Applying perfume on your neck does not alter thyroid function, as claimed 

Claim: An Instagram user claims that spraying perfume on the neck can alter thyroid function.

Verdict: Misleading! Research shows there is no evidence to support the claim. Experts also told DUBAWA that while other factors may be responsible for the thyroid gland’s function, perfumes are not among them.

Full Text

One common habit among people who use perfume is applying it to specific parts of the body or clothing to ensure the fragrance lasts longer.  The most recommended areas of application are the pulse points, such as the wrist, neck, and behind the ears. 

However, the internet recently went abuzz when an Instagram user,@Naturethecure, on Jan. 12, 2026, claimed that applying perfume to the neck could affect the thyroid gland.

The text on the image shared by Naturethecure read, “Never spray perfume on your neck. That area that sits right over your thyroid and repeated exposure to fragrance chemicals can interfere with hormone signalling and absorption through thin, highly vascular skin…”

The page further claimed that perfumes contain many synthetic fragrance compounds that act as endocrine disruptors, potentially negatively impacting the thyroid gland. 

This image was further shared by @gymsociety on X. Corroborating this, an X user @scmedicinals wrote, “One of the worst things people don’t talk about is how millions of people spray perfume on their necks, literally destroying their thyroid.”

The post has since been shared on Facebook here, here, and here.

DUBAWA observed that this claim generated controversial responses from different users in the comment section. Many users complained that modern science is rapidly overhauling habits formed over the years, while others questioned the scientific evidence for the claim.

@giddyup_buckaroo asked, “Do you have any evidence for this?” while @1moretrade queried, “I’m sick and tired of all these…why is it then that they don’t go directly to the companies killing us?”

@nicki_ramirez exclaimed, “It’s like everything I’ve ever been taught was wrong.”

DUBAWA decided to conduct a fact-check because this is a common practice and because of the scepticism the claim generated. 

Verification

We conducted a keyword search and found a research paper published in the Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering. 

The research titled, ‘Evaluation of pollutants in perfumes, colognes and health effects on the consumer: a systematic review’ suggested that aromatic compounds such as Triclosan can disrupt thyroid functions, noted that although Triclosan was banned by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2016, it is still used in some products, such as fragrances, toothpaste, mouthwash, and acne cream.

Another study in ScienceDirect found that fragrance compounds in personal care products and household cleaning agents could act as endocrine disruptors, altering hormonal signalling. 

While the above studies, among others, investigated the relationship between perfumes and thyroid functions, no research paper suggested that applying perfume to the neck would directly affect thyroid function in humans. 

DUBAWA contacted Dermatologist Ireneh Akwara in Lagos, who explained that perfumes are not capable of causing thyroid issues. He explained that perfumes cannot cause an abnormal increase in hormone production. 

“Of all the things perfume can do, it cannot cause thyroid problems. Thyroid diseases are what we call endocrine problems, meaning a person is producing an abnormal amount of hormones, and perfumes cannot impact that,” he said.

He further noted that perfumes can trigger allergic reactions, causing itching or rashes, but cannot cause endocrine problems. The causative factor for thyroid issues, he said, can be dietary, particularly if a person has iodine deficiency. 

“Perfumes can only trigger allergies… perfumes can never cause endocrine problems. It can never happen. That’s not how thyroid disease develops. If a person has thyroid problems, it is mainly dietary because thyroid hormones require iodine. This is why they add iodine to the salt. If a person has iodine deficiency, such a person can have hypothyroidism, which can lead to all kinds of thyroid problems, but not perfumes, sprays, or deodorants,” he explained. 

Also, Francis Agbaraolorunpo, a medical lecturer in Lagos, said there is no scientific evidence to support such a claim. According to him, spraying perfume on the neck is not a consideration in the epidemiology of the thyroid gland. 

He also explained that there are two conditions for thyroid. According to him,  it may be working excessively, which is hyperthyroidism, or working less than expected, hypothyroidism. He said a person may suffer hypothyroidism if they are iodine-deficient, and that is why there is a policy that salt has to be iodinized.

Francis said risk factors are genetics, gender (hypothyroidism has a higher occurrence in females gender), age, and lifestyle.  “Smoking and alcohol may trigger the gene, but it is not a big factor,” he submitted.

The medical lecturer further explained that spraying perfume close to the neck can instead affect the respiratory system and, in the long run, impact the brain after a person inhales the fragrance.

“The airway can be affected sometimes, and that is why it’s been demonstrated that if people bring perfume to you, you should be careful because you don’t know the components. Inhaling can trigger sleep for some, and it can have some effects on the hypothalamus,” he said.

He also stated that there are deep neck muscles and fat that the perfume’s contents may need to penetrate before it can affect the thyroid, adding that there are currently no scientific studies to support this. 

He noted that dietary factors, such as cabbage consumption, may be responsible for thyroid problems by altering iodine synthesis. 

“It is doubtful, and there are no scientific materials that such content can bypass the different barriers to reach the thyroid. Some chemicals are more goitrogenic — they can cause goitre, alter thyroid gland activity, and, most of the time, are even found in foods like cabbage,” the medical doctor noted.

He explained that whatever would be considered a fact in medical science must be reviewed in accordance with the expectations of science.

Conclusion

The viral claim that spraying perfume on the neck could affect thyroid functions is misleading. Available studies and experts showed that the claim lacked substantial evidence.