Stinky truth about your perfume, cologne

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - While perfume and cologne may smell good, doctors warn that many of them are made from chemicals linked to hormone disruption, reproductive problems, and cancer. Dr. Noreen Khan-Mayberry from NKM Environmental Health Sciences, known as The Tox Doc, explains to FOX 26 News how you can find a safe solution.

Some people suffer from headaches or something as simple as an itchy nose after spraying perfume.  The Tox Doc recommends that you pay attention to those warning signs! 

"If you get a headache from something every time you use it, it's time for it to go," says The Tox Doc. "It's definitely a central nervous system effect. You should not get a headache. That's a strong effect, getting a high dosage whenever you use the products. A lot of perfumes are not natural, made from chemicals, thousands of chemicals they put together in this proprietary mixture and they don't have to tell you what it is. They can call it 'fragrance.' When you spray a fragrance, it could have cancer-causing chemicals in it. This is dangerous!  Avoid everything with "fragrance" in it.  Not just in faux perfume, but hair care products, shampoo, make-up, our skin care line, avoid fragrance. Make sure the ingredients list says perfume." 

While the word fragrance sounds natural, it's not.

"It fools you into thinking you're smelling something natural, and that is not natural," says Dr. Khan-Mayberry. "Then you get that headache and that means ding-ding-ding -- we've got a problem."

For more information about perfume and cologne, visit http://www.envirohealthsciences.com/ and
http://www.webmd.com/beauty/makeup/20100512/does-perfume-have-hidden-health-risks