Wafting through the corridors, a permanent ozone of deodorant lingers lynx-like awaiting its prey. The usual headache dulls the brain into submission as I reluctantly meet the troop of year 8 who line up some already reeking of deodorant. Windows open, fan on receives an immediate chorus of complaints from those most noticeable in their armour of deodorant.

by Henri Van Zanden 

No more entertaining stories or detailed examination of the subject matter of the day. Overheads, handouts, textbooks or pre-written notes on the blackboard was my armour as I constantly surveyed the class for any girl with a sudden Impulse or the boy, Hugo Boss, who believes he is heaven scent for every girl within his aromatic radius.

Through watery eyes I detect the irresistible power of Lynx, as the smiling assassin quickly returns his weapon of choice to his bag. He grins as I start to cough and sneeze. While I demand the surrender of his weapon, Rexona and Mitchum laugh as I struggle in anger to get my words out. The girl with the Impulse throws an invisible Mango across the room striking my nostrils. Within seconds I can no longer breathe through my nose and a lump is already swelling in my throat.

The class is dismissed to the playground as I can barely speak. Twenty minutes later, I have a pain from my sternum up to my throat tasting of deodorant. A pain in the right side of my heart radiates to my left ear. My nightmare continues.

At night I struggle to sleep. With sinus-like symptoms, a blocked nose, I cannot use my sleep apnoea machine. All night my sleep is interrupted when my breathing stops – about 200 to 300 times. I resort to the lounge chair reliving the events of the day and the past week, past month and past year. A growing fear grips me as I contemplate the next day – Wednesday, sports day, deodorant day.

Tired, anxious and angry, I wade through a sea of students some dousing themselves in over powering petro-chemicals to receive their fix of spring-fresh confidence or their choice of sweet poison, fresh, fragrant toxins, and alluring perfumes that take your breath away – literally. I suffered silently throughout the day anxious not to attract attention. Stifled coughs masked an itchy throat but I received no direct attacks. I made it to lunchtime.

Rain meant that for sport we were allocated more than our fair share of bodies crammed into the classroom. “Put that deodorant away or else I will take it!” So far so good until a bubble of students stood dome-like over a desk. As soon as I approached, the bubble burst dripping guiltily into their seats. A flood of liquid deodorant emerged that covered the entire desk. Gasping for air I rushed out of the room. Barely able to speak, I alerted a teacher who took over the class. Immediately I swallowed an antihistamine, and anxiously sat down alone in the staffroom. My nose was already congested and I could feel my throat tighten. Difficulty in breathing, I felt confused and teary as a terrible headache succumbed me into the chair. I sat as quietly and calmly as I could. “Concentrate on breathing. Don’t swallow. Be calm. Sit still,” I said to myself. I felt very weak and my blood pressure had dropped, really dropped. Get help. I stood but I felt faint and dizzy. I was alone. I couldn’t afford to pass out so I sat still and concentrated on being calm. It’s hard when you think that you are going to die. “Don’t be silly,” I say to myself. “Breathe, concentrate on breathing.” Fifty minutes later, I can walk again.  I castigated myself for being so melodramatic. I mean, after all, it was only deodorant.

Although I was painfully aware that I was allergic to deodorant, I didn’t know that I was anaphylactic to the chemical, dibutyl phthalate. I was determined to ‘beat’ these students who would spray under the desk, through the partition or spray the entire room before the class entered. Often they would spray their clothing from top to bottom or used it liberally as an ‘air freshener’. Classrooms were swapped and even teacher swaps were arranged. Detentions, warnings and even suspensions did little to dissuade students to avoid using their new-found and all powerful weapon. Even teachers laughed at my sneezing which was abnormally loud. I suffered from chronic sinusitis for at least six to eight months of the year. Occasionally I had ear pain, tinnitus and bronchitis. I suffered from extremely dry and itchy skin especially around the feet and lower leg. I used moisturizers but these only exacerbated the problem as they also contained phthalates. The result was an extremely bad case of athlete’s foot that refused to go away. But I attributed none of these problems to my allergy to deodorant. I was constantly fatigued and often I could not concentrate. Imagine being able to read the words but without the comprehension. It took much longer to mark work as I refused to do it when I was in such a state.

