# anyone suffering health problems from exposure to scents?



## Woodi (Jun 9, 2009)

I am currently noticing that my throat/lungs/chest.....are feeling less and less well, and I am suspecting the use of fragrance oils. I just opened a box of newly purchased of my favorite fo's, and afterwards, found myself sniffling, congested......slightly headachey, as if cold or flu symptoms.

For months, friends have been warning me that the neverending 'cold and flu' symptoms I've been having..... may be due to inhaling toxins in the scents. I can't kid myself anymore that synthetic fragrances contain toxic substances, and over a long period of time, exposure to these can affect my health.

SOB! I love making soap, love fragrances. More than half of my soap sales come from fo-scented soap. Not everyone likes eo's, they say they are too medicinal-smelling.

What to do, what to do?......I have over a thousand dollars invested in scents in my soaproom.


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## Tabitha (Jun 9, 2009)

I think it is all about moderation. When I get a new box of scents I do stick them right up my nose & inhale way too much & way too often & end up feeling sick. Everytime I walk past my scent shelves I pick a few up & inhale. I have found that just by sniffing the lid of the fo,  6 or 8 inches away from the nose does just as well. You get the scent w/o all the vapors.


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## Tabitha (Jun 9, 2009)

This is a good point you bring up. FOs are chemicals & we need to treat them as such & limit our exposure when it's in it's pure form.


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## Lindy (Jun 9, 2009)

Diane, the other thing you could have checked is to see if it is certain scents that are boithering you.  I have allergies, it's why I got into making my own products and when I have something that is one of my allergens I end up with flu/cold symptoms.  Depending on the severity of the allergy will determine how rotten I feel.  I even have a couple of allergies that are anaphalactic (sp?) even in scent form and those I simply stay away from completely.  If for some reason I do have to handle them I have a chemical ventilation mask on as well as gloves and long sleeves, once I'm done then the cloths go straight into the wash.  Thanks goodness there are only a couple of those and most of the time I can keep them out of my house - but things happen.  I have a lot of them narrowed down and have totally eliminated them.  

Maybe talk to your doctor about possible allergies?


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## Guest (Jun 9, 2009)

I have not connected to the FO's until I read your post. I got a large box of FO"s yesterday, my nose has been running like a tap since and I am coughing.I haven't sniffed them since yesterday .Hmmm.I know I have allergies but never thought of FO"s.  Interesting for sure. Thanks for posting your thoughts Woodi.


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## rszuba (Jun 10, 2009)

i have allergies and asthma too. for this reason i do stick to eo's. saying that, i do believe just because it is natural, doesn't mean it won't bother you(i'm allergic to most everything,mold, trees, cats, chamomile etc). and i can be overwhelmed from a night of soaping. i just keep moderation. if you can work in ventilated area, that may help, whereing a face mask may also help.


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## Woodi (Jun 10, 2009)

Thanks for the upbeat encouragement, ladies! I do so love sniffing my scents. Being in the soaproom creating new combinations, makes me feel uplifted and happy. Maybe it's worth a little suffering now and then. 

I suspect that molds and fungi in my everyday environment may also be contributing to my sniffiness.

Life is full of difficulties, but also joys, right?

I will use my breathing mask more often in the soaproom. I know it's there somewhere, on one shelf or other..... :roll:

I located it again!....and I decided to never forget to wear it in the soaproom, not ever again!....soaping better now. How attractive is this?


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