subject: What You Need To Know About The Perfume Allergy [print this page] Perfume allergy is caused by perfumes which contain a number of allergens. These are chemicals that generate irritable reactions on the human body. Not all perfumes cause allergy. Some fragrances would be allergic to a particular individual while some others are not. Having knowledge of perfume allergy, chemicals that create allergies and symptoms will help you know what type of perfumes you should use and distinguish allergy causing perfumes during the purchase.
What is perfume allergy?
Perfume allergy is a hypersensitive reaction of the immune system of the human body towards certain fragrances or chemicals present in perfumes. A fragrance is something that produces pleasurable smell and several fragrances are contained in a perfume. These fragrances do not generate any reactions in some people while in others, they develop symptoms like skin allergy, nausea, vomiting sensation and even asthma. In most cases, the immune system treats these fragrances or chemicals as foreign substance and gets ready to attack them. The intensity of allergic reactions varies with different individuals. Some allergies persist only for a short period of time while others appear as a series of reactions day by day. However, most allergies resolve and the symptoms would disappear gradually.
Different types of perfume allergy
One of the most common perfume allergies is contact allergy which is generally found in adults. This is because there are a number of perfumes with varying fragrances which you come in contact daily. Contact allergy can be classified in to two, direct contact allergy and indirect contact allergy. These allergies occur when the fragrances come in contact with the olfactory senses of the skin or when the immune system reacts with the chemicals that stick to the skin cells.
Among these two allergy types, direct contact allergy is not dangerous since it can be resolved by just avoiding the perfume. Indirect perfume allergy develops irrespective of who wears the perfume. This means, the person passing by a room where the scent is present or just standing near a perfume stand can generate symptoms like sneezing or itching on the skin. These are the situations that are unforeseen and you may not be able to identify.
Symptoms of perfume allergy
Though with direct and indirect contact perfume allergy cannot be distinguished accurately, these are rarely apparent with the symptoms. Itchiness, rashers, wheals and eczema are the common symptoms of direct contact allergy. On the other hand, indirect allergy results in severe symptoms such as dizziness, asthma, chest congestion, vomiting, fainting and sneezing. These symptoms may develop slowly or may occur at the instant. It depends on the immune system of the person.
Preventing perfume allergy
The best way to resolve perfume allergy is to prevent it. Give care and attention to these symptoms. Immediately seek the advice of a doctor even when you experience slight reactions. Your doctor will determine the allergy with test strips that identifies the chemicals in the perfume. If you find yourself to be allergic to perfumes, avoid the use of them. It does not mean that you should completely stop using perfumes. Avoid wearing those that are harmful to you. Ask the doctor for the first aid tips that you can follow, if you encounter the allergic reactions again.
