This is a painful (literally) and somewhat embarrassing post for me to write. I’m not writing it for sympathy comments; rather, my hope is that it will be a reminder to gardeners everywhere.
Sun is a friend of your flowers, but not a friend of your skin.
I’m currently undergoing treatment for some pre-cancerous areas on my face. Treatment involves applying a topical chemotherapy cream called Fluorouracil (Efudex) twice daily. I was instructed to apply it for 2-4 weeks. This is my face at week 3.
If you’re thinking I look uncomfortable, you’re absolutely correct. As appalling as this photo looks, all that redness means that the chemotherapy is doing its job. It also means that cutting pieces of my face off in the future is likely being averted.
In a nutshell, Efudex attacks the cells that are multiplying faster than they should. Three weeks ago those rapidly multiplying cells just looked like dry, flaky patches and little slightly red areas on my face. Those areas are called actinic keratosis–also known as solar keratosis, or sunspots. Decades of negligent skin protection caught up with me.
I’m grateful to know that over the next few weeks, my skin should begin to peel and heal. It is currently feeling very dry with sore areas of blistering and oozing. My side effects have included eye irritation (stinging and watering), a little more trouble sleeping (mostly because of discomfort), and I’m a little grumpy and not smiling as much as I usually do.
As my skin begins the healing process, this gardener is stepping up her sun protection game plan. I’m adding 50+ SPF sunscreen to my morning skin care and am placing a bottle of that sunscreen in the spot where I keep my gardening tools and apron. In fact, it’s going right in the pocket of my apron.
Oh, and I’m adding a hat.
If you know me, you know I dislike hats almost as much as shoes.
Friends, please wear sunscreen. Not just the SPF 15 that comes with your daily moisturizer–a generous slathering of SPF 50+ in the morning and reapplied at the beginning of our adventures in the garden…more often if we’re sweating or hanging out in the sun for more than two hours.
Knowing you should wear sunscreen is one thing. Faithfully wearing it is quite another. Enough said.
Barefoot Lily Lady 
Thank you for the post, I have had a BCC removed from my nose which required a skin graft so have first-hand experience.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, Rick. Thanks for chiming in with your experience. I hope you’ve seen the end of BCC.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve done that treatment a couple of times, at least your skin will feel wonderful after healing! Hopefully you won’t need to ever do it again, but if you do… there is a new way to treat. Using the Fluorouracil with calcipotriol shortens the treatment time, and doesn’t get as “raw”. I’ve done both, and much preferred the new combo. And thank you for the reminder!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m going to ask about that next time. Thanks for the suggestion, Tracy!
LikeLike
Thank you for this honest sincere recommendation for all of us gardeners! As always, I love your writing and am always blessed to read what you share! Love you sweet sister!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cindie, that looks so painful. Thank you for reminding us to take care and use protection. Prayers that you will heal and have no other problems!
LikeLiked by 1 person