My name is Annie Woodhouse.
I am a crazy horse woman.
I spend a lot of time outside and have always loved the sun. I used to say that summer was like the sun was kissing me! Then chemotherapy took my long hair and also made me VERY sun sensitive. The sun was not kissing now, more like biting! Thankfully, it is 3 years on, chemo is over and everything looks good there - except I am still very sun sensitive.
I am SO GLAD I found Solbari three years ago. I have to cover up and was even able to go out in the middle of the afternoon during this year's record breaking hot summer.
I have never liked hats and with really long hair, I never worried about the protection much. Also, riding a horse, hats always seem to blow off. When I was bald from chemo and now with short hair, I am always on the hunt for good hats. TheSolbari hat is ideal! Not only does it protect the head, neck and face but it also doesn't blow off. I can gallop around on the windiest days and I am not going to lose my hat.
I wish I had taken more notice of sun protection and had access to wonderful clothing like this when I was 16 years old. If I could turn back the years to that age, I would toss out all my t-shirts and tank tops and have a wardrobe full of Solbari.
Thank you Annie for helping raise awareness for skin cancer, melanoma and skin conditions, and sharing your story with us and our Solbari Community.
The Solbari Team
Your skin is your largest organ and has a long memory. Sun exposure and ultraviolet (UV) damage is cumulative throughout your life. Research shows that sun damage contributes to more than 90% of wrinkles, brown spots, premature skin ageing as well as precancerous and cancerous skin lesions.
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."