Fragrance allergy is in fact a very complicated situation because there are many dozens of different fragrances used in modern products. These products obviously include actual perfumes themselves but what patients need to understand is that many other household products also contain fragrance. These include fairly obvious things such as shampoos, washing soaps, fabric conditioners, etc., but also include other less well recognised items such as smooth surface polishes, air fresheners, automobile fresheners, and of course plants and flowers themselves. If you are a fragrance allergy sufferer you need to sit down and really think very hard indeed about the types of exposures you receive both at home and also at work. There are well documented cases of patients breaking out into eczema simply by occasionally watering plants in the workplace.
Fragrance allergy can give very severe reactions.
The key to living with fragrance allergy is avoidance. Of course treatment is important and skin surface steroid creams are usually needed to bring about rapid improvement. Very occasionally oral steroids are required for a short period of time. For further information see the section on allergic contact dermatitis. Smoking 80 cigarettes per day is more harmful than smoking one cigarette per day.