Fragrance Allergies: A Sensory Assault Do any of these - TopicsExpress

Fragrance Allergies: A Sensory Assault Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? You catch a whiff of a co-workers new fragrance, and within minutes, you have a whopper of a headache. You pop open that new bottle of dish-washing liquid, and by the time youve washed the pots and pans, your hands and arms are covered in hives. You walk into a friends home and smell freshly baked pumpkin pie. Only after you start sneezing uncontrollably and feeling dizzy, weak, and sick to your stomach do you learn she hasnt been baking -- shes been burning a scented candle. Your favorite fashion magazine arrives, and as soon as its out of the mailbox your eyes are watering and youre sneezing nonstop. The culprit: scented fragrance advertising inserts. Scent sells. So not only are there definitely more fragranced products in the world, the fragrances themselves are also more complex. And for many people, repeated exposures can bring about a constellation of symptoms, Those symptoms, can range from classic allergic reactions, such as sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes; to headaches, inability to concentrate, and dizziness; to respiratory issues, such as breathing difficulties and wheezing; to skin reactions, such as itching, hives, and other rashes. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), fragrances are considered the leading cause of cosmetic contact dermatitis. As a health problem, this sensitivity alone affects more than 2 million people, and studies suggest that sensitivity is on the rise. Fragrance Sensitivities: What You Can Do Regardless of what is behind your fragrance allergy, experts agree that reducing exposure is key. The most important thing you can do in that respect is to remove yourself from the offending fragrance. Avoidance is really the most effective treatment, Slankard tells WebMD. But what if you cant? Experts say there are still ways to get control. One important thing you can do is get other people to recognize that its a problem, not only for you, but for everyone who is exposed. And if you do it in a courteous way, you can sometimes get good results, says Saab. This means simply asking the person whose fragrance is overbearing to tone it down -- or asking your employer to educate workers about fragrance allergies, including what each person can do on an individual level to help reduce the fragrance overload in a work or learning environment. Source of information: Webmd