The confidence that comes with smelling good is undeniable. But, before you buy that perfume or fragrance, do you know if it contains any substances that could cause allergic reactions to you? Fragrance sensitivities are becoming more common because chemicals are everywhere.

Perfume intolerance or perfume allergy is defined as a condition wherein people exhibit sensitivity or allergic reactions to ingredients in some perfumes and some other fragrances. It is a form of multiple chemical sensitivity, a more general phenomenon for this diagnosis.

What are the causes and how can this be prevented? 

Dr Jean Chrysostome Kagimbana, a dermatologist at Kanombe Military Hospital, says that allergy is the inappropriate and harmful response of the immune system to normally harmless substances known as allergens; and perfumes also known as fragrances contain allergens that cause allergies. Allergies can affect the skin, the nose, the eyes and the lungs or even internal or visceral organs. 

He also notes that allergy is the clinical expression of atopy—atopy being hereditary predisposition to develop symptoms of allergies; in general allergies run atopic families.  

Symptoms of a perfume allergy can result from touching the perfume liquid or substance, getting sprayed by the perfume or inhaling some of it. However, only a proportion of those exposed to the substances show an allergic response.

"Any kind of symptom depends on the target organ, for instance, allergy affecting the nose causes allergic rhinitis and causes people to sneeze; allergy in the eye causes allergic conjunctivitis and causes eye scratching, allergy in the lungs causes asthma and finally allergy affecting the skin causes dermatitis (eczema). A severe allergic condition involving internal organs known as anaphylaxis may cause death,” he says. 

Kagimbana adds that today, perfume allergies are caused by more than 2,500 chemicals (potential allergens) containing different perfumes used worldwide and the number increases day-to-day. 

"Hopefully, it is now possible to identify the offending molecule through skin testing known as "patch test” and our hospital is set to perform these tests,” he adds.

According to News Medical Life and Sciences— a medical platform, symptoms of fragrance allergy sensitivities to perfumes or in general fragrances trigger various unpleasant reactions in people. 

Some common symptoms of perfume allergy include a mild to severe headache, skin irritation, itching, and rashes, sneezing, coughing and runny nose, also called allergic rhinitis, breathing difficulties, dizziness, and fatigue, muscle aches, watery, red, and itchy eyes, wheezing, inability to concentrate, swelling – or angioedema, nausea and vomiting, ‘News Medical Life and Sciences’ states.

Studies have shown that in people suffering from migraines, strong fragrances from perfumes or colognes can even trigger a migraine attack. Perfumes contain a mix of several ingredients that include a complex blend of natural essences as well as synthetic chemicals. The average perfume or cologne contains about 14 secret chemical ingredients that are capable of triggering mild to severe allergic reactions in fragrance-sensitive individuals.

Health experts say that you can prevent fragrance sensitivity by avoiding products containing the sensitising substance. For instance, by carefully observing labels on products and choosing products labelled "fragrance free” or "unscented”, although these labels are not always reliable and the product can still contain herbal ingredients. 

However, it’s important to limit exposure to perfumes or scents worn by others in public places or workplaces. Fragrance-sensitive people should make sure co-workers are aware of their condition.

For most patients to have a contact allergic reaction, the skin must directly touch the fragrance. One German study published in the British Journal of Dermatology found that those with a skin allergy to perfume, also "have more frequent and more severe eye or airway symptoms” after exposure to airborne fragrances.

But in case you are allergic to perfumes, doctors advise use of body powder instead of perfumes as it doesn’t contain most of the harsh chemicals in perfume that triggers allergic reactions. But also while using the perfume, apply it on a non-irritant part of the skin, or even spray the perfume on the clothes but not the skin.