{"id":27439,"date":"2026-01-24T07:56:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T06:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=27439"},"modified":"2026-01-23T10:00:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T09:00:44","slug":"applying-perfume-on-your-neck-does-not-alter-thyroid-function-as-claimed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/applying-perfume-on-your-neck-does-not-alter-thyroid-function-as-claimed\/","title":{"rendered":"Applying perfume on your neck does not alter thyroid function, as claimed\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Claim: An Instagram user claims<\/a> that spraying perfume on the neck can alter thyroid function.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Text<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a> areas of application are the pulse points, such as the wrist, neck, and behind the ears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The text on the image shared by Naturethecure read, \u201cNever 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\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Screenshot of the image shared by Naturethecure.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The page further claimed that perfumes contain many synthetic fragrance compounds that act as endocrine disruptors, potentially negatively impacting the thyroid gland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This image was further shared by @gymsociety<\/a> on X. Corroborating this, an X user @scmedicinals<\/a> wrote, \u201cOne of the worst things people don\u2019t talk about is how millions of people spray perfume on their necks, literally destroying their thyroid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The post has since been shared on Facebook here<\/a>, here<\/a>, and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

@giddyup_buckaroo asked, \u201cDo you have any evidence for this?\u201d while @1moretrade queried, \u201cI\u2019m sick and tired of all these\u2026why is it then that they don\u2019t go directly to the companies killing us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

@nicki_ramirez exclaimed, \u201cIt\u2019s like everything I\u2019ve ever been taught was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA decided to conduct a fact-check because this is a common practice and because of the scepticism the claim generated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We conducted a keyword search and found a research paper<\/strong><\/a> published in the Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research titled, \u2018Evaluation of pollutants in perfumes, colognes and health effects on the consumer: a systematic review\u2019 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another study in ScienceDirect<\/a> found that fragrance compounds in personal care products and household cleaning agents could act as endocrine disruptors, altering hormonal signalling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPerfumes can only trigger allergies\u2026 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,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Francis said risk factors are genetics, gender (hypothyroidism has a higher occurrence in females gender), age, and lifestyle.  \u201cSmoking and alcohol may trigger the gene, but it is not a big factor,\u201d he submitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that dietary factors, such as cabbage consumption, may be responsible for thyroid problems by altering iodine synthesis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt 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 \u2014 they can cause goitre, alter thyroid gland activity, and, most of the time, are even found in foods like cabbage,\u201d the medical doctor noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He explained that whatever would be considered a fact in medical science must be reviewed in accordance with the expectations of science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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, \u201cNever 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\u2026\u201d 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, \u201cOne of the worst things people don\u2019t talk about is how millions of people spray perfume on their necks, literally destroying their thyroid.\u201d 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, \u201cDo you have any evidence for this?\u201d while @1moretrade queried, \u201cI\u2019m sick and tired of all these\u2026why is it then that they don\u2019t go directly to the companies killing us?\u201d @nicki_ramirez exclaimed, \u201cIt\u2019s like everything I\u2019ve ever been taught was wrong.\u201d 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, \u2018Evaluation of pollutants in perfumes, colognes and health effects on the consumer: a systematic review\u2019 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.  \u201cOf 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,\u201d 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.  \u201cPerfumes can only trigger allergies\u2026 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,\u201d 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.  \u201cSmoking and alcohol may trigger the gene, but it is not a big factor,\u201d 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. \u201cThe 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,\u201d 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.  \u201cIt 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 \u2014 they can cause goitre, alter thyroid gland activity, and, most of the time, are even found in foods like cabbage,\u201d 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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27440,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"default","_google_business_share_type":"default","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":true,"datetime":"2026-01-24 06:56:00","platforms":[],"status":"pending_publication","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1571,3812,121,3815],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[1920],"class_list":["post-27439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fact-check","category-headline","category-health","category-homepage"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-78z","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":1920,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"elizabeth-ogunbamowo","display_name":"Elizabeth Ogunbamowo","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7043a07f4ff292637cb75d13c8340fa9afb2ec87eceec4eedd980077c8bfd304?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-65.jpeg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27439"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27442,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27439\/revisions\/27442"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27439"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=27439"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=27439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}