LIFESTYLE NEWS - Many people try to mask unpleasant smells in their environment by covering them with pleasant smells. However, the immediate and long-term effects of exposure to synthetic fragrances are hazardous to our health.
Adding a ‘pleasant’ smelling chemical to our bodies and air will not only affect our own health, but the health of other people and pets who share the space with us.
Experts have long been warning us about the potential dangers of synthetic ingredients in strong perfumes that last all day and that in some cases cause headaches, sneezing and nausea.
The serious health hazards of synthetic fragrances
It’s not just sensitive people who have stopped using scents. Synthetic scents are potentially harmful to our bodies because our systems don’t recognize them.
About 95 percent of chemicals used in synthetic fragrances are derived from petroleum (crude oil). They include benzene derivatives (carcinogenic), aldehydes, toluene and many other known toxic chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions.
Some of the worst toxic ingredients used in lotions, shampoos, laundry detergents and cleaning products include synthetic scents that are often listed on labels as the elusive “fragrance”.
Many of these ingredients are known or suspected endocrine disrupters, compounds that interfere with hormonal health and that can trigger weight gain and diseases decades later.
Even washing clothes in detergents and fabric softeners containing fragrances releases toxic chemicals onto the skin and into the air all day long. At night, sleeping in pyjamas and on sheets washed in the same toxic materials has the same effect. Because of this, people are awash in fragrances 24 hours a day.
A survey of selected scented consumer goods showed the products emitted more than 100 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including some that are classified as toxic or hazardous.
Read the full article here on the Caxton publication, Alberton Record
