Fragrance Sacrifice

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Hi all!

I am wondering for all the nurses have you sacrificed smelling good for the health of your patients? I am wanting to wear my "Smell Good" But don't want to seem like it will choke my patients. Is a little okay or non at all?

Thank you!!

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I wear D&G Light Blue. It's very light, and I use a light touch to apply. I have always worn a light citrus scent to work and never sent anyone over the abyss.

i KNEW we were comrades. My favorite (only) fragrance.

I worked with a nurse years and years ago that wore avon's. Roses, roses, roses.

It was awfull--cloying and overpowering. We had so so many complaints. She knew about complaints but refused to stop wearing it at work.

I don't wear fragrance at work after that experience

I would consider quitting if I worked with someone who insisted on wearing that. It literally makes me sick.:dead:

Specializes in Telemetry.
I wear D&G Light Blue. It's very light, and I use a light touch to apply. I have always worn a light citrus scent to work and never sent anyone over the abyss.

When I like a fragrance it tends to be the "kiss of death" - soon after the company discontinues it. Don't worry - I've never worn anything from D&G!

But sorry for those who like Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey...

When I like a fragrance it tends to be the "kiss of death" - soon after the company discontinues it. Don't worry - I've never worn anything from D&G!

But sorry for those who like Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey...

I'm like that with lipstick.

Specializes in Oncology, Rehab, Public Health, Med Surg.
I would consider quitting if I worked with someone who insisted on wearing that. It literally makes me sick.:dead:

This was many years ago. I think-- I strongly hope--they don't make it anymore

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Soap, shampoo, and deodorant.

I have asthmatic coworkers that I don't want to trigger and God forbid I trigger a pt.

Even outside work I don't wear much of anything. I have weird body chemistry and not much smells good on me anyway.

PLEASE leave the fragrances at home. As I have gotten older I have become even more hypersensitive to perfume & cologne. My allergies only exacerbate the unplesantness. Recently had a HH NA for Mom who made me nauseous. I asked her if she was wearing perfume or cologne. She wasn't, so I figured out it must have been one of those new long lasting fragrance fabric softeners. I tolerated her for a few days because she was going back to school and was going to be replaced. Another HH NA went in the medicine cabinet and unbeknownst to me liberally sprayed Mom with one of her perfumes. I couldn't figure out where the odor was coming from and had a splitting headache until the next day when I asked her if she did indeed use Mom's perfume. I sternly told her not to ever do that again, EVER. The smell didn't go away until Mom had her daily bath. Another HH NA who fortunately was only with Mom for 1 day grabbed a can of deodorant without reading the can and sprayed her underarms. The can was FDS! (Feminine Deodorant Spray for "Down Below") :eek:

I guess fragrance is like cilantro, it's either loved or hated.

I have to use everything fragrance free except for shampoo for some reason, but the rest of the products have to be hypoallergenic.

I have both contact and respiratory symptoms from it. Really has less to do with olfactory and is mostly sensitivity related though some smells are so heady that they're near intolerable.

Anyway, to a super smeller like me, the chemical smell is off putting as well as gives me a headache. Not sure how that gives anyone confidence knowing many of us have an aversion to your odor. *Shrug*

It's a fine line to walk. I don't mind a faint smell, but some people lay it on thick. and I think those are the people who are offending olfactory senses.

Specializes in CVICU.
It's a fine line to walk. I don't mind a faint smell, but some people lay it on thick. and I think those are the people who are offending olfactory senses.

This is in line with the common knowledge deficit many people have regarding cologne/perfume application. [in my humble opinion] no more than two sprays should be used when applying it, and it should be applied holding the bottle at arm's length away from the body so that the scent sprays out in a mist and not directly onto the body as a liquid. 1 spray on side of the neck, 1 spray on a wrist. Use the applied wrist to rub the other, then use both wrists to rub both sides of the neck.

I realize applying perfume/cologne should be a no brainer, but given the number of people we have walking around smelling like they literally bathed in it, it appears it isn't.

1 spray. Arm's length. D&G light blue. I'm telling ya.

Specializes in Cath/EP lab, CCU, Cardiac stepdown.
When I like a fragrance it tends to be the "kiss of death" - soon after the company discontinues it. Don't worry - I've never worn anything from D&G!

But sorry for those who like Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey...

I need you to stay far far away from it

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