Hi there, my name is Matt.
Active, love the outdoors, positive.
I am a trade qualified carpenter. So 95% of my work is outdoors in the elements.
Having grown up in a very active family, from a very early age I was participating in team sports whether it be football, tee-ball or cricket.
My parents taught me the importance of using sun cream and zinc to protect my face, but also the benefit of wearing a long sleeve shirt to cover my arms, and a bucket hat or broad brim hat to keep the sun off my neck and ears.
All throughout my life my dad has had "skin cancers" cut out from his chest and his back. This is all from years in the sun when he was younger surfing and being out with no sun protection on.
Just recently he has had to apply the cream on his face which brings out all of the sun damage nastiness and over a few weeks scabs up leaving the skin pretty raw.
It's not a pretty sight but it all comes down to him not having the education about what sun damage can do when he was younger. In 2020, we have that information and we know the consequences of what sun damage can lead to. So when I am out on the course playing golf, which is now my number 1 sport, I try to wear my long sleeve Solbari shirts to give me that added sun protection.
There's actually nothing cool about being tanned.
Also, young people are very partial to fashion, a broad brim hat or bucket hat can definitely make an outfit, you just have to be committed enough to wear it.
I would rather be able to enjoy my life with my family, playing the sports I love until I physically can't play anymore, all because I have been sun smart throughout my younger days.
Thank you Matt for helping raise awareness for skin cancer, melanoma and skin conditions, and sharing your story with us and our Solbari Community.
The Solbari Team
It is very difficult to the untrained eye to identify melanomas and skin cancers because they can come in many different shapes and sizes.
As Associate Professor Rosemary Nixon from the Skin & Cancer Foundation Inc. says, "the earlier a skin cancer is identified and treated, the better the chance of avoiding surgery, or in the case of a serious melanoma or skin cancer, potential disfigurement or even death."
Many of us are concerned with not only our general health but also the health of our skin. Good nutrition can help us maintain an attractive complexion, as well as look and feel healthy.
We have compiled a list of foods, nutrients and vitamins which can contribute to your skin looking healthier.