Ways of dealing fragrance sensitivity
Some of us love to smell good and fresh all day long while others want to completely avoid people with fragrance because of fragrance sensitivity. You may be in a public place and all over a sudden you begin sneezing continuously and have watery eyes. This is because of fragrance sensitivity which is mainly caused by a whiff of other people’s fragrance. It is so unfortunate for people with fragrance sensitivity because fragrance is almost everywhere. This makes gives people with sensitivity a difficult time when it comes to deal with sensitivity. In severe conditions, some get asthma attacks. It is not always possible to avoid the fragrance that’s why we will discuss ways of dealing with sensitivity.
What is fragrance sensitivity
This is when a person develops signs of irritation similar to an allergic reaction caused by the chemicals used in fragrances.
It is more daunting to deal with sensitivity since most products that we have in our homes have fragrance. This condition gets even worse when in public places where there are a lot of scents. This is because there are a lot of different ingredients used in these products making it hard to identify the cause of the reaction.
Symptoms of fragrance sensitivity
There are two types of sensitivity- skin and respiratory reactions. The frequency and intensity of the sensitivity differ from person to person.
People with skin reaction display the following symptoms:-
- Itching
- Skin redness
- Skin burning
The skin reaction occurs after coming in to contact with the chemicals in the products we use on a daily basis. For instance, air fresheners, scented candles, personal perfumes, and cleaning detergents.
Those with respiratory reaction may experience similar symptoms to seasonal allergies. Respiratory or nasal reaction symptoms include:
- Breathing difficultly
- Continuous sneezing
- Headache
- Running or congested nose
- Water eyes
It is even worse for people with preexisting asthma conditions because in many cases it causes asthmatic attacks.
Fragrance sensitivity in the workplace
Dealing with scent sensitivity in the work is a serious problem. If you are sensitivity you may consider applying the following 7 measures to help minimize the frequency and intensity.
- Approach your workmates in a polite friendly manner. Make sure you do not offend or scolded.
- You may think of changing your sitting position to a less crowded place one with constant fresh airflow.
- You can opt to change your shift time to a shift with fewer people to avoid being exposed. In worse cases, you can request to work from at home via telecommuting.
- If possible avoid coming in to contact with your workmates. You can either use emails, video calls, or teleconference.
- You can also request for a fragrance policy against your fellow workers. The policies differ from office to office. Either way, you can apply for a general policy against strong colognes.
- Another option would be to consult an allergist or a dermatologist. They will prescribe some medicine that will help deal with the sensitivity.
- Lastly, you can use air purifiers to protect yourself. You can also opt to use a clean handkerchief to cover your mouth and nose while walking in the perfume store.
If you are fragrance sensitive you can use the following ways that can be used to treat and prevent sensitivity.
- Address your sensitivity issues to the concerned people. Be sure to use a polite approach and a respectful language.
- Make sure you read the ingredients or chemicals used in different products.
- Avoid using scented products like cleaning detergents, fabric softeners, and scented candles.
- Make it your duty to know the products that are fragrance-free.
- Use protection like air purifiers.
- Seeking medical attention from dermatologists and allergists.
- Buy antihistamines and corticosteroid nasal medication to prevent the symptoms.
- Minimize or keep off the products that may cause skin burn or irritation.
- Make sure the products you use daily are scent-free.
Many people continue wearing their favorite perfume daily without the knowledge that others may be suffering from the scent. It is undeniably a hard task to control what you expose to people but you should carefully monitor your cologne and opt to change if it affects the people around you.