Allergies to badger brushes? And brushes in Canada...

Hi!

I'm still relatively new here, and I have two questions about shaving brushes. The first is, I want to get some badger brushes for myself and my boyfriend. The only potential problem is that my boyfriend is extremely allergic to pretty much all furry animals. We can't be sure if he is allergic to badgers (It isn't as though he runs into them on a daily basis), but I think it's likely. Has anyone here with allergies ever had problems with badger brushes? I don't want to invest in an expensive brush he won't be able to use because it gives him hives. On the other hand, I would imagine they clean the bristles very well before they make the brush, so maybe it will be OK? Anyone with allergies please give me your two cents!

The other issue is that I live in Canada, and I'm not sure where to actually get a decent brush for a decent price. I'm thinking I would like to get a "best badger", but I haven't found any for a price I can afford. I've been told they are affordable, but I haven't found that to be true. Am I not looking in the right place? Where do all of you get your brushes?

Thanks for your help!

Someone correct me if I am wrong but animal allergies do not actually stem from the hair, but the skin of the animal and the animals saliva. I think hair/fir is relatively inert. Especially hair used for cosmetic puposes. I 'm sure it has been cleaned and treated.

get a generic chinese badger brush from ebay first
its from 10$ including shipping to find out

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Originally Posted by Maskwa

Someone correct me if I am wrong but animal allergies do not actually stem from the hair, but the skin of the animal and the animals saliva. I think hair/fir is relatively inert. Especially hair used for cosmetic puposes. I 'm sure it has been cleaned and treated.

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I am FAIRLY sure that the allergies are due to pet "dander" which is like dandruff for a person... It doesn't occur in wigs, it comes from the scalp...

So yes, the fur/bristles shouldn't give him ANY problems if they are cleaned correctly and devoid of Dander. Just make sure theyre sanitized and you should be fine.

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Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

I am FAIRLY sure that the allergies are due to pet "dander" which is like dandruff for a person... It doesn't occur in wigs, it comes from the scalp...

So yes, the fur/bristles shouldn't give him ANY problems if they are cleaned correctly and devoid of Dander. Just make sure theyre sanitized and you should be fine.

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AFAIK alergic people dont react to hairless pets so i would think the hair type matters

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Originally Posted by janivar123

AFAIK alergic people dont react to hairless pets so i would think the hair type matters

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Hairless pets? Is there such a thing? lol

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Originally Posted by Maskwa

Hairless pets? Is there such a thing? lol

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yeah unfortunally you get bot cats and dogs in that wariety

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Originally Posted by janivar123

AFAIK alergic people dont react to hairless pets so i would think the hair type matters

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You call this a pet??

http://www.iggyandbella.com/coppermi...l_braindog.jpg

:roflmao:roflmao:roflmao:roflmao

*ahem*

I am actually the proud servant of a lovely Cornish Rex cat. They do have fur, but only one layer, whereas most cats have three. They have the shortest, downy layer only. She feels like a hot water bottle covered in curly velvet. It's great.

Anyway...

I picked that breed because I love cats, but I am slightly allergic. And I can tell you that I do still have allergies with a Cornish Rex. They aren't as bad as a furrier cat, but it's still there.

As others have said, I am fairly sure it relates to the dander on the skin, not the fur itself. Because her fur is short, she doesn't carry as much dander in it, which is why I don't react as much to her as I would to a longer-haired cat.

How about this. Buy the brush for yourself first, then let the boyfriend try it out. If it's all good, get one for him.

I don't know if I'd go for trying the cheapie badger brushes first, because cheap usually means corners have been cut. If the badger hair in a very cheap brush has not been properly conditioned and sanitized, it would be no surprise if he reacted to it, and it doesn't really indicate if he would react to a properly prepared badger brush or not.

But, like I said, I don't think it would be an issue.

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Originally Posted by MistressNomad

How about this. Buy the brush for yourself first, then let the boyfriend try it out. If it's all good, get one for him.

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Nomad pretty much hit this one on the head. Get one to pamper yourself, and have him try it. Play it by ear from there.

Also, if he CAN'T use your badger without irritation, try something like this

Synthetic brushes, shaving brushes, synthetic not made from badger hair UK

Amazon.com: Men-U Premier Synthetic Shaving Brush: Health & Personal Care

The Men-U gets GREAT reviews, it's very soft at the tip, but has a lot of backbone, but I've never had something from Taylor of Old Bond Street that I didn't like :)

Good luck!

Cheers,
Jeremy

Those Men-U premier brushes are really good, I must have had mine for about 4 or 5 months now and it hasn't shed a single hair (touch wood), an excellent quality product.