Perfume allergy

The literature confirms that the fragrance mix remains the best screening agent for contact allergy to perfumes because it can detect some 70 to 80% of all perfume allergies.10,11 However,... 

Topical allergy to preservatives and antiseptics incorporated in vehicles is described in detail in Sects. M, N. In the Finish study of eczema patients over a 3-year period, perfume allergy was detected in 3.6% of the cases, sensitivity to thiomersal in 2%, to wool alcohols in 1.2%, to emulsifiers in 1%, to sorbic acid in 0.8%, and to parabens in 0.3% (Hannuksela et al. 1976a). 

Perfume allergy evaluation may be difficult. A complete perfume compound may consist of from 3 to more than 100 basic components (Fisher 1975 a), which can be classified as (1) natural products from flowers, plants, roots, herbs, woods, and gums (2) animal products and their extracts and (3) the synthetic fragrances. 

Allergic reactions to balsam of Peru are detailed under perfume allergy (Sect. R). The literature on this subject is based on Hjorth s monograph (1961). 

Edman B (1985) Sites of contact dermatitis in relationship to particular allergens. Contact Dermatitis 13 129-135 Edman B (1994) The influence of shaving method on perfume allergy. Contact Dermatitis 31 291-292 Emmons WW, Marks JG Jr (1985) Immediate and delayed reactions to cosmetic ingredients. Contact Dermatitis 13 258-265... 

Thune P, Salberg Y, McFadden N, Staerfelt F, Sandberg M (1982) Perfume allergy due to oak moss and other lichens. Contact Dermatitis 8 396-400... 

If only we had access to health care and education and social facilities that were chemical-free and perfume-free, people with allergies and chemical sensitivities would have some quality of life. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of examples of institutions that have become scent-free (see entry 276)- It s all about raising consciousness. Try to inform many more parents, such that the school board can be convinced to make changes. Focus your activism on the health of the children, pointing to conditions such as asthma, allergies and respiratory problems. Put the emphasis on the use of chemicals, since those form a threat to everyone, not just MCS patients. See www.the-abc-of-mcs.com under Perfume (fr ee) and Part VI. Get in touch with perfume-free schools in America and Canada and inquire about how they got it done and educated parents, teachers and students. They may have excellent informational materials to share with you. 

Perfume ingredients Contact allergy has caused pigmentation of the face (21)... 

Johansen JD, Rastogi SC, Menne T. Contact allergy to popular perfumes assessed by patch test, use test and chemical analysis. Br J Dermatol 1996 135(3) 419—22. 

Some feel that the odor of cologne, perfume, and shaving lotions are offensive and dangerous to those with allergies. There is talk that there will be areas of restaurants and public places set aside for those who do not want to be exposed to strong aromas. 

Allergic contact dermatitis due to lemon peel oil (among other products) was reported in perfume factory workers routinely exposed to essential oils and related compounds (Schubert 2006). A case of allergy to lemon peel essential oil has been reported and confirmed by patch testing (Audicana and Bernaola 1994). 

Oak moss is a common ingredient in perfumes and is included in the standard fragrance mix used to screen for fragrance allergies (Johansen et al. 2002). Of 59,298 persons that tested positively to fragrance mix between 1996 and 2002,29.9% had reactions to oak moss (Schnuch et al. 2004). In persons with allergic reactions to Frullania, many also tested positive to oak moss (Goncalo 1987). 

Perfume screening trays for patch testing has been developed to increase the sensitivity and specificity of perf ume allergy detection (Larsen 1977). In 20 perfume-sensitive patients examined with a screening tray of 15 fragrances, jasmin synthetic, cinnamic alcohol, and hydroxycitronellal were the three most common allergens. Rudzki and Grywa (1977 a) tested 35 essential oils and 4 balsams on... 

Rothenborg HW, Hjorth N (1968) Allergy to perfumes from toilet soaps and detergents in patients with dermatitis. Arch Dermatol 97 417-421 Roupe G, Strannegaard O (1969) Anaphylactic shock elicited by topical administration of bacitracin. Arch Dermatol 100 450-452... 

Hjort N (1961) Eczematous allergy to balsam, allied perfumes and flavoring agents. Acta Derm Venerol (Stockh) [Suppl] 41 102-105... 

Solvent-induced allergies can occur at a variety of working sites, e.g., in shoe factories, in electronic industries, in synthetic chemical industries, in metal industries or in perfume and potter industries (oil of turpentine and other solvents). Similar occurrence of solvents can be found in consumer products, e.g., in nail polishes (e.g., toluene). Allergic solvent substances are listed in various catalogues and databases. 

Dahlquist I, Fregert S (1980) Contact allergy to atranorin in lichens and perfumes. Contact Dermatitis 6 111-119... 

Detailed patch testing of patients with other types of eczema, (seborrhoeic, discoid, stasis, etc.) has demonstrated that they frequently have contact allergies to topical medicaments, preservatives or perfumes, but the relevance is usually uncertain. Whether the frequency is higher than that in the normal population has not been settled. It is possible that a contact dermatitis is superimposed on the original eczema, and change of topical remedies can result in clearance. 

Usnic acid is found in oak moss and used in perfumes. Usnea barbata is a lichen species that occurs in oak moss. Cross-reactions between structurally related lichen compounds are unclear, but must be considered (Mitchell 1965 Hausen et al. 1993). Contact dermatitis in vaginal ovules and contact allergy in deodorant spray has been reported (Hein and Tarnick 1987 Rafanelli et al. 1995). The patch-test concentration is 0.1% pet. Allergic reactions are rare or uncommon. 

Bruze M (1986) Simultaneous reactions to phenol-formaldehyde resins colophony/hydroabietyl alcohol and balsam of Peru/ perfume mixture. Contact Dermatitis 14 119 Burge PS (1984) Occupational asthma, rhinitis and alveolitis due to colophony. In Pepys J (ed) Clinics in immunology and allergy. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 55-81 Burry JN (1976) Contact dermatitis from radiata pine. Contact Dermatitis 2 262-263... 

An outbreak of dermatitis that occurred in an aircraft factory was caused by o-diglycidyl phthalate, among other chemicals [8]. Burrows and Rycroft have reported contact allergy to tricresyl ethylphthalate in a plastic-nail adhesive [9]. Phthalates can also appear in deodorant formulations, perfumes, emollients and insect repellents [10]. Triphenylphosphate allergy from spectacle frames has been reported [11,12]. 

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