Perfume use has been increasing rapidly recently. According to statistics at the end of 2011, it grew by about 30% compared to the previous year. The smell was so strong that people who sprayed perfume avoided it when they got on the bus, but these days, spraying perfume after meals is considered a basic courtesy.
Fragrances are used not only in perfumes but also in various households such as detergents, and these days, air is directed even in public places such as subways and department stores. However, it is pointed out that these scents are mainly synthetic scents, not natural scents, and that these scents can cause contact allergies when they come into contact with the skin.
Fragrances are known to contain 2,500 to 3,000 ingredients worldwide, and there are natural fragrances extracted from animals or plants, artificial synthetic perfumes, and combination perfumes that are suitably mixed.
Natural perfumes are perfumes obtained from animals and plants, and about 1,500 species are currently known, and about 200 species are commonly used. As the chemical structure of natural perfumes was identified, synthetic perfumes emerged instead of difficult and expensive natural perfumes. In addition, combination fragrances are usually made by adding a fragrance retention agent that prevents changes in the scent of several basic, auxiliary fragrances and mixed fragrances and at the same time continues the scent.
More than 1,000 tons of perfumes are used every year worldwide, and these perfumes are not used alone, but are mainly used in the form of mixtures, and the combination is treated as a corporate secret by each manufacturer.
Fragrance acts on the central nervous system, is involved in hormone secretion, changes emotions, acts on sympathetic nerves, and promotes adrenaline secretion. It acts on the immune system, causing allergies, and also causes asthma in the respiratory system. It also acts on the skin, causing contact allergies.
We are always exposed to these fragrances in our lives. In particular, certain fragrances are known to cause allergies when they come into contact with the skin, and the government recommends that these allergens be marked on the product when they are used at a certain concentration.
Allergies caused by perfumes are mainly caused by skin contact, and inhalation is unlikely. However, experts agree that if you already have contact allergies in certain ingredients, allergy symptoms may appear stronger when inhaling these ingredients.
Therefore, consumers must be notified of fragrances known to cause allergies should be refrained from being used as much as possible. In particular, when using air fresheners in public places, it is recommended to notify consumers of what ingredients are being used. For reference, 26 major allergens among the flavouring agents are known as "recommended ingredients among the ingredients of the flavouring agent" in the KFDA's guidelines for labeling cosmetics ingredients.
Writer: Grace Jun
(Picture from Unsplash)
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