I was wondering about mohair allergies and asthma. I know some of you on here have experience with this and was just wondering if you’d share your experiences, how it affects you, if you still hand root mohair and what do you do to avoid reactions etc. Do you avoid mohair completely or are you able to collect (but not root) mohair rooted babies?
You see, I usually only paint hair on my babies, just root lashes. Was just a preference but lately I got the urge to try rooting. I have allergies to various things and am asthmatic. I had been rooting a head for the first time on and off. Sometimes I felt kind of itchy in the face but those tiny mohairs can tickle if one gets on your face. No rash. But, there are times I was working on it that I may have taken Claritin for seasonal allergies, I can’t be sure as I take it as needed right now. This morning I had the mohair out and there was more out of the bag than usual as I had cut some to use and the scrappy pieces getting trimmed as I worked were on the table. I trim the cut end as I work to even it out to make rooting easier, so lots of tiny bits flying around.
I started to cough and could not stop so I took my asthma inhaler used for attacks and took some Claritin and everything cleared up. I don’t think it was a seasonal thing as it only happened once I was in the house for a long time rooting, no windows open to let pollen in. But the mohair was there.
I think the short time I rooted for lashes in the past may not have been enough to set me off. I know from friends bad experiences that sometimes the more you are exposed to an allergens the worse the reaction. My hairdresser friend swelled up like a Martian if she used bleach on her own hair. Neighbor did nor recognize her.
I think I may be allergic to the mohair. I rooted again tonight and I’m itchy
Also, I wonder if there is something a reborner can do to make the mohair less allergenic (wash it was a first thought but then it does get washed many times when processed) .
I am allergic to wool from sheep. I caused red raised rash/welts and severe burn/itch if worn directly on skin. I guess it wouldn’t be a stretch that goats are a problem too. I can (or could, it’s been a while) wear angora (from rabbits) though (my mom can’t, drives her crazy itchy).
Sorry so long winded but I am wondering if I should invest in more mohair or not. I’m wondering if I’m allergic but it sure looks like it.
I can only speak for myself, but I am definitely allergic to mohair and it doesn’t matter the brand. I have tried lots of different ones and my reaction is the same: my eyes water and swell, my skin gets itchy and there will be an itchy red rash on my hands at minimum. I can’t wear angora, wool, or cashmere, the same thing happens. I can’t be near cats; my throat begins to close. Not that mohair comes from cats, but that’s part of my allergy problem. My allergies didn’t develop until I was in my 30’s, which I thought was rather odd, but I was allergic to strawberries as a child and would get hives if I ate them. I take Claritin every day of my life because I am also allergic to pollen, dust, and about a thousand other things.
Just for the heck of it, since I hadn’t rooted for a couple of years, I tried it last week…never again; it’s not worth it to me, so my babies will either be bald, have painted hair, OR, if they are toddlers they will be wigged. The thought of rooting with human hair actually makes me weak in the knees; I can’t imagine…ewwwwww…but that’s another story.
Karen, thanks for responding. I had read a bit in your toddler thread about your allergies. I’m really sorry you have to deal with it.
You still react to it if you have taken Claritin?
I take 12 hour all the time at night because my nose closes if I don’t but in the daytime I go with how I feel.
Allergies can show up at any age. My mom started getting anaphylactic shock type allergies in her 70s to medication and something else she can’t figure out. She has to be hospitalised when it happens. My dad started sneezing when mowing grass in his 60s.
Yes, I still react to it even with Claritin and I take the 24 hour stuff every day of my life. I hate to think what would happen if I didn’t have Claritin. It dries me up sooooo much, but I compensate by drinking a ton of water every day and that helps a lot. Wednesdays are the pits around here because that’s when the lawn people come and the smell of the fresh cut grass almost drives me insane so I pretty much stay in the house with the a/c on. It’s ridiculous, really. I’m sorry about your Mom – so scary! Allergies are not fun at all and nothing to mess with, that’s for sure.
