A trip to the mall is fun for many — but for someone with asthma, meandering past bath products and perfume displays can be like playing Russian roulette with symptoms. All of those fragrances (otherwise known as air pollution), from the cinnamon-pear-scented body spray to the latest celebrity scent, may cause asthma symptoms to kick in.
“If I go into one of the stores at the mall … I can’t be in there long because it just kills me,” says Houston resident and asthmatic Melissa McDonald. “Perfumes really bother [me]. I never made that connection when I was younger — now I do try to stay away from them.” In fact, cats were Melissa’s primary trigger when she was a child, but over the years, she says, common indoor encounters such as breathing in perfume in an elevator or walking past a scented emporium in the mall have begun revving up her asthma.
What Is Indoor Air Pollution?
While most people know about problems caused by outdoor air pollution, many are not aware that indoor air pollution also can be a serious concern for people with asthma. The elements that can pollute indoor air include:
- Mold, mildew, and dust mites
- Pet dander
- Pest droppings
- Nitrogen dioxide from natural gas heaters, stoves, and the like
- Perfumes, hair spray, scented candles, spray air fresheners, plug-in air fresheners, and potpourris
- Spray cleaners and disinfectants
- Incense smoke
- Smoke from fireplaces, wood stoves, or kerosene heaters.
“Fireplace smoke, scented candles … all of those are triggers, are not causing asthma per se,” explains Kenneth Rosenman, MD, chief of the division of occupational and environmental medicine at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. “If you already have asthma, however, these [indoor air pollutants] could cause an asthma attack or reduce your lung function.”
Why Does Indoor Pollution Aggravate Asthma?
People with asthma often react to particulates in the air that irritate the airways of the lung. Particulates are tiny solid or liquid particles that are easily breathed into the lung. Smoke from a fireplace or vapors from burning incense are good examples of things that produce the kind of small particulates that can annoy lung tissue. It is also possible for people with allergic asthma to develop an allergic reaction to some components of indoor air pollution.
The ingredients in scented candles and spray air fresheners are particularly likely to lead to asthma by way of increasing a person’s allergies, says Dr. Rosenman. “Depending what’s in a scented candle — you could certainly become allergic to it," he says. "The same thing could be true of potpourri and plug-in air fresheners.”
Rosenman is particularly concerned about the increased use of spray air fresheners and cleaners with disinfectant. A recent study shows that using spray cleaners more than once a week increases the risk of asthma. Rosenman attributes much of this increase to added disinfectant in air fresheners and cleaners. Disinfectant is a strong allergen for many people.
How to Prevent Indoor Air Pollution
In your own home, you can control what is in the air by:
- Using high-efficiency air filters (HEPA)
- Using HEPA air filters for your air-conditioning and heating system
- Limiting your use of spray cleaners or aerosols
- Avoiding air fresheners or scented candles entirely
- Using electric logs in fireplaces
- Cleaning up water spills before mold or mildew can grow
- Using hypoallergenic pest control measures
Clearing the air will help you — and everyone else you share space with indoors — breathe easier!