We’re thrilled to feature Lorene Alba, a Certified Asthma educator (AE-C) with extensive experience in managing asthma and allergies. Living with asthma and allergies since she was 16, Lorene has held key educational roles at the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America, the California Department of Public Health, and the American Lung Association. Her expertise as a chronic disease educator and patient advocate provides valuable knowledge to help you navigate asthma challenges. Read on to hear her personal experience with managing asthma attacks caused by strong odors and other triggers, and how a personal air purifier with activated carbon has helped her navigate a world full of fragrances and air pollutants.
The challenges
A little bit about me . . .
I have severe persistent asthma, allergies, and migraine. I am very sensitive to smells—all kinds of smells, including the skunky smell from the beer brewery in my town, the strong smell of cleaning products, and even the pleasant scents from perfume and candles. It doesn’t matter if I smell bleach, exhaust, or lavender; these smells will trigger nausea, migraines, and asthma attacks very quickly. This is extremely difficult because my environment is full of smells, and they are impossible to escape.
Trying to avoid the things that trigger my chronic conditions is a full time job. A job with no perks or days off. Often, my conditions require me to advocate for myself and have challenging conversations with family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers.
At Thanksgiving dinner, several family members always wore perfume, hairspray, and strong scented lotions. One year my asthma was not well controlled, and I had to make the difficult decision to not attend the dinner. I didn’t want to make my asthma worse, or end up in the hospital and ruin everyone’s holiday. I had the uncomfortable conversation and explained my situation to my family, who were supportive. We all agreed to have a fragrance-free dinner.
Some of my other conversations have not been as easy, or have gone quite so well. There was the discussion with my coworker who was using a very strong smelling pain cream. I shared that I empathized with her pain, but the strong smell in our small office was making my asthma and migraine symptoms worse. HR had to step in, and a debate over who’s medical condition was “more pressing” was not enjoyable. My coworker was given permission to use her pain cream and I was told they would grant me reasonable accommodations by letting me work in the conference room or on the balcony. That didn’t feel very reasonable to me.
Traveling with asthma and allergies
Over the years, I have traveled often for work and pleasure. I was on airplanes or trains weekly. On one trip, I had just settled into my aisle seat in the front of the plane, my favorite spot. Suddenly there was an overpowering smell of cologne. So overpowering I felt chest tightness and had an immediate migraine. It was the flight attendant. I started to panic, knowing that I was going to be stuck in an airplane for the next 4 hours having asthma and migraine symptoms. I searched for a different flight attendant, one with a kind a face that would hopefully be understanding, and braced myself for another uncomfortable conversation with a stranger.
I explained that I had migraine and asthma attacks, and both were flaring at the moment due to the amount of cologne the flight attendant was wearing. I offered 2 solutions; can he work in the back of the plane, or could he wash some of the cologne off so it wasn’t so strong. The flight attendant said I was welcome to exit and take another flight. I explained I shouldn’t have to rearrange all of my travel when he could just wash some of the cologne off. Just some, not even all! I believed that was a reasonable compromise. Other passengers heard our conversation; I felt their eyes on me. I was becoming flustered and embarrassed, and didn’t want to cause trouble. Finally, I asked the flight attendant directly if he could just wash some of the cologne off. He wasn’t happy, because I’m sure he was embarrassed, too. But he did it. It was enough to keep me breathing for the rest of the flight. I thanked him when we landed, but he was still a little salty.
I even changed careers to improve my asthma
It was never my goal to work in an office. In college I majored in culinary arts, which included 10+ hours in cooking labs. College was when my asthma was severe and poorly controlled. The fumes from the several gas stoves, mixed with the heat of kitchen, and all the strong smells from the food made it very hard to breathe. After graduation, I went to work as a professional chef. Despite working with my medical team, after about 10 years I had to switch careers because of my asthma was difficult to manage.
The stigma of asthma
To be honest, I kind of resent having to have these conversations. Although I’m a vocal patient advocate, there are times when I just don’t want to share my health concerns and diagnoses with others. It’s frustrating to always have to “out” myself just so I can breathe. I often feel that people think I’m faking my chronic conditions or being overdramatic. Neither are true.
The only way to deal with fragrances and sensitivities was to try and avoid them. The world feels like a minefield of triggers. Anytime I go out in public, I’m exposed to known and sometimes unknown triggers. The solutions were never leave my house, wear a mask and struggle to breathe, or deal with any symptoms I may have. I decided to isolate and avoid triggers altogether.
The solution
I was thrilled when I found the solution—the Wear A+ with Activated Carbon HEPA filter. This personal air purifier sits comfortably around my neck and filters the air I breathe. The carbon and HEPA air filter work by removing irritants like pollution, strong smells, allergens, and viruses.
