Is Perfume the New Cigarette? 150 Fall Ill to Sprayed Perfume

Associated Content ^ | 8/30/09 | Bobby Tall Horse

[stillafreemind]

We've all been there, a restaurant, church, classroom, shopping aisle and yes a bar, when someone will walk in and the place turns to weeping eyes and sneezing. How well do you think people take it when asked to "remove" their perfume? But due to stories like the people above who fell ill due to someone's perfume I believe people are starting to look at perfume as the next cigarette.

[Mr. K]

I have never been as chocked by cigarette smoke as I have been from a whiff of a gallon of perfume havily applied

[thefactor]

there is a cleaning lady in my office. literally we can smell her when she gets to the hallway outside our office!

when she gets into our section you literally have to step away or hold your breath. a french whore would be embarrased. it's horrible. truly.

[woollyone]

better than bass turds?

[Ditter]

I have some of the same problems. Some strong scents cause me to have a difficult time breathing but all I have to do is get away from it. Remember when department stores had a girl just inside the front door spraying perfume on every woman who came in? I have nearly punched a couple of those girls out to keep them from spraying me. They don’t do it anymore, someone must have really followed through with a punch.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Or maybe they were sued when someone had an asthma attack?

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Same here? So how do you tactfully tell others you can’t visit in their homes?

[Raycpa]

Perfume can create allergic reactions, especially if the original concentrations change over time. Its no different than the potential of any other chemical to create a reaction.

[Leisler]

France. Place never heard of soap, showers or dry cleaning.

[JenB987]

I work with a guy who wears the most terrible cologne I have ever smelled. Smells like sweet mold. The lady who works next to his office has to close her door all the time because she wants to throw up.

Even the other men I work with have commented on how bad and strong it is.

[muawiyah]

Channell Number 5 causes many people to have an intense urge to urinate.

This is why ALL perfumes must be banned from public spaces.

[BallyBill]

Growing up as the only male in a house of 5, I can tell you certain perfumes and the old hairsprays in cans would make my lungs feel like they were the size of walnuts.

Luckily my mom and sisters were very understanding. Cigarette smoke is just annoying(now that I quit).

[Ditter]

I have gone around and blown out scented candles in peoples houses and then told them the reason. They were OK with it. Potpourri is not quite as bad unless you are really close to it. I can't go into potpourri stores that sell it. Cigarette smoke drifts and it is more difficult to stay away from it but I don't know many people who smoke anymore.

[OB1kNOb]

This subject reminds me of the old adage,

"The perfume you wear has a wonderful scent, but must you marinate in it?"

[Grumpybutt]

Same here with certain odors - hubby brought home some “clean linen” scented candles once - Big mistake

But, like you said, that’s just my sensitivities - however, I do tend to avoid being near “little old ladies” as some of their perfume affects me the most.

[trisham]

I'd rather be in an elevator with someone wearing too much perfume than someone wearing no deodorant.

[JenB]

I don’t visit many peoples’ homes, I’m kind of an introvert! I do find though that saying it’s a “fragrance allergy” helps. Then I explain that fragrances are artificial substances added to products to change their scent, and that it’s the chemicals I’m allergic to and not the smell.

Mostly people seem to get it. About things in their homes, not about their own personal perfumes/deoderants/etc though.

[virginiaspook1]

Cigarette smoke comes in a very distant second! There is nothing worse than the smell of cheap perfume. My throat closes up when I am in too close proximity to someone who has presumably bathed in it!

[wbill]

I have to admit cigarette smoke comes in second to a lot of perfumes being worn out there as far as choking a person to tears.

I agree. There's a woman here at work who used to take a bath in the stuff. HR needed to get involved, it was so bad.

I'm not overly sensitive, but I'd take working in a cigar bar, over working in the cube next to this chick.

[Buckeye McFrog]

time to go after Big Spritz?

[nina0113]

...had a woman accidentally set off a canister of pepper spray at her desk at work one day,she ran, and we emptied the place in minutes

A nitwit co-worker of mine once sprayed a tiny bit in his trashcan to see if it was still active. Yes, it was. He and I worked elsewhere the rest of the day, and just locked the door to the office we shared. No one else ever knew, but I never let him forget.