Can the artificial scent (such as in chocolate body lotion) cause a reaction to people allergic to chocolate?

Question

You see, my classmate claims to be allergic to chocolate. I wore a lotion from Bath n' Body Works called "Wickedly Hot Chocolate," and I checked the ingredients and none are alike of actual chocolate. She said that she was not feeling well because of it. Is that possible?

Answer 1

I dunno, but I wouldn't think so. I think they were just bluffing, or trying to make you feel bad...as long as they don't attempt to eat the lotion, they should be fine.

Answer 2

If there is an ingredient (that she's allergic to) used in the production of chocolate that is also used in the production of your lotion, it is technically possible. If it fell under "natural ingredients" it might be overlooked by just checking the label. However, it's probably not likely.

It is far more likely that the smell of your chocolate lotion triggers the body to prepare for the reaction.

It is also far more likely that your classmate is allergic to more than one ingredient. For example, I'm allergic to the rose-scent and the Lavendar-scent that is used in commercial products. I am not however, allergic to either roses or lavendar. With most people, if they have an allergy to one particular item, they are far more likely to develop other allergies.

Lastly, it's quite possible that she just didn't feel well today. Often times when we begin to feel sick, we don't necessarily notice the signs right away. So it's possible that she could be feeling sick from something she ate or from touching someone who had chocolate on them (there are reported cases of people having allergic reactions after kissing someone who had peanut butter....who is to say something similiar didn't happen here) and she doesn't notice it until AFTER she ran into you.

Answer 3

She may be allergic to a component of chocolate that would have caused a reaction in her. But an allergy reaction, is normally scratchy throat, runny eyes, cough, sneeze, itching, rash, and things like that. I have NEVER heard of feeling sick as an allergy reaction. She may be trying to control you.... Put some on long before that class so the immediate smell wears off. If she's TRULY allergic to it she will still have a reaction. Because it is not the smell she's allergic to.