As I mentioned above, I was self-isolating. I stopped traveling. I made excuses to not see friends or attend social gatherings. The fear of encountering triggers and suffering an asthma attack kept me confined to my home.
But now, with the Wear A+ around my neck, I can confidently navigate spaces that were once off-limits. I can stroll past the perfume counter in a department store without reaching for my inhaler (though I always carry it, just in case). I can ride the subway without the fear of catching the flu, and I can visit my friend with the cat without a single sneeze.
The Wear A+ with Activated Carbon has allowed me to enjoy cooking again! Even though I’m not back in professional kitchens, the personal air purifier helps remove the fumes from when I’m cooking on a gas stove. This is especially helpful for me, at only 4,10”, my face is very close to the burners when I’m cooking. Additionally, the activated carbon HEPA filter eliminates the smells from cooking, so frying foods or using pungent spices are no longer an issue.
What is an activated carbon filter, and how does it work? Scroll down for more information.
What are activated carbon air filters?
Activated carbon air filters are used in air purifiers, water filtration and HVAC systems. They remove:
- Pollutants – exhaust
- Odors – perfume and cologne, cleaning chemicals, smell of tobacco smoke, and foods frying or broiling
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – gaseous substances like ethanol, formaldehyde, xylene, and benzene
- Contaminants – ground-level ozone
Carbon air filters cannot remove allergens on their own, but often include a HEPA filter to remove pet dander, pollen, mold, and bacteria. The Wear A+ with Activated Carbon by Respiray is a HEPA filter with a layer of carbon, and provides filtration for all these particles.
What is activated carbon filter made of?
The carbon used in these filters is actually activated charcoal, made out of wood, coal, or coconut shells. Activated carbon is created by injecting hot air, steam, or carbon dioxide into carbon, which creates a lattice of tiny pores.
It is safe to use. In fact, humans have been using carbon to filter water and odors for centuries.
Does an activated carbon filter reduce VOCs?
It’s important to know that VOCs are not just confined to industrial settings. They are found in the household products we use every day, like air fresheners, cleaning products, and personal care products. They are also present in paint, building supplies, and the smell of new carpets. Smoking cigarettes, vaping, and seemingly harmless activities like diffusing essential oils and using gas stoves can contribute to VOC levels.
Breathing VOCs can be harmful to your health. Short-term exposure can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation and headaches. Long-term exposure may worsen asthma and COPD symptoms and cause cancer. In this peer-reviewed study, almost 13% of childhood asthma can be attributed to using gas stoves in the home.
You can also use a home a room air purifier. Using an air purifier with an activated charcoal filter will help lower the levels of volatile organic compounds in your home. Air purification systems need to be the correct size (large enough) to reduce indoor air pollution and get rid of strong odors. The downside of air purifiers is they can be expensive to use since they need to run all the time to be effective.
An upside of the Respiray Wear A+ with Activated Carbon is it’s a wearable VOC air purifier at home. It works immediately and is always the correct size. Simply place the activated carbon filter into the device, and turn it on. The Wear A+ will pull air into the device and through the charcoal filter, helping to remove VOCs. I recently replaced carpet, and used my Wear A+ with Activated Carbon for several days until the VOC smell wore off.
Does a carbon activated filter remove carbon monoxide?
Yes, a charcoal air filter can help remove carbon monoxide. However, the EPA states an air purifier/filters will not protect you from carbon monoxide poisoning. Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.
How do carbon filters work?
When air passes through an activated carbon filter, the filter traps particles through a process called adsorption. Adsorption is different than absorption. Carbon filters adsorb airborne particles, which means particles stick to the surface of filter. Once stuck, the particles cannot recirculate into the air. The filter will continue to adsorb gas and odors until the the surface is saturated. Once it is saturated, it will not longer be effective at adsorbing particles.
Is an activated carbon filter the same as a HEPA filter?
No, the two filters are different. As described above, activated carbon filters are used to adsorb gas, VOCs, and odors from the air. A HEPA filter catches smaller particles like dust, pet dander, secondhand smoke, wildfire smoke, mold spores, and viruses.
Using an carbon and HEPA filter together will provide the most effective at removing pollutants from the air in your home.
When to replace activated carbon filter.
The Wear A+ Activated Carbon HEPA filter should be replaced every 60 days, or 200 hours of wear time. HVAC filters should also be changed every 30 days. If are you use an air purifier, change the filters as recommended by the manufacturer.
I know have more control over my environment.
Having a portable air purifier to filter out strong scents and allergens is a game changer. I now have a way to discreetly and safely filter the air I’m breathing. It means I have more control over my environment. I don’t have to work in the conference room or change my flight, and there fewer uncomfortable conversations with others.
