Do perfumes irritate your skin and/or give you other side effects?

All I can say is... eeeeeh... I hardly ever wear perfume and when I do, I have never, ever had side effects but I can imagine that some people really suffer from an allergic reaction because that's pretty strong stuff. Right? Some people get allergic reactions to perfumed hand cream, so why would you not get an allergic reaction to actual perfume? All I can advise is if you have had this experience, quit wearing perfume and maybe just use some essential oil like lavender and see if that does any better with your skin. But maybe you don't wanna smell like an old lady, this I don't know.

Well, I have certainly never experienced anything like that myself so far, and I hope I never will!!!

However, I would have to say, if your perfume is making you break out in hives, which is what this sounds like, I would say discontinue using the product right away, wash all clothes that might contain residue, do not use that perfume again, and perhaps even talk to your doctor before using any other kind as well. It's strange that perfume is bothering you but not for instance deodorant or face cream. I'd want to find out more about the possible cause. 

Would you mind sharing what perfume did this to you?

Nah, can't say that I've ever had that problem that I know of, certainly not to the extent you're describing here which sounds pretty invasive and would definitely make me stop using that product right off the bat. Of course you can never know for sure if things like pimples and stuff are indirectly caused by cosmetics you use, but... let's just say I've never noticed and my skin seems pretty tolerant to anything and everything. I do get the odd pimple including in places like the shoulder, cleavage etc, but I honestly think that got more to do with hormones and also sometimes (shame on me) junk food binges. 

Fragrance allergies are definitely real. Some people are affected by symptoms like headaches, sneezing and red, itchy eyes even when they just walk by people who are wearing perfume, without so much as touching them! What you have sounds like it could be a fragrance allergy. They can develop with time so that you wore perfume without problems before doesn't mean you can't have it. I would ask your family doctor about a referral to allergy testing, which will help you avoid allergens in the future.

Absolutely! As a person with rosacea, I have noticed that certain products have a very irritating effect, and that I get flare ups. It might be a coincidence, but nevertheless I know enough about myself to stay away from things that have triggered me before, if I know what they are. Perfumes are a culprit, but scented candles, air fresheners, and hair spray, are all things that "set me off" sometimes. I choose unscented products whenever possible unless I already know they don't make me flare up. 

Seeing an allergist might be worthwhile, but avoiding triggers is just common sense. Unfortunately there's no way to control who you ride the elevator with. Sometimes that alone is enough to make me flare up. 

I know that I can't wear perfume myself. I get a burning feeling and my skin goes all red. I might as well put sulfuric acid on myself, same difference. But what I do do sometimes to make myself smell good is spray perfume on a jacket or another piece of outerwear. Literally as long as there is no direct skin contact, I seem to be OK. This is baffling because other people say for example that they have reactions if they just walk into an elevator where someone who wore perfume was located.