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Fragrances and Asthma / Allergies

Asthma & Allergy | Last Active: 2 days ago | Replies (73)

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@rosemarya

Today, I thought about all of you who are sensitive to fragrances.
I decided that it was the right time to do some holiday shopping in a large shopping mall (not my favorite thing to do). As luck would have it, I needed to walk thru the cosmetic/perfume department to enter the store, and to exit. I could hardly wait to get away from the overpowering combination of fragrances. I cannot imagine what you have to endure when you are out and about.
Surely, this must also be problematic for the workers who staff those counters.
Thank you for what you are sharing.

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Replies to "Today, I thought about all of you who are sensitive to fragrances. I decided that it..."

@rosemarya Yes, you get it. I can't walk through a department store without being affected by fragrance. Sure the overpowering scent is bad enough, but I react badly to it physically. What happens is it makes my airways swell, and then it traps phlegm. I get exhausted because I can't get enough air. I feel chest pain from the accumulated phlegm. I get a horrible headache and my face swells and ears actually turns red from inflammation of my blood vessels from the chemical exposure. This reaction will go on for a few hours, so even using an inhaler at this point helps me breathe, but I'm still suffering with the headache, swelling, and phlegm that my lungs kicked out in trying to protect themselves. I wonder what happens to people exposed to this daily who don't have asthma and what long term health effects they might have from the chemical exposure to their bodies? I think this isn't safe for anyone, and there isn't much regulation about what's put out there for consumers. Fragrances are considered cosmetics with a purpose of making a person more attractive, so they are not regarded as the complex chemical compounds and solvents that they really are. I'm like a canary in a coal mine. I hold my breath if I have to walk through a cloud of fragrances, and I don't go into department stores very often. The longer the exposure time, the worse I will be. We need to keep talking about it. Thanks for listening.