Children's perfume contains allergy substances

Children's perfume contains allergy substances and can lead to dangerous health problems.

Children's perfume can cause an allergy in children. Some of the children's perfumes on offer contain high doses of allergenic substances, as reported by the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES).

Not only for adults, but also for children are offered numerous perfume products in the trade. For the most part, parents assume that the substances contained in such perfumes do not harm children's health. Especially the thin skin is very sensitive and therefore susceptible to harmful substances. But in half of the total of 16 children's perfumes studied, consumer advocates found allergy-inducing fragrances. Between 3 and 17 such harmful substances were found.

Such high concentrations are neither necessary nor child-friendly, as the consumer advocates criticize. On the other hand, one can not legally approach it, since its use is not prohibited, as it was said. Only with a perfume a complaint could be made, as it as „well tolerated“ has been advertised, but contained many allergenic substances. The EU regulations classify 26 fragrances as allergy-causing. Although the substances may be present in the cosmetic products, they must be labeled as an ingredient above a certain quantity on the label. The more fatal it is, if it was specially marked on a product, that it was declared to be less sensitizing and particularly well tolerated. However, this perfume for children contained allergenic substances.

Fragrances in children's perfume are not suitable for children and are not necessary
Allergenic fragrances in children's perfumes, as found in the investigations, are neither necessary nor suitable for children in such high concentrations. Especially allergenic fragrances with high sensitization rates are not appropriate in children's products. For this reason parents should make sure when buying child perfumes that the listed ingredients as little allergenic fragrances are listed as possible. It is better, however, either to access natural cosmetics or to save such products in children.

What health consequences can arise for children?
An allergy is basically an overreaction of the human immune system. If an allergy to perfume, so it comes mostly to a so-called contact allergy. This means that the allergy occurs where it came into contact with the triggering substance. Patients then complain of redness, itching, difficulty breathing and a constantly running nose. In rare cases it may also come to an odor problem. This can lead to acute respiratory distress.

Contained fragrances that were found
Eight of the children's perfumes tested in the lab contained well over one percent of allergy fragrances. In particular, allergenic fragrances with high sensitization rates are not appropriate in children's products. Of these substances, hydroxycitronellal (in six samples), hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexenes, carboxaldehydes (in four samples) and isoeugenol or cinnamal (in one sample) were detected in the children's perfume hydroxycitronellal. (sb, 02.10.2010)

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Picture credits: Barbara Eckholdt