How to settle your spouse into the UK - Part 2 of the Frogster Guide

**Belfastmatt** · 25th Jul 2012, 11:41

Originally Posted by Frogster1953

• Spot treatment, cleansers, etc (change in climate, foodstuffs will produce lots of spots in the early days).

Interesting to read this, Pan has had dreadful skin since she came over. (compared to unblemished in Thailand) We both assumed it was to do with new contraceptives but this makes sense.

Ill tell Pan to chat with Wanisa and Bow (i see Biffs lady had the same issue) for more details. The sight of me trudging along make up stores trying to translate "concealer" or the like is a sad one.

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Originally Posted by Gavva

Similar to Biff, the only problem my wife seems to have is that she's shedding hair like a sasquatch. This is due to the hard water correct? I don't think it's a major problem as she's still got a lot more hair than myself but does anyone have any advice about this? Can it be prevented? (Hope this isn't off topic)

My lady having the same issue. Not overly concerned as Thai female hair is so thick you can loose stacks of it and its totally unnoticeable.

You can get filters for showers also but these are costly, just takes time to get used to id imagine.

**bifftastic** · 25th Jul 2012, 13:46

No real hair loss issues for Bow, but she complains that her scalp is itchy. I reckon its definitely the water. That may well be compounded by the fact that we're in London and the air quality is much worse than where she lives in Thailand.

I agree with the comments regarding cosmetics. If you can reduce the amount of things that are different, that should improve things.

There are, of course, the more obvious cultural differences, these, and the fact that a Thai partner who has uprooted themselves (permanently, or semi-permanently) may well be feeling stresses that are more difficult to pin down, if you can have some familiar things like cosmetics and hair products then that will, I believe, make things easier.

Also, the first time I was in Thailand was quite a shock to my body. Food, water, sun, insects etc. As I've been there quite a few times now, these things have less of an impact now. It seems that my wife has reacted less to those differences on her second visit.

It may be that a lot of these reactions are symptomatic of underlying stresses related to the whole 'newness' of everything rather than any specific thing that can be isolated and countered directly.

**the_link** · 25th Jul 2012, 16:29

My wife suffered from acute dandruff in the first few months of her arriving to the UK. That was over eighteen-months ago now.

She had only arrived in early November 2010 and it snowed within days.

She settled and used an anti-dandruff shampoo for a few months and is largely resistent to the climate, water and whatever it is that irritates.

You'll never really put your finger on the reaction but just endeavour to mix and match and she'll find a middle way and, anyway, will acclimatise, eventually.

**jimmbo60** · 25th Jul 2012, 21:18

As a sufferer of psoriasis , rosacea keratosis and skin cancer on my face I can understand the discomfort felt by your wives.
So here is my 2 pence worth, those of you who have met me, know my face has often been blotchy, red, spottyand flaky. The last option is a chemotherapy cream, which will make me look a whole lot worse for approximately 3 months.
With the wedding coming up I wasn’t doing this (Nat had already booked the make up

for me to look ok on the day) so as a gamble I tried face creams from the Body Shop, supposedly all nature stuff blah,blah, blah.
Much to my surprise and relief they have worked wonders, and I don’t have the redness etc any longer. So I would recommend you try them. If they helped me I reckon they are worth a shot. Not cheap but online and offers etc they work out not bad.

**colin244** · 25th Jul 2012, 23:10

I would be surprised if a Thai lady coming the UK first or second time did not suffer at least one of the hair/skin problems mentioned but as biff says it is the same for us over in LOS but your wife or g/f will probably say "not same tilluk as I am a lady and man does not care such things"

Well thats what I got from mine but when I pointed out in LOS i usually get Hong Nam problems in a counter move to her water complaints in the UK the reply was Som Nam Nar.

Anyway after all these years we now understand each other but it takes time any newbies to either country.

colin 244

**Tribal Fusion** · 25th Jul 2012, 23:42

All the skin problems in the UK are mine, she hasn't complained of any skin problems so far, but mine have got worse as every week goes by.

What was the name of the body shop moisturizers that you used jimmbo?

