Skin sensitisation to fragrance ingredients: is there a role for household cleaning/maintenance products?

The induction of contact allergy to fragrance ingredients and the consequent risk of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) present a human health concern that cannot be ignored. The problem arises when exposure exceeds safe levels, but the source(s) of exposure which lead to induction often remain unclear. This contrasts with the elicitation of ACD, where the eczema frequently can be traced to specific source(s) of skin exposure. Cosmetic products are often implicated, both for induction and elicitation. However, other products contain fragrance ingredients, including household cleaning products. In this paper, the risk assessment concerning the ability of these products to induce fragrance contact allergy is considered and the clinical evidence for the induction and/or elicitation of ACD is reviewed. It can be concluded that the risk of the induction of fragrance contact allergy from household cleaning products is low. Especially where more potent fragrance allergens are used in higher exposure products, the aggregated exposure from such products can augment the risk for the elicitation of ACD. This supports the need to manage this risk via the provision of information to consumers.