Frequently asked questions
Does using unperfumed, unfragranced, fragrance free and unscented products help people with perfume allergy?
Yes, without a doubt, the less exposure to perfumes you can have over the day, the less you are likely to experience symptoms, although you will no doubt be exposed to other people's perfumes.
Does unperfumed, or unfragranced mean there is no perfume in the product?
No, unfortunately it doesn't. These terms usually mean it is a version of a product, say a deodorant, that has not had a scent added, like other versions in the range, which will be called shower fresh, or country garden or something to give an indication of at they are supposed to smell like, and some of them really do!
However, the chemical bases of some of these products smell so disgusting that at the base stage, they mix in perfumes to overcome the awful smell of the product. What they then have is a fairly neutral base product which doesn't really smell of very much, but has not had any country fresh added yet. So unperfumed can mean it has had perfume added, but has not been given a distinctive perfume smell.
Do all perfumes bring on symptoms in all sufferers?
No, this is perhaps one of the areas of relative comfort to many sufferers. It is often certain ingredients of perfumes which are causing the problem, so it may well be possible to find a range of products which do not give a problem. These are most likely to be the more natural, or herbal products, which have been perfumed using natural oils, flowers, etc.
Are there medications which can relieve the allergy?
There are several medications and herbal preparations which may relieve symptoms, but are unlikely to provide a long term solution. If you allow the exposure to the allergens, while treating the symptoms, you are suppressing the warnings the body is giving that it is not managing to cope with the exposure levels it is experiencing, so in the longer term, the continued exposure with the symptoms masked, may make things worse instead of better.
For short term relief of extreme symptoms, of course, anything
which helps will probably be welcome.
Is it possible to test yourself for allergies, without going to the hospital?
Yes, self testing kits are available, with them you can test yourself for a range of known allergens, which can identify which types of substance you should avoid, and perhaps just as importantly, may allow you to use some products you thought may be harmful to you but tested clear.
You can order them online, click - Multi Allergy Screening Test
Can it go away?
Yes, the symptoms will usually clear very soon after the source
of the allergens, in this case the perfume, is removed. So, avoiding being
in contact with known irritants, can be very effective, although very difficult
to achieve.