Your perfume may give you allergies

As the year gradually winds down, gifts are being exchanged all over the place. And even when many people don’t know what to give as gift this season, one gift item is usually a ‘recurring decimal’ on the list. It’s a perfume.

Ordinarily, you can’t go wrong with perfumes, especially if they are designer’s. Again, the more expensive a perf is, the more people treasure them.

However, physicians are warning that they are seeing more cases of allergic reactions such as headaches, migraines and skin rashes among people when they use perfumes, or when they come into close contacts with those who do.

A General Practitioner, Dr. Kunle Ibrahim, says he had treated a patient who suffered severe headaches and bouts of sneezing due to some allergic reactions she suffered in reaction to a male colleague’s perfume.

Consultant Dermatologist, Dr. Ruth Olayinka, says doctors are seeing increased cases of otitis dermatitis, skin rashes, severe itching and other skin-related ailments traceable to allergic reactions to perfs.

Indeed, experts are saying that the sheer ingredients used in perfumes are the issue here.

According to scientists at the National Allergy Research Centre in Denmark, in general, about 2,500 fragrant ingredients are used in manufacturing perfumes. And, as if this is not scary enough, 100 of these are regarded as contact allergens that can cause skin problems for anyone who is susceptible.

Again, experts say, a combination of at least three or four allergens show up in the ingredients used in the manufacture of a single bottle of perf.

What are these harmful ingredients? These ones…

Parabens

This is a man-made preservative chemical that is used in the manufacturing of beauty products. In fact, an estimated 75-95 per cent of cosmetics contain this preservative; and it comes in various forms such as butylparaben, propylparaben, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and isobutylparaben, among others.

Because of its wide use in cosmetics, it is reasonable to assume that your beauty products — including perfumes — contain parabens, unless otherwise stated.

Olayinka warns that most cosmetic products such as perfume, shampoo, body lotions, hair cream, etc., likely contain parabens.

Worse still, in the case of fragrances, recipes are considered trade secrets, so manufacturers are not required to disclose the chemicals in the list of ingredients. What this translates into is that unless otherwise stated, your cherished perf probably contains this controversial ingredient!

Olayinka says that’s why high-end products always write in bold letters the notification that “This product does not contain parabens.”

What possible allergic reactions are you likely to get from using a product that contains parabens?

According to the dermatologist, you could react to parabens by having skin rashes, eczema and bronchospasm, which causes difficulty in breathing.

Methylisothiazolinone

This is a commonly used preservative in many consumer products.

In general, Olayinka says, preservatives prevent contamination by microorganisms; otherwise, bacteria, germs and other organisms could develop, leading to product deterioration, spoilage and safety issues.

The only problem here is that while methylisothiazolinone preserves beauty products from deterioration, it may not be that kind to your health.

Olayinka says patients routinely react to methylisothiazolinone, with symptoms such as severe itching.

Citronella

This is one of the essential oils that are obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of lemongrass.

It is used in cosmetic products such as perfumes, body sprays, soap, candles and incense. However, when you consider that it is also used as an active ingredient in the manufacture of insect repellants, you will realise that physicians have every reason to be concerned.

Some of the allergic reactions you can get from a perf that contains citronella include rashes, runny nose, and sneezing that is similar to the type usually caused by hay fever.

Lanolin

This is a a fatty substance found naturally on sheep’s wool, and used as a base for ointments.

Its use in perfumes is also a source of concerns to physicians because of people’s tendency to react severely to it.

Olayinka says when you develop allergic reactions to lanolin in your perfume, you may have symptoms such as scaly skin, bumps and itching.

Eugenol

This is a chemical compound usually obtained from clove oil and other sources. But no one should be deceived because of its origin from clove.

Olayinka says it has also been used in medicine for the study of mucus secretion. But beyond this, manufacturers of cosmetics use it to pep up their products.

The dermatologist warns that this compound can be harmful at high concentrations and can cause allergic reactions in sensitised patients.

Allergies that you can get from eugenol-containing perfs include seizures, liver damage, fluid imbalances, and bleeding disorders.

Balsam of Peru

This is a is a sticky aromatic liquid that is derived from the bark of a particular tree. In beauty products such as perfumes and toiletries, however, it can instigate allergic reactions in people who are susceptible.

It is commonly regarded as one of the ‘top five’ allergens that people commonly react to in cosmetic products such as perfumes.

Such reactions usually include swelling, itching, redness, soreness, and blisters. And if any product containing it accidentally touches the mouth, it could cause inflammation of the lips, mouth and tongue.

The bottom line: Test your allergies to a perfume by waiting 24 hours after a spray-patch. If you react to it, discontinue use.