Perfume and scents can endanger the health of others, says a release from Sunrise Health Region, which reminds people to not use perfumes and fragrances on days when visiting health care facilities.
The chemicals and oils in perfumes and scented products spread when they become vapors in the air, the release said. The vapours breathed in by others or settling on clothing, hair or objects can cause severe breathing diffi culties, skin or eye irritation for some patients and health care workers with allergies or lung conditions.
According to The Lung Association, a typical fragrance can contain between
100 to 350 ingredients, it said. The problem with scented products is not so much the smell itself as the chemicals that produce the smell.