11.14.2007

AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION

There seems to be some confusion about the problem here. There are definitely people who have negative physical reactions to perfume and other perfumed products, reactions that range from mild breathing discomfort to migraine headaches and severe difficulty with breathing. There's a danger in believing that because a person does NOT exhibit a negative, noticeable, physical reaction, they are not being harmed by these perfumes. A person could have a reaction to some perfumed product and attribute that reaction to something else in their environment. A person may not exhibit any negative physical reaction and believe that therefore perfumes are not hurting them.

The ingredients in fragrances are not listed on packages for a good reason: they're toxic. They are harmful to everyone who inhales them or rubs them on their skin. Just because a person doesn't get a headache or break out in a rash, does NOT mean they are not being negatively affected by these toxins.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have suffered for most of my life with allergies and headaches. I finally tracked down the cause: The additives that various food and household product manufacturers add to their products. By reading ingredients of everything very carefully, I have resolved most of my difficulties.

But that shouldn't be necessary! We should be able to trust the manufacturers.

Sadly, we cannot. They use harmful and even toxic ingredients because it increases their profits -- the consumer be damned.

Even with my awareness of the treachery of these manufacturers, I still have difficulty in avoiding their toxins, because they hide them. Shame on these people! They should be brought up on charges.

Self-righteous said...

The part about hiding toxic ingredients is very important. The FDA is largely to blame for the existence of toxic chemicals in personal care and household products: they require almost zero testing because the products are not ingested. Here's another opportunity: write letters! Include your congressman or woman, your other representatives. Write to the store where you bought the product, ask them if they're aware of the harmful ingredients.