Almost everything made today includes some kind of fragrance. It is in soaps, cleaning products, laundry detergent, deodorants, and more. I could list a lot more but then all we would have would be a list. We utilize perfume for air freshener, on our own bodies and on the bodies of our pets. The problem with all of this is that the proliferation of all of these chemicals could be contributing to making you feel ill.

The use of fragrances is nothing new, they have been used for centuries dating to biblical times but it is only now that we have begun to see some of the issues arising from the use of perfume. One of the main reasons for this, I think, is that throughout the ages fragrances were created from natural ingredients while now the vest majority of scents on the market are made from chemicals which leave a toxic vapor trail.

The reason for making the fragrances with synthetics is simple; it is much cheaper and faster to produce once they have the formula down. Some of the chemicals used like petroleum are proven and well documented to contain dangerous toxins that can cause health issues from birth defects to disorders of the nervous system, and even cancer.

The fragrance industry that uses these chemicals is completely unregulated because they are not thought to be producing anything dangerous. They don't have to supply the FDA with any date or information of testing, safety, or their formulas. Some people are more sensitive to these chemicals than others, so while it may not affect you it could very well be harming someone in your home. For people who are highly allergic to some of these chemicals they don't have to smell them, it can just be laundry soap that has an allergen that causes them to break out in a rash when they put on a freshly laundered piece of clothing.

Some are so hyper sensitive to certain perfumes that just one sniff of the scent can cause shortness of breath, rapid breathing and heart beat and other reactions. Some other very common signs of someone who is highly allergic are sore throat, sneezing, nausea, and watery eyes. In many cases if the chemical is absorbed through the skin it has an even more powerful impact.

There are many establishments today that are beginning to implement fragrance free policies due to the allergic reactions that are being seen. Not only do the ask people not to wear any scented products but they also use only unscented cleaning products for their janitorial services. As more and more people display reactions to the chemicals we will see companies all across the country following suit with similar policies.