As my sensitivity to deodorant increased, I became very depressed, irritable and anxious. Insomnia was the norm as not sleeping was preferable to the nightmares. Chest pains, memory loss and tingling in my feet and hands forced me to undertake my own research into the effects of deodorant. To my horror, I discovered that I had been having anaphylactic reactions to deodorant and could quite easily have been killed. After confirming this with doctors and specialists, the nightmare became a daily horror movie at school. Luckily I had a very sympathetic Head Teacher and Principal who provided the support I needed. On one occasion, I marched into the Principal’s office to complain about a student who a pre-sprayed the room with deodorant. I had to dismiss the class to the playground. I sat in her office but I was physically unable to speak. After it was obvious that I was no longer safe in the classroom, I finally found a safe environment to work in at Camden Park Environmental Education Centre. Since working here, I have not had any of the above problems such as sinus, bronchitis, tinnitus, dizziness or difficulty in breathing while at work.

What sweet poison are you using?

The cosmetics and toiletries that you are currently using contain chemicals that can threaten your health. Even seemingly harmless products such as shampoo, shower gels, moisturizers and perfumes are made up of complex mixtures of synthetic chemicals that could be affecting your health.

However, the worst offenders are the sweet smelling deodorants, perfumes and fragrances. Right now you have probably pulled out one of the above out of your bag hoping to see a list of the chemicals in your perfume. However, “the ingredients of perfumes do not have to be listed, and there are no legal restrictions on the quantities or combinations of fragrance chemicals that may be used in cosmetics. … 95% of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. A typical cosmetic can contain 50 – 100 fragrances …. Only a fraction of the thousands of chemicals used in fragrances have been safety tested by industry; some are capable of triggering breathing difficulties, allergic reactions and multiple chemical sensitivities.” [1]

The most damaging group of industrial chemicals used in deodorants, perfumes, body lotion, hair conditioners, nail polish and hair spray are phthalates. Remember the recent recall of toys made in China? They were recalled because phthalates were used as plastic softeners or as a solvent in PVC baby toys. After the children bite and suck these toys, the phthalates are ingested into their bodies. However, phthalates are also used in vinyl flooring, wall covering and plastic food packaging. Recently I had a reaction after eating smoked salmon. The phthalates in the plastic had been absorbed into the salmon.

But at school you are more likely to ingest this dangerous chemical through inhaling the fumes. “Recent tests of cosmetics found the chemical in 71% of fragrances, hairsprays and deodorants tested in the United States. … 5% of the 20 to 40 year old women tested by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are getting 45 times more phthalates than previous daily intake estimates. While the CDC found evidence of phthalates in virtually every person tested, evidence of the highest levels of exposure to the phthalate DBP (dibutyl phthalate) were found in women of child-bearing age. This reality is especially alarming because phthalates have been shown to cause birth defects in laboratory animals.” [2]

A report, Phthalates in European Cosmetic Products, was commissioned by the Women’s Environment Network (UK) and Europa (Sweden). Their aim was to find out how extensive phthalates were used in European cosmetics. “Thirty-four leading brands of cosmetics – perfumes, deodorants, hair sprays, hair gels were sent for testing by an independent laboratory. Twenty-seven products (four out of five) contained at least one phthalate, more than half contained two or more, and 14 contained two phthalates which are on a European list of substances considered potentially harmful to human fertility and/or human development.”[3]

If we don’t take it seriously in Australia, they do in England. “A man was convicted of assaulting his former wife by putting shampoo on a door handle, knowing she would suffer a massive allergic reaction, has been sent to prison for 14 months…The court had previously heard that  … Heather Brown suffered massive allergic reactions to a range of products and could die if she did not receive immediate medical treatment. … During the trial, anyone entering the court while Ms Brown was giving evidence had to give a pledge that they were not wearing substances such as deodorant, perfume or after-shave…. Ms Brown suffers from a rare condition which means that coming into contact with certain products or foodstuffs can cause a severe rash or even anaphylactic shock.”[4]

In 2004 a similar case appeared when Kirsty Heywood, a healthy teenager, became anaphylactic to the chemicals in perfumes, deodorants and air fresheners. “If one is sprayed in her presences, the 17 year old suffers an anaphylactic shock which could kill her. She must inject herself with adrenaline immediately or she will stop breathing within minutes.”[5]

What are the symptoms provoked by fragrances?

