Fragrances can be dangerous

Americans are enamored with fragrances and advertisers frequently link fragrances with a desired quality such as “sexiness,” “freshness,” or “innocence.” Consumers can choose a variety of scents for a certain product, such as “mountain fresh” or “lemon scented.” Nice smells are supposed to be part of a happy life, consumers are told.

But fragrance products are not necessarily harmless and many can cause unpleasant effects. Studies show that fragrance chemicals can affect health, primarily the skin, lungs and brain. Data from the Health Environmental Resource Center suggests that as many as 75 percent of known asthmatics, about nine million Americans, have asthma attacks triggered by perfumes. Fragrance chemicals have the potential to affect, and possibly damage, brain tissue. Linalool, the most abundant chemical in perfume and fragrance products, is known to cause lethargy, depression, and life-threatening respiratory effects.

Children are even more susceptible than adults to the effects of fragrance chemicals, yet fragrances are added to nearly every baby product on the market. Parents who wear perfume or use scented products may well be poisoning the air their children breathe. Exposure to fragrances may result in the child having difficulty concentrating, learning disabilities, hyperactive behavior and even growth retardation and seizures in extreme cases.

According to the Resource Center, it is prudent to avoid fragranced products as much as possible until the time when they have all been tested and the harmful ones removed.