Get To Know Perfume Materials That Can Cause Allergy Reactions If Skin Is Affected

JAKARTA - Direct contact with perfume or fragrance can cause an itching rash in certain people, according to Leow Yung Hian, a senior dermatologist from the National Skin Center Singapore. As quoted by Channel News Asia, Friday, October 11, he said that perfume or fragrances that are too strong or too thick can cause dermatitis of irritant contact, skin problems arising from irritation.

"Anyone can experience dermatitis if the product is present in the 'wrong' concentration," he said.

He said that other skin reactions that can arise from the use of perfume are dermatitis of allergic contacts, where patients are allergic to certain fragrances. People who are allergic to certain fragrances can experience itching rashes if they receive repeated fragrance exposures.

According to Dr. Christopher Foo, a dermatologist and consultant at Raffles Skin & Aesthetics, skin reactions can be caused by chemicals contained in perfume.

"And different perfumes contain different kinds of chemicals," he said.

Jason Lee, founder and CEO of Six Scents, said that skin and nose allergies often arise due to synthetic compounds such as musk or artificial preservatives.

"Even some natural essential oils, although pure, can cause irritation of sensitive skin due to their concentrated nature," he said.

The following are perfume ingredients that he thinks can cause allergic reactions if the content exceeds the concentration limit.

Dr. Foo said that an allergic reaction does not occur immediately when the skin is exposed to perfume or fragrance. The first few exposures will not cause a reaction. However, the immune system will then recognize perfume as a dangerous substance after the skin is exposed repeatedly, resulting in rashes.

If the use of certain perfumes causes itching and rashes that are not too severe, Dr. Foo suggests that the product is no longer used.

"Free drugs such as hydrocortison creams, which are topical anti-inflammatory steroids, may be enough to defuse reactions if the reaction is mild," he said.

He recommends testing perfume samples on the skin before using them. According to Lee, the best way to test fragrances is to spray a little fragrance on the inner wrist or elbows and let them absorb for several hours.

"Wewangian evolves along with your skin's chemical reactions, so what smells good on a piece of paper may be very different on your skin after a while," Lee said.