LAVENDER ALLERGY - IT'S A THING

This is a heads-up post to alert pet groomers, pet owners, and aromatherapy folks that the essential oil of Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, AKA, Lavendula officinalis, has been identified as an allergen and an increased risk of allergic contact dermatitis.  The word from the European Union is that Lavender and several other essential oils will likely appear on the next update of the official EU List of Fragrance Allergens. (See Attachment Below).

The Current list of 25 fragrance ingredients are fragrance chemicals (components of fragrances) that must be declared on cosmetic labels in the EU when their concentration in a product exceeds:

• 0.001% in leave-on products.
• 0.01% in rinse-off products.

Note that this EU regulation applies to labeling, not to formulating or usage.  

What is an allergen? Also known as a "sensitizer", an allergen is a substance that has the potential to trigger the immune system to marshall an allergic response. An allergen will not trigger reactions in all individuals and it may take many exposures for an allergic response to fully develop.  In the case of essential oils, sensitizing substances are the natural chemical components that make up essential oils.  Each essential oil has many chemical components in varying amounts depending on the plant source.  Lavender oil has 8-12 chemical substances, depending on the type and variety of the plant.  

One of the components of Lavender oil, Linalool, already appears on the list.  A second component, Linalyl Acetate, has subsequently been identified as causing allergic reactions and will appear on the next amended list (along with many others). 
Linalyl Acetate and Linalool, are the two largest chemical components of Lavender essential oil, accounting for 50-80% of the common varieties.  (Source: Tisserand & Young, Essential Oil Safety.)

A fundamental fact to know is that lavender allergy is most often a delayed-type hypersensitivity. This means that the reaction is not immediate and can take one or two days to show up.  It is more likely to happen after increased use and exposure to the linalool and linalyl acetate of lavender.  (per Healthline).

Why now?  Essential oils have been around forever.  Why are we just recently seeing their components identified as allergens?  Good question!  It has to do with the huge surge in the use of Lavender and other EOs and their components in the personal care, cosmetics, and pet care industries. It takes wide use and exposure over time in order for these fragrance components to emerge as allergens.  BTW, synthetic fragrances utilize the chemical components to recreate the smell of the EO or to combine it with other components to make a complex synthetic fragrance.  

What does Lavender allergy mean for pet groomers? Okay, just because this allergic reaction is possible does not mean that it is likely. Lavender allergy is relatively rare. The likelihood of it happening increases with:

• Concentration - full strength in direct contact with skin raises a much greater risk than highly diluted in a spray product for the coat. Some of the most prevalent cases of Lavender allergy have been connected to use in massage therapy.
• Duration of contact - Brief contact in a rinse-off shampoo is much less likely to spark a reaction than contact in a cream that is left on the skin.
• Frequency of contact - Lavender allergy has been identified as an occupational hazard.  The massage therapist using Lavender in a massage oil several times a day is at greater risk than a person getting a massage with lavender fragrance once in a while. 
• Sensitivity of the individual - individuals (dogs or humans) who have experienced allergic reactions to other things are more likely to have a reaction to fragrance chemicals.  There are people and dogs who have an overactive immune system.

Conclusion:  We do not need to ditch our fragrances or essential oils now that we know about fragrance allergy reactions.  We need to be mindful that delayed reactions can occur and not be in denial.  The fact that a pet leaves our care not showing any signs of itching, rash, hives, etc. does not guarantee that there is not a problem related to our products.  And be aware that bathing staff is at the greatest risk of fragrance allergies, especially if they are using the same product repeatedly.  The old notion that lavender was a completely benign and harmless “natural” alternative is simply not true.  Now you know! Listed below is the complete list of essential oils contained in the draft of the soon-to-be-added fragrance allergens. (2023)

https://www.healthline.com/health/lavender-allergy

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30779160/

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/EEC/22_6171_00_e.pdf

ATTACHMENT - ESSENTIAL OILS TO BE IDENTIFIED BY EU AS FRAGRANCE ALLERGENS:

• Bay Leaf Oil (Laurus nobilis)
• Bergamot Oil (Citrus aurantium bergamia)
• Cinnamon Bark Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Bark oil)
• Cinnamon Leaf Oil (Cinnamomum cassia Leaf Oil)
• Clove Leaf Oil (Eugenia caryophyllus)
• Eastern Red Cedar Oil (Juniperus virginiana)
• Eucalyptus Globulus Oil
• Jasmine Oil (Jasminum officinale grandiflorum)
• Lavender Oil (Lavandula hybrida, Lavandula intermedia, Lavandula angustifolia)
• Lemon Oil (Citrus limon)
• Lemongrass Oil  (Cymbopogon citratus / schoenanthus/ flexuosus oils)
• Neroli Oil (Citrus aurantium amara and dulcis Flower oil)
• Orange Oil (Citrus aurantium amara and dulcis Peel oil)
• Patchouli Oil (Pogostemonn cablin)
• Peppermint Oil (Mentha Piperita)
• Rose Flower Oil (Rosa Alba Flower Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil, Rosa Gallica Flower Oil, Rosa Rugosa Flower Oil.)
• Rose Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens)
• Rose Otto Oil (Rosa Damascena)
• Spearmint Oil (Mentha Spicata)
• Sandalwood  Oil (Santalum Album)
• Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga Odorata)