I've noticed that the Thai climate and maybe the tap water is kinder to my skin. My forehead is very sore at the moment and some water ezcema on my fingers.

**jimmbo60** · 26th Jul 2012, 00:11

Look at the Aloe Vera range. As I say they have worked well. I had to stop using Double base as it was stinging a wee bit.

**colin244** · 26th Jul 2012, 00:15

The water in Essex is notoriously hard Tribal which may well be your problem but you can get water softners and gadgets to help. I will leave jimmbo to answer the rest.

colin 244

**Tribal Fusion** · 26th Jul 2012, 01:22

Aloe vera, I saw the plants growing in Bangkok, my wife swears by it, she would crush up plant and put it on her face. I've have to try it, I'm using coconut oil at the moment, it's ok on my arms, but makes my face too hot, my forehead sweats and makes the ezcema worse.

I'll have a look Friday or Saturday. Cheers jimmbo.

I may use some mineral water to wash my face with, I'll look into some softeners.

**vulcan2** · 26th Jul 2012, 02:00

You could move to the Bradford area tribal The water is lovely and soft in that area . Makes a great cup of tea
BTW my wife rubs that cumin root on my sore spots usualy my toes it works a treat for me.
Mind you you would look a sorry sight if you put it on your face.
Having said that you would not get a second look in Bradford.

**jimmbo60** · 26th Jul 2012, 07:52

Originally Posted by Tribal Fusion

Aloe vera, I saw the plants growing in Bangkok, my wife swears by it, she would crush up plant and put it on her face. I've have to try it, I'm using coconut oil at the moment, it's ok on my arms, but makes my face too hot, my forehead sweats and makes the ezcema worse.

Rememember the coconut oil will intentify the effect of the sun and may burn you. There are only certain aloe vera plants that are good for skin. So check. My mate into New Zealand bought thosands of them to go into production for a company and bought the wrong ones.

**lamai** · 26th Jul 2012, 08:57

My wife use to use Aloe Vera JoJoBa shampoo, but now she has decided to go back and use head & shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo

**KhunIanB-UK** · 26th Jul 2012, 11:23

I picture my wife in that scenario and the switch would be due to asking the shop assistant where the relevent products are

**Millsey** · 26th Jul 2012, 19:26

I'm having the same problems as Tribal, sore fingers and the skin on my thumbs is a bit flakey. Only started once I returned from Thailand in May.

**colin244** · 26th Jul 2012, 22:11

Originally Posted by Tribal Fusion

Aloe vera, I saw the plants growing in Bangkok, my wife swears by it, she would crush up plant and put it on her face.

Dao did the same here Tribal as my mother had loads of the plants and didn't want them so gave them to Dao (look a bit like cactus leaves) and you can get them in garden centres but you probably only need a couple as the cuttings grow like mad in pots on sunny windowsills.

colin 244

**Tribal Fusion** · 26th Jul 2012, 23:48

We have some in our garden, I didn't know what they were.

**jimmbo60** · 27th Jul 2012, 00:00

There are over 350 different species of aloe and the highest rated is ‘aloe barbadensis miller’, so when choosing a product look for this particular name.The gel inside the plant is almost identical to the ph balance of human skin and this gives it the ability to heal like no other plant with a high water content of 96%

Read more at Suite101: Benefits of the Aloe Plant in Skin Care: Aloe Vera as an Ingredient in Your Beauty Products | Suite101.com http://suite101.com/article/benefits...#ixzz21li5NGaG

**Tribal Fusion** · 27th Jul 2012, 00:09

They don't have a body shop where I live, so I went into Holland and Barrett and bought some organic aloe vera skin lotion, this one has aloe barbadensis leaf juice, not the one you mentioned.

I looked on the body shop website, what was the name of the body shop product you used?

**jimmbo60** · 27th Jul 2012, 00:19

Look here
http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/search/...c=true&catcode=*

**colin244** · 27th Jul 2012, 01:14

Originally Posted by Tribal Fusion

We have some in our garden, I didn't know what they were.

If they are the real thing mate they will be better than a shop version which will probably have only a percentage of Aloe so if you have the real thing available in your garden give it go as a lot cheaper too (worked on my Thai)

colin 244