Perfume Causes Allergic Symptoms

Even Natural Fragrances Culprits in Dermatitis and Allergies

Feb 10, 2009 Christine Nyholm

Perfumes are commonly used in fragrance, personal care and household products. Even natural aromatic oils can cause allergic symptoms when exposed to skin and system.

Wearing a beautiful fragrance is pleasurable for most people, as a time tested cosmetic to make a person smell and feel more pleasant and attractive. Perfume, cologne and fragrances are products that many people with allergies have to forego because the perfume causes allergic symptoms.

Perfumes can cause reactions on the skin, in the respiratory system and symptoms such as headaches and nausea.

Perfume Dermatitis Studied

Many people believe that natural fragrances do not cause allergic symptoms, but this is not the case, according to research conducted by the University of Gothenburg. Researchers have demonstrated that natural aromatic oils may cause allergic reactions, much as synthetic perfumes do.

Perfumes can cause contact dermatitis, a reaction of the skin to an allergen. The most common contact allergy is to nickel, but perfumes can also cause allergic reactions on the skin.

Lina Hagvall of University of Gothenburg Department of Chemistry examined natural lavender oil in her thesis. Hagvall’s thesis showed that essential oils do not prevent formation the formation of allergenic substances through a skin reaction with acid. Hagvall also examined geraniol which is a common ingredient in perfumes.

Hagvall concluded that perfumes can be activated into allergens on the skin.

Perfume Smell Causes Allergic Symptoms

Fragrances themselves can cause allergic symptoms, other that contact dermatitis. The smell of perfume can cause symptoms to the person wearing it and to sensitive people around them.

The smell of perfume can cause symptoms that include headaches, hoarse voice, difficulty breathing, nausea, lip tingling, muscle pain and more.

Perfumes can cause respiratory irritation to people who are sensitive to fragrance and who have asthma.

Choose Products Carefully

Perfumes are not just in colognes. Perfumes are a commonly used additive to products such as soap, lotion, deodorant, cosmetics and even dental products.

In addition to grooming products, perfumes are used in household products, such as dish soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, air fresheners and in a number of other products. People who are allergic need to very careful about the environments they are exposed to avoid unintentional exposure to a perfume or chemical that might make them sick.

When selecting a grooming product, the labeling is important because even products marked as unscented may have a masking fragrance in them. A masking fragrance may hide a certain smell from the consumers nose, but there is still a perfume in the product.

Products that are marked “fragrance free” or “perfume free” are less likely to contain perfume.

People with contact allergies and perfume sensitivities should talk to their allergist or dermatologist about the appropriate products to use to avoid reactions.

Resources:

Exitallergy.com

University of Gothenburg: Even natural perfumes may cause allergies. EurekAlert. February 3, 2009.

The copyright of the article Perfume Causes Allergic Symptoms in Allergies is owned by Christine Nyholm. Permission to republish Perfume Causes Allergic Symptoms in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Perfume Bottles