fragrance/clean air policy

A fragrancy-free and smoke-free policy is recommended by the American Lung Association and is particularly important for a pediatric clinic. We regularly have newborns in our clinic, as well as children with medical conditions triggered or harmed by strong scents (such as asthma, airway infections, migraines). We want to assure a safe environment with the best possible indoor air quality while these children receive medical care.

Please refrain from using any products containing fragrance or scents on the days of your visit to our clinic. This can be achieved either by using unscented products that day or allowing 24 hours for any fragrance or scents to dissipate before visiting the clinic. Common sources of fragrance and other airborne irritants include:

  • Shampoo, conditioner, and hair styling products

  • Hand lotion or sanitizer

  • Perfume/cologne/after shave

  • Heavily scented deodorants

  • Cigarette or other smoke on clothing

is fragrance harmful?

“Fragrances” are by definition volatile chemicals, meaning they release into the air and make their way into the lungs, eyes, skin, hair, and clothing of other people. This makes it important to know if they could potentially harm those around you. Unfortunately, they’re not required to be listed among ingredients, so we lack adequate safety testing. Efforts that have been made to uncover what they emit are concerning at best. What we do know is that “fragrance” includes chemicals with known toxicity to children. What hasn’t been established is in which situations the levels exceed harmful thresholds. So the best policy is to avoid it, particularly in a healthcare setting with newborns and children with underlying medical problems like asthma or migraines.

Fragrance-free product options

Here are some common options found in local stores or online, but there are many others, too. Note that some these brands may also offer scented varieties, so check that you’re purchasing the unscented option:

  • Shampoo and Conditioner: Desert Essence, Jāsön, and Earth Science all make FRAGRANCE-FREE versions of their shampoo and conditioner.

  • Hair products: multiple available at http://www.nonscents.net/, http://www.refreshinglyfree.com/Online-Catalog/Styling-Products, and many available on Amazon if you search for fragrance free hair gel/spray/etc.

  • Lotion: Vanicream, CeraVe, Everyday Shea Fragrance-free, coconut oil, Eucerin Calming Daily moisturizing cream.

  • Soap: Everyday Shea and Whole Foods 365 have foaming fragrance-free hand soaps. For bath, Tom's of Maine has an unscented bar of soap with aloe for sensitive skin. There are also many lines of hypoallergenic cleansers and bar soaps for sensitive skin such as CeraVe's "Hydrating Cleanser", Cetaphil's "RestoraDerm Skin Restoring Body Wash", or Exederm's "Eczema Wash/Body Wash" or "Baby Eczema Wash/Cleansing Baby Bath".

  • Laundry and dish-washing detergents: Ecover ZERO products (hypoallergenic, fragrance-free), Seventh Generation "Free and Clear" variety, Biokleen "Free and Clear”, Tide “Free and Clear"

These are just a few common options.  For a guide to selecting other environmentally safe products, here is a useful website:  http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Thank you for your cooperation!

 

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