About the allergy thread...How about perfume?

[Holly IN]

In the past few weeks, dh just about passed out during church services because of perfume. This past Sunday was bad enough that he had to leave. He told me today he is no longer going to be with me in church. He is going to sit in the balcony away from every body else. I work there and my boss is in charge of seatings. I really want to say something about this. At the last church I worked at (no I didn't attend that one) had a no perfume policy on Sundays and practices for choir. My dh do not want me to say anything. I know my boss will be simpathtic.

What would you do knowing that your dh can die of not being able to breathe in church? It is bad enough that he wants to leave the church and go elsewhere. (Yes I can still work there)

Help!

Holly

[Plaid Dad]

Can you not speak to the leadership about this? This is a serious issue for many people, and no one will die if they don't wear perfume on Sunday mornings.

[cin]

When I got married I specifically told the bridesmaids to not wear any perfumes because of my father. I have the same problem. I can barely walk through the perfume/makeup department. I have been known to move at church if necessary.

If he does not want to make a scene, how about you & DH go in 5 minutes after the service starts and sit away from anyone, or sit in an area that is known to be unpopulated. In addition, you could casually mention to your friends the problem your DH has. You coul dmention it in a non-accusatory way, just something like you found this perfume that you love, but DH is deathly allergic to perfumes so you can't wear it....Some people are SO not aware of those things.

If someone is really bad with it there's always my favorite line....Nice perfume, must you BATHE in it??? :D

[Holly IN]

I do not wear perfume or even deodarant...:( because of his allergies to them. I did find a deodarant I can wear but I can't find them anywhere. It was a sample that was sent to me via mail. My local stores do not even carry them so I shower every day!! ha ha

I will talk to my boss about this to see what he says. I hope they will consider this issue a serious one.
:rolleyes: This is a 2000 + member church so surely my dh is not the only one with perfume allergy. I even had to stop my hand lotion from Mary Kay co. I have to use one from Arbonne. It is so bad that I have to use Arbonne's stuff for hand lotion and even make up. :rolleyes:

I gladly do it for my dh though.

My point is that is how bad it is. I will try my boss and see what happens.

Thanks!

Holly

[JennifersLost]

talk to "powers that be" about it, but also realize it might take time for people to comply. If there is somewhere like the balcony dh can sit, maybe assuring him that you're fine if he's there and not with you is really the next best thing.

I don't have breathing issues but I get a very upset stomach if I'm around strong perfume. If I attend a movie, concert or theater production I sit near the back close to an exit so I can "escape" if need be. As a kid I got sick any time I spent more than 15 minutes in a department store like Macy's. Took me forever to figure all this out.

[Ellie]

It isn't reasonable to expect other people not to wear perfume. In a choir, yes, but the rest of the church members, no. If he wants to sit in the balcony, let him. At least he's there.

[Holly IN]

Ok but the balcony is closed during the service....so I have to talk to the powers that be...:rolleyes:

I am ok with him in the balcony if my boss would let him be there due to his health.

I will talk to him about it tomorrow evening.

Holly

[Maria from IN]

When I was tested several years ago, I was told I was allergic to orris root. It's the root of an iris grown near the Mediterranean, I think, and the root is harvested, dried, and ground up to use in EVERYTHING even remotely flowery. I literally have to use flower-free everything. Even shampoos have to have a fruit scent for me to even consider using them.

At school I have to bring my albuterol because I get into a couple of classes where these little 20-somethings (who try entirely too hard to look cute) slather themselves with all kinds of flowery stuff. That and sitting near the door are the only things that help.

For your husband, near the door or in the balcony may be ideal. Good luck.

[Danestress]

I just hate perfume. I am not allergic, but why to people wear it? It's just nose pollution!

There was a firm "no perfume" rule in Community Bible Study that I went to for years. No smelly hairspray either. They were very strict about it.

I think even if your church institutes that rule, though (and I personally think it's entirely reasonable) visitors will not know ahead of time, and your church will not want to turn them away. So I think your DH may still need to hang out in the balcony. But I'd still go for it. Maybe over time enough people will figure out that this is a health issue for others that they will stop wearing perfume.

[PrairieAir]

That's interesting about the oris root. It's usually flowery perfumes and other flowery scents (candles, potpourri, shampoos, air fresheners, fabric softeners) that bother me. Spice and fruit based scents don't bother me unless someone uses too much.

Most people who are sensitive to fragrances probably don't have as much of a problem with them as Holly's dh, but there are many of us for whom it is a probelm nonetheless. I wish people would be more considerate in at least the amount they use.

Teenagers, twenty-somethings, and older women seem to be the worst offenders. Maybe in between we are too busy with kids and work to think about perfume so much:) Even if I liked going to the mall, I would have to avoid it as much as possible because of the large groups of young girls (and guys too) drenched in perfume and the cosmetics departments with people spraying all sorts of scents.

[cin]

I do not wear perfume or even deodarant...:( because of his allergies to them. I did find a deodarant I can wear but I can't find them anywhere. It was a sample that was sent to me via mail. My local stores do not even carry them so I shower every day!! ha ha


Holly



I wear Sure unscented and I don't have any problems with it. I can't even smell it.

[Laura K (NC)]

Around here it is men more than women that have cologne on so strong that you can tell a man has been around because they leave a cologne fog wherever they've been.

It's not attractive. It makes me physically sick. Cologne and perfume are no better than secondhand cigarette smoke.