The unknown risks of scented candles! what science has to say: an editorial

Indoor air pollution is mainly caused by combustion, building materials, and bioaerosols¹. This is one of the most common health issues in developing nations¹. A number of treatment options, such as aromatherapy, are used to alleviate psychological discomfort and promote healing². Among such treatments, the use of scented candles has acquired a lot of consideration with the rapidly expanding interest in room decor and indoor air fresheners. For generations, people have used scented candles to set a tranquil and soothing mood. The U.S. market for scented candles is estimated to be worth approximately 2 billion USD annually due to rising demand². When scented candles are lit indoors, several harmful gasses are released. They range greatly, from those known to have no effect on health except for those that may be cancerous³. The discharge of combustion gasses like carbon monoxide or nitrogen oxide would contaminate the interior environment, according to studies done in environmental test chambers³. A number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that have been identified as carcinogens, such as naphthalene, anthracene, and pyrene, were also found in candle fumes that are products of wax, aroma substances, or combustion dyes⁴. The most common complaints from those who had been exposed to scented candles were vertigo, headaches, mucosa irritation, respiratory issues, watery eyes, sneezing, stuffy nose, chest tightness, and a dry or irritated throat. Formaldehyde and aromatic hydrocarbons like toluene and benzopyrene may be released in large quantities from commonly available scented candles, especially the less expensive ones made from paraffin wax². According to a study, a 66-year-old woman was diagnosed with exogenous lipoid pneumonia after inhaling vaporized paraffin from burning candles⁵. When burning scented candles indoors, quantities of pollutants such as formaldehyde, CO₂, and volatile organic compounds were measured that were higher than background levels, showing that the candles were one of the sources of indoor pollution⁶. Aroma candles not only have poor wax quality, but they also contain dyes and artificial scents that, when burned, release a variety of chemicals. Petroleum is the source of 95% of the chemicals used in synthetic perfumes and scented candles and contains benzene derivatives. Candle waxes are still coloured using toluene derivatives and benzidine-based dyes, which have been associated with urothelial cancer development⁷. Frequent consumption of scented candles for quite a long time and their use in inadequately ventilated rooms may increase the chance of developing urothelial cancer. Additionally, scented candles are also widely available on the market, with low quality and undefined raw materials. Public health authorities should be warned that indoor candle burning on a regular basis can expose us to dangerous levels of organic pollutants. Candle chemicals, fragrances, and wax are well-known asthma and allergy irritants. Given the danger, it could be a good idea to implement simple preventive steps. It is recommended to choose candles manufactured from natural materials, such as beeswax or soy wax, and scented with essential oils rather than synthetic perfumes, to reduce exposure to pollutants from scented candles. After using scented candles, the space should be aired to get rid of the chemical compounds produced while burning. The quality of the used scented candles should be taken into consideration, and we should attempt to stay away from ones that are of low quality and made of paraffin or artificial materials. Manufacturers of scented candles should be compelled to include a brief statement or image notifying the consumer about the dangers of indoor pollution and other related health issues under new labelling and packaging laws.

Ethical approval

Ethics approval was not required for this editorial.

Consent

This study was not done on patients therefore no written consent was required.

Sources of funding

Not applicable.

Author contribution

Z.N., T.A., A.H. and H.G.: conception of study, major drafting of work, literature search, final approval agreeing to the accuracy of work. M.A.H.: supervise this work.

Conflicts of interest disclosure

The authors declare that they have no financial conflicts of interest with regard to the consent of this report.

Research registration unique identifying number (UIN)

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Zainab Nazir.

Data availability statement

Not applicable.

Provenance and peer review

Not commissioned, externally peer-reviewed.