Rash related to use of scented products. A questionnaire study in the Danish population. Is the problem increasing?

Fragrances are used in many types of cosmetic and household products, which are an important part of everyday life in modern society. The aim of the current investigation was to describe the frequency of self-reported rash due to scented products in a random sample of the adult Danish population. Further, it was determined whether risk of self-reported 1st-time rash from scented products had increased during the past 15 years compared to the preceding period. The sample consisted of 1537 persons, 801 female and 736 male, above the age of 15 years. The participants were interviewed person-to-person to obtain a general health profile, and in this connection, questions were asked concerning rash related to the use of scented products. 28.6% (440/1537) had on some occasion experienced rash from scented products, 10.6% had experienced rash within the year prior to interview. A multivariate analysis showed that women had a significantly increased risk of reporting rash from scented products compared to men (odds ratio: 1.56, p<0.0001). Furthermore, it was shown that individuals below the age of 40 years had a significantly increased risk of reporting rash from scented products compared to older age groups. The risk of reporting 1st-time rash occurring after 1978 was significantly increased (odds ratio: 2.34, p<0.0001), as compared to the preceding period. This may be taken as indicative of an increasing problem with scented products, involving potentially severe public health implications.