The Effects of Heavy Perfume Use in Work Environments
When you’re wearing too much perfume in a work environment, smelling good can be bad. One of the fastest ways to freshen up in the morning is by spritzing on a favorite scent.
But applying fragrance too heavily can lead to everything from adverse health reactions in fellow employees to a tarnished workplace reputation. In some cases, coworkers have even filed lawsuits against heavy perfume wearers.
Allergies
More than two million people suffer from perfume-induced allergies, according to WebMD. For those affected, a whiff of the right strong scent can cause almost instant migraines, sneezing and watering eyes, nausea, dizziness and even hives.
And as lab-created fragrances become more complex —for instance, some perfumes are estimated to be made from a mix of hundreds of different chemicals— the likelihood is good that something in your favorite spray could have an effect on an allergy-prone coworker.
Asthma
A strong, nose-clogging perfume can trigger serious asthma attacks in some people. Asthma is a chronic condition that leaves the lungs of the sufferer constantly inflamed.
Certain allergens, from animal dander to cigarette smoke to chemical-created scents like perfume, can exacerbate the inflammation, cause muscles around the lungs to contract and lead to the production of thick mucous, which clogs airways further. During an asthma attack, sufferers endure coughing, wheezing, feelings of chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Job Security
Even if heavy perfume use does not cause serious health effects in the workplace, it can negatively affect the work environment and possibly even jeopardize the job of the offender. Too much perfume can distract people from their work, impact the way coworkers or supervisors view the fragrance wearer and turn away customers.
While a heavy-handed spritz might be fine before a night out on the town, it can make a bad impression first thing in the morning. After all, you want to get attention for the quality of your work, not the way you smell.
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