Why Should you Switch to Fragrance-Free Products?

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Everyone knows that when you wash your hair, your shower should explode with the scents of honeysuckle, mango, and tea tree, right? You simply aren’t clean unless your nostrils are full of lavender or rosemary.

And how can you know that you’ve applied eczema cream if it doesn’t smell like a pina colada? Your bathroom should be a clown car of flowery, fruity smells.

None of that is true. Yes, fragrances can enhance our experience with certain personal care products, but we often don’t think of the potential pitfalls involved in their use. The scents we use in commercial personal care products, whether natural or synthetic, are volatile organic compounds.

Why Fragrance-Free?

They can trigger a number of sensitivities, causing adverse skin reactions for some and respiratory issues for others. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology has found that fragrances cause more allergic skin reactions than any other skincare component, translating to almost six million doctor visits annually.

The general population might not notice the damage fragrances are doing, but children, particularly those with eczema and other skin conditions, are starting at a deficit. Their skin is already extra sensitive to external environmental triggers.

Their ideal moisturizing cream for eczema would contain only the compounds needed to relieve symptoms while avoiding fragrances, colorants, and other unnecessary additives.

How Fragrances Damage the Skin?

Fragrances are complex mixtures of essential oils, aroma compounds, solvents, and fixatives. It’s not uncommon for scents to be composed of dozens of different volatile compounds, each holding the possibility for an allergic reaction.

Each fragrance has a unique chemical profile that could trigger adverse reactions. Given this complexity, the chances are very good that any given product will contain at least one compound your skin is sensitive to.

This triggers a localized inflammatory response that can lead to red skin, dryness, pain, and irritation. These effects happen no matter who you are; your baby’s or young child’s skin is particularly sensitive to chemical additives.

Any one of them could trigger or worsen an eczema flare-up.

If you’re already fighting a flare-up, why would you apply a skin treatment that could make things worse? That’s like trying to put out a fire by dousing it with alcohol and cooking oil.

Fragrance-free baby eczema cream leaves out all of those possible irritants. They’re the best option for occasional or frequent eczema treatment because they include only what you want and nothing more.

What Makes Fragrance-Free Products a Better Choice?

So why should you switch to fragrance-free products? Because fragrances are ubiquitous in the products we use every day. They’re often added to counteract disagreeable scents caused by other active ingredients.

You may not even realize they’re there. Given how pervasive they are and the damage they can do, it’s best to avoid them where possible since you can’t avoid them all.

Here is why you should avoid fragrances.

Prevent Skin Irritation

Skin irritation is one of the most common issues associated with using fragranced products. Even normal skin easily gets irritated by fragrances. The chemicals that are used to add fragrance can cause allergic reactions, redness, rashes, and itching.

Going fragrance-free will reduce the risk of your skin getting irritated easily.

Reduced Respiratory Issues

The volatile organic compounds in fragranced products can trigger common respiratory issues like asthma. By switching to products free of fragrances, you reduce the chances of developing respiratory issues.

Prevent Migraines

People who are prone to migraines can be easily affected by the strong scents of the products. Fragrances can cause intense headaches and migraines. If you see that you feel headaches and are uncomfortable after using highly scented products, then switch to fragrance-free ones.

Just as Effective as Fragranced-Products

If your products don’t have fragrance in them, it does not mean that they won’t be effective. Fragrance-free products are even more effective for soothing the skin, hydrating it, and managing common skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and ringworm, as they don’t tend to irritate the skin or cause allergic reactions.

For babies, young children, and adults who suffer from eczema, fragrance-free eczema treatments, soaps, shampoos, and body wash for eczema are the best options. They are much less likely to trigger flare-ups and are far better suited to treat existing ones.

Read the Label Carefully

When you are searching for fragrance-free skincare products, it’s important that you read the label and ingredients carefully. Oftentimes, companies label their product as fragrance-free but are adding scent-masking materials that can irritate sensitive skin.

So when buying your skin care products, get the one that is labeled as:

Fragrance-free
Hypoallergenic
Dermatologist tested
Clinically tested

Take note of the ingredients. If you are allergic to any of them, do not buy the product.

Embrace Fragrance-Free Products With Happy Cappy

While using a product you shouldn’t have to worry that it will harm your family or your skin in any possible way. That’s why Dr. Eddie is dedicated to developing fragrance-free products for you and your loved ones that are tough on the skin conditions and gentle on your skin.

Happy Cappy Products, whether it is the medicated shampoo for your baby’s cradle cap, anti-dandruff shampoo for your dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, daily shampoo and body wash for your eczema-prone, sensitive skin, or an eczema cream for your eczema-flare-up, all are:

Fragrance-free
Paraben-free
Sulfate-free
Phthalates-free
Cruelty-free
Vegan
Dermatologist-tested
Gluten-free
Dye-free

These products are infused with natural ingredients that help soothe your skin and keep it hydrated and smooth.

Conclusion

Choosing fragrance-free is essential for people who have sensitive skin or are dealing with any skin condition. However, people who have normal skin should also try to stay away from products that contain artificial or synthetic fragrances.

The fragrance in skincare products tends to cause allergic reactions on the skin and lead to complications such as irritation, itching, inflammation, and dry skin. So, pick fragrance-free products and enjoy healthier skin.

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Dr. Eddie Valenzuela

Dr. Eddie Valenzuela is an award winning pediatrician and the founder and CEO of Pediatric Solutions, LLC.

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Why is fragrance-free the best?

Fragrance-free is best for your skin because it will help you protect your skin against irritation and allergies caused by fragrances.

Why do companies put fragrance in skincare?

Skincare products contain many ingredients that have a bad smell. To cover that smell, companies add fragrances and scents to the products. Plus, who wouldn’t want to smell good after using any skincare product?

Does fragrance damage the skin barrier?

Yes, some fragrances have the ability to damage your natural skin barrier and make it difficult for the skin to protect you against outside irritants and retain moisture inside.

Why fragrance-free moisturizer?

You use moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated, not to irritate it or cause an allergic reaction, which is why it's important that you use a fragrance-free moisturizer. Fragrance can easily irritate your sensitive skin and make your skin condition worse–especially if you are dealing with dry skin or eczema.