Perfume allergies in the workplace

[lucigo]

I've learned from this board that my family is far from the only one with allergies to perfumes, colognes, laundry soaps, Downy, Febreez, etc. I work at home so my main problem is big events, elevator, places were people get dressed up. My oldest is now on her own and working in an office building, and having constant headaches. How do you deal with this type of situation? Is there some kind of air purifier or medication that works for you? I hate for her to have to take meds everyday. When I'm around a perfume it just permeates my every breath like I can't get away from it. I hate that I have passed that on to her

 

[mistysue]

Every so often I go into a building and there is a sign on the door asking people please to avoid heavy perfumes in consideration of those with allergies. She could probably talk to her manager about trying to get something like this. She may get some resistance trying to get an all around ban or some sort, but a gentle suggestion may take a chunk out of the problem.

 

[lucigo]

Every so often I go into a building and there is a sign on the door asking people please to avoid heavy perfumes in consideration of those with allergies. She could probably talk to her manager about trying to get something like this. She may get some resistance trying to get an all around ban or some sort, but a gentle suggestion may take a chunk out of the problem.

She thought because she works in an office where its all men except her that it would be better, but actually they rely on their wives to chose how things will smell. Its sad that she can tell me what laundry detergent her coworkers use.

She is a graphic designer, I see working at home in her future.

 

[englishteacha]

I have a similar situation, only I'm a teacher at a middle school. The boys are the worst. They practically bathe in body spray. I am upfront with my students at the beginning of the year. I say, "I understand that everyone likes to smell nice, but I have severe allergies to chemicals. If you choose to wear a fragrance, please put it on sparingly AT HOME." Luckily, the kids are very understanding about this. The biggest offender this time of year is the smelly hand sanitizer from Bath and Body Works. That stuff is potent, and my students do sometimes forget and use it in class. I have to send them to wash their hands, and then open a window a crack.

I suggest your daughter talk to her manager and explain her situation. They may not be able to do a lot about stuff like laundry detergent, but I'm sure people will understand and maybe they can move her desk near a window, or get her an air purifier, etc. or something. I find when I'm upfront with people, they are usually very understanding and accommodating.

 

[Jenn]

englishteacha - I totally agree the middle school kids are awful! Axe body spray and deodorant on the boys, scented everything on the girls - lotions, perfume, hair stuff, lip gloss, hand sanitizer. It's like an assault on my brain. Headache within minutes. And I'm not a teacher! But I volunteer at school and attend various school functions and it kills me every time!

 

[lucigo]

I have a similar situation, only I'm a teacher at a middle school. The boys are the worst. They practically bathe in body spray. I am upfront with my students at the beginning of the year. I say, "I understand that everyone likes to smell nice, but I have severe allergies to chemicals. If you choose to wear a fragrance, please put it on sparingly AT HOME." Luckily, the kids are very understanding about this. The biggest offender this time of year is the smelly hand sanitizer from Bath and Body Works. That stuff is potent, and my students do sometimes forget and use it in class. I have to send them to wash their hands, and then open a window a crack.

I suggest your daughter talk to her manager and explain her situation. They may not be able to do a lot about stuff like laundry detergent, but I'm sure people will understand and maybe they can move her desk near a window, or get her an air purifier, etc. or something. I find when I'm upfront with people, they are usually very understanding and accommodating.

Thanks, I'm sure working in a school must be torture sometimes! I think you are right she is just going to have to stop worrying about being embarrassed and talk to them about it.

 

[danceintherain]

Do you have any idea what causes her problems?

I recently found out from a friend that low blood pressure can cause people to be more sensitive to odors. I'm not sure if there's an easy solution to that problem, though I'm sure hydration helps. It might be worth pursuing.

I have sensitivities to scents as well, and I'm fairly positive that it's caused by my naturally low blood pressure. My Mom used to have the same problems. Now she has high blood pressure, and her problems with scents have gone away. It came up when I went to visit her. We're almost entirely scent free at our house, because DS has eczema. I just about died this past weekend at her house, because there were scents everywhere. Laundry detergent, fabric softener, candles etc. I have reason to expect that my blood pressure was lower than usual.

DH has a condition that causes drastic changes in blood pressure, and some of what helps him is increased salt intake and hydration. He's also shown distaste for scents when his blood pressure is particularly low.
We probably stink to the rest of the world, because we barely scent anything in our house due to our combined issues.

Basically, I doubt she can do much about other people, but if she can isolate the cause of her adverse reactions, she may be able to alter something in her life that might make a difference to her symptoms.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Basically, I doubt she can do much about other people, but if she can isolate the cause of her adverse reactions, she may be able to alter something in her life that might make a difference to her symptoms.

I agree, sorry those of you who deal with this but most people don't and they like to smell *what they consider* nice. Oy - the middle schoolers - that's just one more thing that makes them almost intolerable - bless those who work with and for them

 

[lizabu]

I work in an office and there are a couple of people who are sensitive to fragrances. They made it a scent free work place. I've worked in a few places that were scent free. It doesn't bother me. There was one guy at my work who was helping a girl and his lips started to swell up and he was having trouble swallowing and couldn't figure out why. Later he discovered the girl was wearing a lip gloss with coconut in it. He's really allergic to coconut. Just sitting beside her was enough to make him start to swell. I think most adults know these sensitivities are no joke. We don't want to give others migraines or put them in the hospital. My advice is just say something to HR.

 

[lucigo]

Do you have any idea what causes her problems?

I recently found out from a friend that low blood pressure can cause people to be more sensitive to odors. I'm not sure if there's an easy solution to that problem, though I'm sure hydration helps. It might be worth pursuing.

