Apologies if this is a dumb question, but re: scented things causing reactions, is it only fragranced things? Or can the smell of cooking food cause a reaction? I'm wondering if there are safer alternatives for people who want their home to smell nice (as opposed to just being clean) but without using fragranced things like candles or diffusers
Thank you for asking. And it depends on the person.
I have a condition called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) which makes my body perceive harmless things as a threat.
Red meat is one of my worst allergies, and while the smell of it cooking won’t make me as lethally ill as eating it, the smell can make me feel not good because the mast cell receptors in my nasal passage pick up on it and start sending “we’ve been exposed to our allergen” signals and because my immune systems is broken, it can sometimes perceive that as a threat and I get ill.
It’s not as common as eating the allergen, but it can happen.
For people with “normal” fragrance sensitivity, using things like coffee beans or baking cookies is a lot nicer way of scenting your home without risking harm to others who are adversely affected by strong fragrances.
Best thing to do is ask people. It might seem weird at first but I promise you, asking your friend with say, migraines, if there’s any scents that bother them and making sure they’re not exposed to them in your house is a good way to show you’re willing to be a safe space for them. They’ve likely never even had people ask. People just expose us to our triggers all the time and don’t care.
Near as I understand it, people with fragrance sensitivities are functionally having an allergy response to the *musk* that's in the fragrance. The carrier agent. Which, annoyingly enough, sometimes means you don't even have to be able to perceive whatever scented thing is in your immediate vicinity - you'll just get the damn migraine. Or other reaction.
Thing is, this isn't just limited to perfumes. It's ANYTHING scented. The laundry detergent. The hand lotion. THE HAND SOAP. The shampoo and conditioner. The fucking cat litter. Freaking household cleaners. Hairspray. Makeup!
I've gotten hives because I bought a jacket after someone else had tried it on, and they had perfume on their wrists.
I'm going to have to do something about the bathroom at work, because they just changed out the soap dispensers and therefore, the soap, and the scent building up in the bathroom from people washing their hands is triggering migraines for me.
I frequently have to alter my walking path because the person ahead of me is wearing something and I have to get to air they haven't contaminated.
I have several coworkers that I cannot be in the same vicinity with simply because they wear a cologne that happens to be particularly evil to my brain. And yes, I've told them that their cologne triggers my migraines. They won't give up their stinky shit, but they will at least avoid my office, so there is that.
Nothing needs to be scented. If you really want to be nice to people with scent allergies, just don't use anything. Just clean the house. Clean houses don't smell bad (usually) and therefore don't need to have odorizers to cover the stink.
My house was *rank* when I bought it. Previous owners had 5 dogs in a wet climate. They used (thankfully mild) deodorizers to help combat the smell. I ripped out the carpet and solved the problem.
Just go for "free and clear" products whenever possible. Sadly, things labeled "unscented" are actually scented... It's a damn nightmare.
Anyway. Hi. I may be mildly passionate about this, because it puts me in pain on a daily basis. I'm thankful you are curious enough to ask.
Fragrance free is also something to look for, because yeah “unscented” usually means it’s scented. Fragrance free means nothing has been added.