I find Claritin 12 hour more effective and so does my husband. It has a decongestant in it so my nose is not always closed. 24 hour does not work for me at all.
[quote=“kareninflorida, post:2, topic:25231”]
The thought of rooting with human hair actually makes me weak in the knees; I can’t imagine…ewwwwww…but that’s another story.
[/quote]
Do you mean human hair is gross to you (but goat is ok?)???
I kind of get it but, please forgive me, I still find it funny.
Edit to add: one of my best friends is totally grossed out if she sees human hairs in a shower at the gym or pool. Like most people, I won’t go touching it on purpose but she is really freaked out. At one point in my life I did hair so I guess it wouldn’t have worked out too well if I was very squeamish.
Human hair is great for the big big toddlers like Angelica by Reva Schick…etc.(don’t like it for newborns though) …It roots a beautiful natural head of hair…and most wigs that women wear or ladies and children who go through cancer treatments and lost their hair wear human hair wigs so I am kinda with Pia on this one…really when you think of it…goats are a lot more nasty than MOST humans…lol
I can’t take the 12 hour Claritin with the decongestant due to my high blood pressure, so I take the 24 hour one every day and deal with it. And yeah, given a choice, I’d always choose goat hair over human hair for rooting. In my mind, goat hair is CLEAN…but human hair…well…there is just something so GROSS about the idea of holding a human’s hair in my hands, and stabbing into a doll’s head. I guess I’m a tad weird, huh? Oh well. Far as I know it makes no difference to anyone but me so I’ll just keep painting these little heads and wigging the huge ones.
p.s. I also can’t stand it if the food on my plate touches but THAT is another story
Ah yes, I’d forgotten about the blood pressure effects. Our doc said to my husband who has high blood pressure that it was ok for him to take it as long as his pressure is well controlled but it is different for each patient. Especially since you take it every day it probably would eventually cause problems.
[quote=“kareninflorida, post:11, topic:25231”]
And yeah, given a choice, I’d always choose goat hair over human hair for rooting. In my mind, goat hair is CLEAN…but human hair…well…there is just something so GROSS about the idea of holding a human’s hair in my hands, and stabbing into a doll’s head. I guess I’m a tad weird, huh? Oh well.
[/quote] Haha…You aren’t weird, Karen, we all have our little quirks, don’t worry about it. We love you! After working as a stylist for a short time, I can tell you that some goats ARE cleaner than some humans. (((shudders))) But I guess that doesn’t help…
[quote=“kareninflorida, post:11, topic:25231”]
p.s. I also can’t stand it if the food on my plate touches but THAT is another story
[/quote] See? You are always full of stories and that’s part of the reason we love you.
I totally get the food thing, Karen! When I was a kid, I did not like my food touching, either. I ate one food, then the next and so on. If they touched, I didn’t eat it. Now, I don’t care if they touch and I generally end up mixing it all together. I’m not sure when or why I changed.
I’m with you on the goat hair, too…human hair just seems nastier.
Well, the thing about the food touching has been part of my psyche forever. Dr. Oz once had someone in the audience stand up and ask if she’s crazy because she hates for her food to touch and they did a poll by clapping and determined that YES, YES…she’s crazy.
Ahem…
This should tell you all something about me right there. Woke me up!
However…
I still don’t like it if my food touches. Yep, I get that it all mixes together after it’s eaten. Yep, it’s all going to the same place. Yep. I hear ya. But on my PLATE, it shall not mix nor touch.
I will confess, I don’t mind human hair, but I hate, hate, hate for my food to mix on the plate with the excepton of Mexican food and then the rice and beans need to be plated beside each other so they don’t mix with everything else. I especially hate when any other food touches my salad.
I sure hope we are all still friends. You ought to hear the quirks I’m NOT confessing to! LOL
[quote=“kareninflorida, post:2, topic:25231”]
A good friend is someone who knows you are slightly cracked but still thinks you are a good egg.