Perfumes and colognes are things you use every day without thinking too much. But wait! Are you feeling itchy in your nose? Are you about to sneeze? Well, you might want to take a seat and navigate through fragrance allergy because you may need the help of an allergy doctor.

What Is Fragrance Allergy?

Fragrance allergy is just like how it sounds. If you use anything with fragrance, mainly perfumes, body sprays, and deodorants that have lots of additives in them, it can cause severe allergic reactions on the skin and other parts of the body.

Your body’s immune system can or cannot be sensitive to certain things. The things or agents that cause the body to go into defense mode are known as allergens or triggers and they’re pretty much what aggravate an allergic reaction.

The same goes for fragrance allergy. Your immune system is very sensitive to the fragrance in the perfume you’re spritzing on and it can cause the body to tackle the foreign invasion in your bloodstream, hence the reason why you experience different symptoms.

A lot of people suffer from fragrance allergy. This allergy is also known as perfume allergy because it’s mainly caused by perfumes and other potent fragrances that you put on your skin. It can occur when the perfume or anything with fragrance comes in contact with the skin if you touch a leaking bottle of perfume and the substance lingers on your skin because you haven’t washed it, and it can even cause allergic reactions when you inhale some of it. It’s more common in adults than it is in children.

Sensitivity Or Allergy

Now, some people can confuse sensitivity to allergy when they are different from each other. A sensitivity is something that irritates the area where you applied the product and that’s pretty much it. It goes away after you wash it off and you feel better.

An allergy, on the other hand, is your immune system’s response to the allergen and it can cause an allergic reaction and development of symptoms, and the effects don’t go away until or unless you treat the symptoms. It can be pretty frustrating.

Causes Of Fragrance Allergy

Fragrance allergy isn’t only caused by perfumes. It can be caused by anything and everything that has fragrance in it. So, soaps, lotions, creams, and even makeup products that have added fragrance in them can cause you to get severe reactions.

The main cause of fragrance allergy is the presence of different ingredients found in fragrances and perfumes. Some of them can be limonene and linalool. These things are commonly found in perfumes, makeup products, and various skincare products.

Linalool is a derivative of lavender oil, and it may sound harmless, but it’s anything but. When exposed to sunlight, it can cause a whole myriad of reactions to the body and it’s very hard to deal with. This is why a lot of people don’t go out in the sun right after applying perfume, because their skin will react to the sun and the linalool clashing with each other.

Limonene, on the other hand, is found in a lot of cleaning products and it contains harmful byproducts that can pose a lot of health risks. So, whenever these things come in contact with the skin and then you add an accelerator, like sunlight or chlorine in the mix, it can give rise to allergic reactions.

Symptoms Of Fragrance Allergy

Now that you know what fragrance allergy is and how it is caused, here are some symptoms that you need to look out for so you know when to visit an allergist Germantown. Keep in mind that these symptoms will take over once you apply the product with fragrance on your skin or inhale it.

• Your skin will instantly feel hot like it’s on fire.
• After some time, your skin might break out into red patches whenever you apply the fragrance-infused product.
• The patches can turn itchy very quickly and you’ll have the urge to scratch your skin off, which is not a good thing at all. If you break the skin and cause the patch to bleed, then it is a hot spot for infections to take over.
• You might feel a raging headache right after you’ve applied perfume or if you’ve smelt someone wearing a strong fragrance. It’s uncomfortable and you will want to throw up because your head just won’t stop hurting. In this case, immediately limit the contact and go for some fresh air before things take a turn for the worst.
• Some parts of your skin might also feel tender and swollen because of being exposed to the fragrance. It is similar to welts, but smaller in size.
• Your eyes will burn, especially if you’ve applied too much perfume or if your eyeballs are exposed to the spritz of liquid. In this case, wash your eyes immediately, before the matters get out of your hand.
• Your body will become sore and your muscles will ache. This is your immune system telling you that your body is sensitive to the fragrance and you need to limit the exposure right away.
• Coughing fits, chest constriction and wheezing will also be something you experience.

Treatment For Fragrance Allergy

Now that everything is out of the way regarding fragrance allergy, the next important thing to go over is: How do you treat this allergy? Well, here are some ways by which you can control the allergy symptoms and its symptoms:

Avoid The Fragrance

Firstly, you’re going to want to limit the exposure to fragrance. So, you need to stop using things like perfumes, lotions, and creams because the ingredients in them are chemical based and they’re causing your body to become extremely sensitive to the reactions.

In such a case, you need to switch to natural fragrances, like essential oils, natural perfumes derived from organic sources, and more.

Fragrance-Free Topical Cream

For the rashes, you will need a fragrance-free topical cream and that’s going to help soothe the area and you’ll feel better in no time.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines are lifesavers too, when you’re up against a severe allergic reaction. Take a couple of antihistamines and you will feel better in no time.

Antihistamines will help with the redness, and itchiness of the patches, and the swelling will also subside in no time. Keep them handy whenever you are going out somewhere because you never know when you will need them for emergencies.

Ventilation

Make your surroundings more ventilated, so that you’re not stuck in a thick cloud of fragrance. This can aggravate the reaction so whenever you can, keep the windows and blinds open for air to come and go through. A properly ventilated place will save you from getting major allergic reactions.

Immunotherapy

You can consider immunotherapy or allergy shots for fragrance allergy. The main gist of this treatment mode is to make your body and immune system strong against the onslaught of fragrance allergy. Your skin will be exposed to allergens and your body will naturally produce antibodies.

Conclusion

Fragrance allergy is pretty common and it can lead to a lot of skin and other allergy-related reactions. So, if you notice the symptoms, don’t ignore them and visit an allergy center Manassas.