Why do perfumes give me headaches? Let's discuss this matter in more detail

Ever wonder why a perfume fragrance can become a source of headache! For most people, perfumes do not cause any such symptoms. Still, few highly sensitive, allergic individuals might complain of a mild to the throbbing level of headache after using a perfume.

For some people, a specific perfume triggers the reaction and causes perfume headaches. Some people get headaches from cigarette smoke while others feel sensory overload in perfume sprays. Many people stop applying perfume altogether due to this reason. But there has to be a way out for those who want to use scent and not experience the undesirable effects of that scent.

Let's dive into it deeper and find out the reason behind the fragrance allergies caused by perfumes. 

Too Many Perfumes Cause a Headache - Why?

Perfumes have various chemicals that can easily enter your sinuses. Upon entering the sinuses, the particles from the perfume swell up those sinuses, making them difficult to drain. The poor drainage builds up pressure causing headaches.

These headaches can range from throbbing to mild. This is because there are certain receptors in the body of an allergic person which trigger and initiate headaches.

The chemicals from perfumes reach specific receptors in the brain to trigger a response in the form of allergy-causing headaches. Ethers are the culprit compounds in triggering headaches with scents.

Why Do People Get Headaches from Certain Scents?

Scientists give some possible explanations to help us understand the relationship between certain scents and headaches. A certain perfume can cause blood vessels to dilate, causing high nerve stimulation.

Another possible explanation is that some people have genes that trigger hypersensitivity when a person comes in contact with a certain scent. The human body has mast cells that respond to an allergen coming into contact with them.

Histamine is released, and then a hypersensitivity reaction takes place, which causes headaches. These headaches can last for a longer period and interfere with day-to-day activity.

What Chemical in The Perfume Causes Headache?

The fragrance chemicals in the perfume which can kick start headaches are ether. Some of them are:

- Anisole has a phenolic, anise scent. Although it occurs naturally, it is mostly artificial. Therefore, it gets more gasoline-like notes as it is essential to the fragrance.

- Dimethoxyethane is another chemical with a sweet fragrance and can start headaches immediately.

- Tetrahydrofuran can also easily be used as a tobacco-like scent.

- Some other common odors that can trigger patients to have headaches include Rose, Vanillin, and Japanese Cypress.

Research on various scents by the International Fragrance Association and Headache Society has shown that people suffering from headaches generally have a low tolerance for vanillin. When vanillin is present in a high amount, an allergic reaction is triggered. This allergic reaction causes hypersensitivity.

How To Get Rid of Perfume Headaches?

Over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can relieve the symptoms of head pain. Usually, these OTC medicines work well and make you pain-free. If the powerful odor causes a headache, one should get away from the source of that particular odor.

Identifying the triggers is important too. Antiemetics can also counteract the effects of allergy. Sometimes nausea accompanies these headaches because the receptors work simultaneously.

Tips To Prevent Perfume Headache Caused by Perfume Usage?

Prevention is very important as it is the first step toward problem-solving. Avoiding triggers and identifying triggers is the way to prevention. Here are some key tips to prevent headaches.

- Do not wear strong perfumes.

- Identify the specific type of perfume or scent causing the problem and try to eliminate it.

- If there is a place where an offending perfume odor is present and it starts your headache, a better option would be to get away from that place.

- Natural and essential oils can be used in place of perfume to counteract the effect.

Always carry an OTC medicine like ibuprofen so that if you get a headache, it doesn't affect you much.

What Should I Do to Stop Headaches Caused by Perfume?

To stop headaches, take an OTC pill such as ibuprofen. Stop going to the place where there is an offending smell. Instead, breathe fresh air as much as possible. If the perfume is on your shirt, change it with another one. If on some body part, you can wash it well with soap.

Rest and sleep if the headache persists. Taking rest does help with calming the nerves and decreasing pain. Sometimes antiemetic paired with an OTC can help ease the headaches.

What Perfumes Do Not Cause Headaches?

Always look for the hypo-allergic brand of perfume. It can help with the prevention of headaches. This perfume contains no chemical, preservative, or dye, which can usually elicit individuals' responses and cause reactions. Therefore, highly sensitive persons with a history of allergy should consider these options.

Certain perfumes do not give you a headache. Some of the names are as follows:

Heretic Eau De Parfum In 'Florgasm' - It is essentially a bright and seductive Jasmine smell with Bergamot, a slight tingle of Pink Pepper, and an intense burst of Orange Blossom (check the best smelling orange blossom perfumes). This fragrance has a 100% natural floral smell that can prevent hypersensitivity.

Ellis Brooklyn Eau De Parfum In 'West' is a vegan, unisex scent-free of any sensitivity and quite hypoallergenic.

Vapour Organic Beauty Spirit is a highly seductive solid perfume that showcases the beauty of Haitian Vetivert. Vapour Spirits' Scent N°1 is a warm, spicy (check the top rated spicy perfumes), and addictive scent. Spirit Scent No. 1 starts with earthy and herbaceous notes and is free of allergy-causing substances.

Vapour is one of the luxurious brands of a conventional scent originated by Krysia Boinis and Kristine Keheley, both of whom have around 40 years of experience in formulating natural products. It has taken inspiration from light and created some versatile, artistic high-performance scents, so you don't have to compromise on quality, longevity, or value for money.

Behnaz Pure Rose - The perfume has the pure feel of a rose (check the best selling rose perfumes). For the people who love light smells, this light natural fragrance is perfect as it comes with the help of real flowers. The fragrance is organic and doesn't contain alcohol, dyes, oils, or preservatives. This is a water perfume—which means that it is made of just fresh rose petals and water.

Why do some perfumes or colognes give a person a Perfume migraine?

Some perfumes can trigger allergic symptoms in people prone to allergies otherwise. For example, when you inhale a perfume you're allergic to, the sinuses get swollen, causing headaches.

Can fragrance oil cause headaches?

Yes, fragrance oils can also cause headaches as they are powerful and may trigger a reaction. The reason is the dilation of blood vessels that leads to sinus headaches. Some fragrance oils come with carrier oils, thus causing severe allergic reactions.

Why does lavender give me a headache?

Lavender can cause an allergic reaction in some individuals. It can cause headaches resulting from chemical reactions. Lavender, otherwise, is a natural fragrance that is chemical-free (check the top rated lavender perfumes).

Conclusion

Fragrances give you a sense of confidence, and people use them often. But those individuals who are allergic to them can comprehend the pain and misery of using them or the struggle to find perfumes that do not give an allergic reaction.

A wise strategy would be to always look for a hypoallergenic fragrance to minimize the undesirable effects of the perfume. If you have gotten a headache from applying perfume, the best thing is to take a painkiller immediately. An allergic person should always keep an OTC painkiller and anti-allergy.