›› Adverse
Shopping malls,
drugstores and boutiques always seem to have the latest and greatest
perfumes prominently displayed in or near their cosmetics sections or
counters. And chances are, customers will be bombarded with a medley of
conflicting scents and aromas. While this might be appealing to some,
there are many people who are allergic to most perfumes and who tend to
have an adverse reaction when exposed to them.
My sister and I are both very allergic to most perfumes and colognes.
Our adverse reactions range from mild irritation in the throat to
raging headaches and feelings of extreme nausea. We've noticed that in
many public areas and places of work, signs are posted indicating that
these are scent-free zones. However, these policies are difficult to
enforce. Just ask anyone who suffers from adverse reactions to perfumes
and colognes.
It's really strange. With scented oils from natural sources, my sister
and I seem to be okay. Products from the Body Shop seem to be okay,
other than the scent of Dewberry which seems to heavily perfumes. But
any of the natural scents like Satsuma, Vanilla, Mango or Strawberry,
seem to cause no adverse reaction in either of us.
The worst scents of all are the cheaper perfumes, especially those
seemingly favored by older ladies. These heavily scented perfumes
completely choke us up and render us virtually breathless, and not in a
good way. What causes these adverse reactions is really a mystery. We
figure it must be the chemical components found in less expensive
perfumes, since the more naturally sources scents are much more
agreeable.
There's really not a lot we can do about this allergic reaction. People
in society can't be expected to give up their signature scents for the
sake of the few allergy sufferers. At the same time, those who
manufacture these scents could switch to more natural sources. This of
course would cost them extra money though, and so it's highly unlikely
that they would give up their more economical man-made scents for the
sake of the few who suffer adverse reactions to these chemical
components.
So, all we can do is avoid purchasing scents and colognes that we
haven't tested first. We can avoid heavily perfumed laundry detergents
and hair products and opt for more naturally-sourced perfumes and
scents in the hopes to keep our adverse allergic reactions to a minimum.
I definitely feel bad for people whose adverse reactions are not
limited to minor inconvenience, and who can actually stop breathing if
exposed to their allergic triggers. Thankfully, much research and
development has been done in the creation of anti-histamines to control
allergic reactions, so the problem is manageable at the very least.
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A Healthy Dose of Good Advice
