin to infection. Most blisters heal naturally, but for a speedier recovery, apply Calendula Ointment to the blister after cleansing the area, and cover it with an adhesive bandage. Applying ointment to the area before wearing shoes or sliding on gloves helps keep the skin supple and lubricated, therefore reducing the risk of getting blisters.
Muscle Aches
Whether you are pulling weeds or shoveling mounds of mulch, you can rely on non-greasy Arnicare Gel because it absorbs quickly into the skin and provides relief for stiffness, aches, and pain.
Backyard Burns
Small burns from a grill or outdoor fireplace may need more time to heal than minor sunburn. Immediately place the skin under cold water for two minutes to reduce pain and damage to the skin. Then apply calendula ointment to help protect, soothe, and heal minor burns.
Dried-Out Skin
Our skin can be exposed more to the elements during warm weather than during cold. Rub Calendula Cream into cracked heels, and apply Calendula Ointment to chapped lips dried out from the sun or wind.
Bug Bites
Calendula Gel can provide relief from stinging skin irritations. Apply a thin layer to the area where the bite or sting occurred three times a day or as needed.