Question:
I have been doing a lot of testing over the last week and have finally found something I'm hideously allergic to. Now I very rarely get reactions to anything (sticking plasters and medical tape gives me a slight reaction) but whatever perfume it was has brought me out in horrendous, ugly, itchy hives. It's all over the inside of my forearms and the centre of my chest (since that's where I spray). And it's driving me mental!
I got some hydrocortisone cream from the chemist but the itching is as bad, if not worse, than yesterday. Does anyone know how long it will take to go away? I know someone here got a reaction from Black Orchid not long ago so was wondering how long it took to go away.
I really hope this is gone before the Ava Luxe week!

Answer:
This very thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago with Apres l'Ondee. That's the first time I've ever been adversely affected by a perfume. I felt the perfume sting as soon as I sprayed it, but it was the next day when the rash broke out. I used hydrocortisone cream for a week. Don't use it for more than 7 days or your skin will thin out and you could cause more damage. The cream is quite dry and not easily spreadable so there is an urge to over-apply. Don't do that or you'll soon run out of it and your skin won't like it either. See your doctor if the rash continues after one week.
My rash has gone now, but I have a few red spots that look like tiny burst vessels beneath the skin. I hope they disappear of their own accord in time.
Good luck.

Answer:
Thanks for the warning! I got some calamine lotion at lunchtime for the itching and will leave the hydrocortisone cream for morning and evening. I hope it doesn't last much longer!

Answer:
I took a look at those tiny red spots of mine an hour ago under the glare of industrial flourescent lighting, and they do seem to be much less prominent now.
To be on the safe side, I sprayed perfume on my hands only for the last 10 days, but yesterday and today I sprayed Voleur de Roses on my previously blotchy neck. So far I've had no problems. I've sprayed Apres l'Ondee on my leg to test for a repeat performance of hives, but it's been fine. I haven't had the nerve to try it again on my arms, neck, or chest. I wonder if some other condition was present that day that made me susceptible to it. I hope it was a one-off.
The calamine lotion should help with the itching. I wish I'd though of that.

Answer:
The hydrocortisone won't really stop with the itching--but it will help your skin a little. It's sad, but I'm actually allergic to most of my fragrances now. It started with just the Stella, and now it's everything. So I have begun to rotate where I spray--and I spray on clothing more. Just because it's itchy and rashy and red won't stop me from wearing perfume.

Answer:
I'm sorry to hear that, Arhianrad. I hope the spraying on clothes works well for you so you can still enjoy the fragrances. Have you seen the doc about the ongoing allergy?
I was afraid the same would happen to me, but thankfully it seems to have been a temporary problem in my case.

Answer:
This happened to me years ago and was blessedly a temporary phenomena..I had a reaction that was so severe it looked more like burns than hives, to my favorite at the time (late 70s) Le de Givenchy.
I needed prescription cream to heal it...then it happened in a different place with a different scent and I had to go back. The doctor decided the skin sensitivity was possibly related to another prescription and changed me to a different medication for the following months. I never had the problem again.

Answer:
Well I have Musc Ravageur on my shoulders (deltoids) - I can actually smell it better that way!

Answer:
Right after a tough pregnancy I became allergic to everything- couldn't wear earrings, or any jewelry, even gold! Perfume, lotions, everything caused trouble. Then as my body settled down again, the allergies disappeared. Allergic "phases" are real, and they aren't usually permanent (though sadly, they can be). Unfortunately, most doctors don't know much about what triggers them. I'm told that a competent herbalist or acupuncturist can help.

Answer:
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I'm sorry to hear that, Arhianrad. I hope the spraying on clothes works well for you so you can still enjoy the fragrances. Have you seen the doc about the ongoing allergy? I actually have a more acute allergy to scented deodorants (as if being perfume allergic wasn't bad enough! I have to stink, too!), and saw a doctor for that...all he did was give me a prescription cream, which works VERY well against both deodorants and perfume rashes. As for actually discussing the perfume, no, not really. I'm afraid that I'll be told to give it up in general, which I won't do.
When it gets too itchy, I just switch to dousing my clothes with perfume. Or I go nekkid for a day.