Scent Sells: Fragrance Allergies

Would you like the scent of lavender, hyacinth, rose, lily of the valley? We’re not talking perfumes, we’re talking dish washing detergents!

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, fragrances are considered the leading cause of cosmetic contact dermatitis. As a health problem, this sensitivity alone affects more than two million people, and studies suggest that sensitivity is on the rise. According to the AAD, some 5,000 different fragrances – and countless other fragrance combinations—are used in products today. And they can be a powerful, toxic brew.

In addition to those allergic to some fragrances, there are many more who find fragrance irritating. To a doctor, there is a difference between an allergen and an irritant. To a person who suffers a rash, hives, runny nose, or headache in the presence of scented products, the biggest distinction is that allergies are likely to respond to medication.  There isn’t much you can do about an irritant other than avoid it.

And avoiding it isn’t always easy.  Labeling on products can confuse as much as help. When a product calls itself “unscented,” it means that it has no perceptible fragrance.  Don’t assume, however, that no fragrance-type substances were involved.  It just means that if you were to put the product up to your nose, you would not smell anything.

Some unscented products actually use fragrance to cover up the product’s natural scent. In addition, any regulations that regard fragrance use in consumer products have tended to concentrate only on the cosmetics and personal care category and have largely ignored other fragrance containing products.

Fragrances are everywhere. Remember the last time you walked through a department store and were assaulted by the variety of scents coming from the cosmetics area? Or maybe the air was sprayed as you entered the front door?

Doctors who treat people with fragrance allergies can tell you that there are really only about eight substances in the fragrance world that cause the lion’s share of the problems.  One of those is isoeugenol, which smells faintly like cloves and spices.  It’s used in dental cement! Others are found in soap, air fresheners, and even foods.

A recent panel discussion by experts, held in Berlin, concluded that ”sufferers who already have a skin allergy to fragrances may worsen the symptoms through the inhalation of such substances.”

So what can you do about it? If you can isolate the fragrance such as that used in a particular brand of cologne or after shave the easiest way is to avoid it as much as possible. If you think you have a real fragrance allergy it might be a good idea to see an allergist.

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