I have sensitivities to scents as well, and I'm fairly positive that it's caused by my naturally low blood pressure. My Mom used to have the same problems. Now she has high blood pressure, and her problems with scents have gone away. It came up when I went to visit her. We're almost entirely scent free at our house, because DS has eczema. I just about died this past weekend at her house, because there were scents everywhere. Laundry detergent, fabric softener, candles etc. I have reason to expect that my blood pressure was lower than usual.

DH has a condition that causes drastic changes in blood pressure, and some of what helps him is increased salt intake and hydration. He's also shown distaste for scents when his blood pressure is particularly low.
We probably stink to the rest of the world, because we barely scent anything in our house due to our combined issues.

Basically, I doubt she can do much about other people, but if she can isolate the cause of her adverse reactions, she may be able to alter something in her life that might make a difference to her symptoms.

Interesting thought. I had high BP for a while but then worked on getting it back down to normal. My scent allergies didn't change with my BP.

 

[disykat]

People just don't realize. I just went to the dr. today with asthma issues and I could probably tell you exactly what kind of soap and laundry detergent both the nurse and the doctor used. It always amazes me that this is an issue even at the drs. office. They, if anyone, should have a clue.

I have seriously looked into personal air purifier that you can wear around your neck, but haven't found one with good enough reviews.

In general, I have found the worst offenders to be totally clueless about it because they wear so much fragrance they are immune to it and don't realize they "waft" an odor.

 

[karliebug]

Is there some type of small air purifier she could put on or under her desk? I would definitely talk to her supervisor and let coworkers know. I am sure people would be understanding of her problem.

 

[crashbb]

It sounds like your daughter is super sensitive. If even what type of laundry detergent someone uses is causing problems, the issue is not going to be totally solved by talking to coworkers.

I'd have her look into an air purifier. Also, is her office/cubicle in a heavily traveled area? If so, any chance she can move into one that is more isolated (fewer people, with their scents, walking past)?

 

[mhsjax]

Wow, if she can tell what type of laundry detergent people are using, that is bad. I don't know what to tell you. I understand that people get headaches from those who use gobs of perfume and the boys and their dreaded Axe.

I don't think anyone os going to change laundry detergent in order to keep the aroma down for others, or their body soap for that matter. It is a tough situation. Good luck.

 

[dhuba]

I just wanted to sympathize with the OP and her daughter. Some people don't understand how this is affecting others and think it's no big deal. I can get a migraine in a second when I smell something like a strong perfume. My sister-in-law caused me to have a three day migraine, ruining my Christmas day, which I was hosting. She wore gobs of some terrible perfume at our Christmas Eve family gathering and it put me down for three days. I don't think you should smell someone coming and going.

 

[disykat]

I'm surprised people don't think you can smell laundry detergent. While I agree that you NORMALLY can't, and used to wonder why you could with some people, I learned through threads on the DIS that many people purposely use extra products (like dryer sheets etc.) because they want to smell like laundry. They like the smell and find it comforting so they keep upping the amount until they can smell it every time they move.

 

[shortbun]

I don't know how to solve this problem. We live in a non fragrance home. One of my son's friends laundry detergent fragrances our whole home. If he walks in the front door, I can smell him in the back of the house.
I worked in an office for the last time about 10 years ago. My boss loved and wore Fendi like her life depended on it being on every inch of everything she owned. We worked on the 4th floor. I could smell it walking in the building and she entered at another door. I finally told her that her perfume, although expensive and surely a good smell, was permeating every part of the building and making me sick. She started wearing another fragrance JUST as compulsively. Then, I had my doctor write a letter explaining my allergy. She stopped applying her fragrance in the building, sigh. I started taking sick days. When she brought me in her-choke-office, to discuss my absence, I told her that her perfume was giving me a rash, migraines and constant nausea. I wrote a letter and deposited it with Human Resources. Her boss spoke to her and asked her to make the office a fragrance free zone. He came to me and thanked me; the fragrances were making him sick too.

 

[angierae]

I've always considered perfume to be something "intimate". Someone shoudl have to be very close to you to be able to smell your perfume. I have a coworker who leaves a trail behind her - you can tell what rooms she has been in. It's not even an offensive smell, she wears very nice perfume. But I've never understood WHY someone wants to scent the ENTIRE ROOM they are in.

 

[lucigo]

I don't know how to solve this problem. We live in a non fragrance home. One of my son's friends laundry detergent fragrances our whole home. If he walks in the front door, I can smell him in the back of the house.
I worked in an office for the last time about 10 years ago. My boss loved and wore Fendi like her life depended on it being on every inch of everything she owned. We worked on the 4th floor. I could smell it walking in the building and she entered at another door. I finally told her that her perfume, although expensive and surely a good smell, was permeating every part of the building and making me sick. She started wearing another fragrance JUST as compulsively. Then, I had my doctor write a letter explaining my allergy. She stopped applying her fragrance in the building, sigh. I started taking sick days. When she brought me in her-choke-office, to discuss my absence, I told her that her perfume was giving me a rash, migraines and constant nausea. I wrote a letter and deposited it with Human Resources. Her boss spoke to her and asked her to make the office a fragrance free zone. He came to me and thanked me; the fragrances were making him sick too.

Glad to hear this story has a happy ending!

 

[4HppyCamprs]

I've always considered perfume to be something "intimate". Someone shoudl have to be very close to you to be able to smell your perfume. I have a coworker who leaves a trail behind her - you can tell what rooms she has been in. It's not even an offensive smell, she wears very nice perfume. But I've never understood WHY someone wants to scent the ENTIRE ROOM they are in.

That was the womanly knowledge that was handed down to me as well. It should be intimate and not a room freshner. If you can smell it from more than two feet away it is too much.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards