How Your Perfume Can Disrupt Your Body’s Chemical Balance

Recent investigations elucidate that commonplace applications of fragrances or lotions may interfere with the delicate equilibrium of reactive chemicals enveloping our bodies, a phenomenon associated with the human oxidation field. This chemical armor is posited to engage rapidly with surrounding molecules, effectively neutralizing certain volatile compounds that permeate our environment.

However, emerging evidence indicates that the application of such personal care products may alter the atmospheric chemistry in their immediate vicinity, potentially releasing toxic byproducts that infiltrate our nasal passages or permeate the skin’s surface.

According to atmospheric scientist Nora Zannoni from the Max Planck Institute and her collaborators, “Given that the human oxidation field influences the chemical composition of air within our breathing zone and adjacent to our dermis, it directly impacts our intake of various chemicals, consequently affecting human health.” Notably, our understanding of the human oxidation field remains nascent, having been unveiled as recently as 2022, when a team led by several of the same researchers identified that skin oils exhibit reactive interactions with ozone pollutants, engendering a field populated by hydroxyl (OH) radicals surrounding corporeal forms.

These OH radicals are often likened to atmospheric “detergents” due to their capacity to neutralize a diverse array of airborne pollutants. Nonetheless, the reactions they engender may yield potentially hazardous byproducts within the immediate vicinity of our dermis and airways.

The nuances of human oxidation field interactions with surrounding chemicals, both indoors and outdoors, represent an emergent frontier in health research.

In this particular study, four young adults were observed in a climate-controlled space, where the concentrations of ambient chemicals were meticulously measured following the application of personal care products. Notably, the presence of phenoxyethanol and ethanol was recorded, rising around participants’ skin and generating significant increases in these chemical concentrations within the breathing zone, substantially above ambient levels.

Upon the introduction of ozone, the team ascertained that the application of body lotion impeded the generation of vital OH precursors, diminishing ozone concentrations by 34%. These findings emphasize the overarching need to reconsider our understanding of indoor chemical interactions, given the substantial transformations instigated by the oxidation field in occupied spaces. The implications for public health, albeit currently unexplored in this study, could be remarkably significant, demanding further inquiry to uncover the potential hazards of volatile reactions transpiring around us.