“… sneezing, nasal congestion, sinusitis, tinnitus, ear pain, dizziness, vertigo, coughing, bronchitis, difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, laryngitis, asthma, anaphylaxis, headaches, seizures, fatigue, confusion, disorientation, incoherence, short term memory loss, inability to concentrate, nausea, lethargy, anxiety, irritability, depression, mood swings, restlessness, rashes, hives, eczema, flushing, muscle and joint pain, muscle weakness, irregular heart beat, hypertension, swollen lymph glands, and more.”[6]

However, having some of these symptoms doesn’t mean that you are allergic to deodorant. Use the following as a guide to ascertain whether or not you are allergic to deodorant and perfumes.

1. Do the same symptoms occur with repeated exposure to the same chemical, deodorant or perfume?
2. Is the condition chronic?
3. Do low levels of exposure (lower than previously tolerated) bring on the same symptoms?
4. Do the symptoms improve or go away when the allergic triggers are removed? 

Previously I was able to tolerate deodorant, hairsprays etc. I didn’t like it but it didn’t bring on the severe symptoms. Due to the increased exposure to spray on deodorants in the classroom every day over a number of years, my sensitivity to deodorant has increased to such a degree that I can receive an instant reaction to just one or two seconds of inhalation.

Number two: Is the condition chronic? During 2004 to 2006, I had 44 sick days due to sinus and chest infections. There were many more days that I attended school with the above symptoms. Since March 2007, I no longer work in a workplace that has deodorant or perfume. I no longer suffer from sinus, bronchitis or have had any days off due to these symptoms derived from the work place. (See number four)

What can you do?

The obvious answer is to avoid chemicals that cause the problem. However, imprisoned inside a classroom or an office with at least half using deodorant, this can be impossible. But you can change your home environment. Get rid of all those nasty chemicals that are in house hold cleaners, cosmetics and toiletries. Use white vinegar to clean or use soap powder that is sensitive to the skin. Shampoos, soaps and deodorants that are chemically free can be purchased from a good health food shop and in some supermarkets. Make sure your family and friends are aware of your chemical sensitivities.

Remove other potential allergens such as mould and household dust. I have removed all of my carpet and now feel much better having polished floors. Use a vacuum cleaner that has a hepa filter such as a Dyson so that the dust is put back into the air. To remove indoor mould, I have installed a solar fan under the house that removes any build up of moisture.

Stand into the wind away from the nozzle when you fill up your tank. In traffic put your air conditioner on recycling especially in the M5 tunnel. Hold your breath when passing groups of teenagers or when walking past shops filled with perfumes or soaps. This might sound silly but it usually does work. Avoid trains or buses especially in the morning. Avoid people as much as possible in the morning because that is when they are most toxic with their load of deodorants, perfumes and hairspray. Avoid teenagers after sport or physical activity. Don’t enter change rooms. Avoid being trapped in enclosed spaces with other people.

You can also be proactive by altering your diet so that you body may be better able to withstand any allergies. I have reduced my dairy by about 90%, and try to eat only meat, vegetables and salad. I avoid gluten, eat no sugar and have cut down on alcohol. If you must drink wine, avoid drinking out of a cask. Drink bottled wine only. Apart from always carrying an epi-pen, I take a Telfast tablet everyday which helps to alleviate the symptoms.

Europe has banned the use of phthalates due to their danger but in Australia we are still exposed to these multiple toxic chemicals. If Governments can’t or won’t ban the phthalates, then at least consumers should have the right to know about chemicals in commercial products. Companies should also accept their responsibility and shift to safer products that will not the unsuspecting consumer.