Unpleasant odors can make life very uncomfortable. Whether you live in an apartment above a restaurant, have a particularly stinky roommate, or simply have a lingering smell in your home that you can’t identify, a negative smell can significantly decrease your quality of life .
To solve this problem, many people use air fresheners or scented candles. While these solutions may seem valid, some have reported problems with the products.
For example, one woman claimed that a Bath and Body Works car air freshener sent her to the emergency room; another said their air freshener soaked through her 1-inch granite countertop and stained the wood underneath. Another simply cited the various health warnings on an air freshener.
Now another netizen has sparked a discussion after claiming plug-in air fresheners can harm the lungs.
Woman warns against scented products
In a video viewed more than 1.7 million times on Saturday, TikTok user Christina (@.litlbbyc) issues a warning to anyone who uses “air fresheners, scented candles, conventional laundry detergents, fabric softeners, perfumes, eau de cologne and aftershave lotions.
She then proceeds to read a book entitled Medical medium for cleansing and healing by Anthony William.
“These chemically scented vaporized poisons damage the lungs: their waxy, oily residues build up in the lung sacs. If you don’t smoke and you like plug-in air fresheners, it’s best to retire your plug-in air freshener and start smoking. In fact, you’re actually more likely to stay healthy and enjoy longer-lasting vitality without developing complicated diseases if you smoke cigarettes than if you breathe in plug-in air fresheners day in and day out,” she reads.
“The oily film from air freshener doesn’t just affect the lungs. It also ends up in the liver when it enters the bloodstream from the lungs. Additionally, we swallow deodorant when we breathe it through our mouth, which brings it into the intestinal tract, from where it enters the bloodstream and also travels to the liver,” the passage continues. “Deodorant residue in this organ can reduce liver function. If a truly curious surgeon opened the body of a patient who had lived for years in a space highly saturated with deodorant, that surgeon would smell the odor of the deodorant wafting from the patient’s blood and cells.
She goes on to cite a section that claims that synthetic fragrances can harm the immune system.
“So the next time you want to buy a cute little air freshener to put in your room, house, or car, think of everything,” says the TikToker.
@.litlbbyc This book is crazy, but I’m not going to stop using perfume!!
♬ original sound – .litlbbyc
Is it true?
For the record, Anthony William, the author of the book, is not a medical doctor or other “officially licensed health care practitioner or provider.” He is a self-proclaimed “chronic disease expert” who, according to his website, “was born with the unique ability to converse with the Spirit of Compassion, who provides him with extraordinarily advanced healing medical information that is far ahead of its time.”
The portion of the book the TikToker is reading doesn’t appear to contain any citations to back up his claims. That said, there is some evidence to suggest that air fresheners may not be the best for your health, but not to the extent William suggests.
“More than 75 percent of air fresheners classified by the Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based nonprofit that focuses on research and advocacy, contain “probable” or “potentially significant” health or environmental hazards, based on concerns about exposure to their ingredients,” writes Amudalat Ajasa for the Washington Post“The group’s assessment also considered whether the manufacturers of the products disclosed the ingredients they contained. »
As a result, “the EPA recommends reducing the use of products with strong scents, especially in poorly ventilated indoor areas,” says Ajasa. “The agency also suggests minimizing the use of sprays that diffuse scents in an area.”
As for William’s specific claims, while there is some evidence to suggest that prolonged use of air fresheners may have deleterious effects on human health, the idea that cigarettes give these people “a better chance of remaining healthy and enjoying lasting vitality without complicating diseases” than air fresheners appears to be unfounded.
Regarding William’s claims that “air freshener residue” has the potential to “reduce liver function,” two studies explored the effects of air fresheners on mice and rats. Both studies found that air fresheners had a negative impact on the liver, although it is unwise to suggest that these studies provide valid data for humans – firstly, because every air freshener contains difficult chemical compounds, and second, because animals’ reactions to these compounds may not be the same. the same as humans.
“While epidemiological and toxicological studies reveal links between air freshener emissions and health effects, additional research is needed to understand how and why individual ingredients, mixtures of ingredients, or reaction products secondary effects could be associated with the identified health effects,” writes the University of Melbourne. Professor of civil engineering Anne Steinemann. “Additionally, additional research is needed to understand the implications of low-level exposures, particularly for vulnerable and sensitive populations. »
While many commenters were shocked by the TikToker’s comments, several admitted that they wouldn’t stop using artificial fragrances.
“Unfortunately I will continue to use all of this,” reads one well-liked comment.
“I can’t give up perfumes, please let me smell good even when I’m dead,” added another.
“I stopped using perfume and cologne years ago,” said a third. “Sorry, I can’t.”
The Daily Dot contacted William via the website’s contact form and Christina via an Instagram direct message.
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