Background: Fragrances are widely used in scented products used in daily life with the potential to induce skin sensitization.
Objective: To evaluate exposure to scented products and to explore associations between exposure and fragrance contact allergy.
Methods: A cross-sectional study on individuals from 18 to 74 years of age, who were randomly selected from the general population in five European countries. A random sample (N = 3119) was patch tested and interviewed on exposure to scented products.
Results: Female participants were strongly associated with exposure to scented products relative to male participants. Participants age 40 years and older showed an inverse association with exposure to scented products. Compared to Sweden, The Netherlands followed by Germany showed the highest overall exposure to scented products. Sensitive skin was associated with exposure to scented products and with fragrance allergy. In univariable regression analysis, exposure to leave-on products and to specific scented product subgroups was significantly associated with fragrance allergy.
Conclusion: Exposure to scented products depends primarily on sex and age. Female sex and sensitive skin are relevant indicators for developing fragrance allergy. Because aggregate exposure, especially to scented leave-on products, may enhance the prevalence of contact allergy to fragrances, further investigations into exposure amounts and frequencies is warranted.
Keywords: contact allergy; contact dermatitis; epidemiology; exposure; fragrances; household products; leave-on products; rinse-off products; scented products.
© 2021 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.