Do Air Purifiers Make Allergies Worse? An Expert's Perspective

In some cases, using an air purifier can cause allergies to worsen rather than improve. This is usually due to ionizing units that increase the amount of allergens and dust in the air. To avoid this, it is important to use a HEPA filter in your home to remove most airborne particles that could worsen allergies. However, airborne particles are not the only ones in your home.

Carpets, bedding, curtains, countertops and tables can also contain allergens and irritants. To reduce the risk of allergies, it is important to keep these areas clean and, where possible, eliminate the source of allergens and irritants. For example, the only effective way to keep tobacco smoke out of your home is to stop smoking. Air purifiers can neutralize some of the threat posed by air pollution and indoor activities.

According to Shaughnessy, director of the indoor air research program at the University of Tulsa, the main criteria for selecting an air purifier should be its ability to effectively remove particles in the air. Some air purifiers use ionizers to help attract particles such as static negative ions that bind to dust and allergens and cause them to be deposited out of the air. To help you filter your options and help you breathe a little easier, we spoke to an expert and compared several different brands for this list of our picks for the best air purifiers for allergies. I chose the Germ Guardian 3-in-1 digital air cleaning system with Pet Pure filter, which uses a combination of True HEPA filter and UV-C light.

The best place to place an air purifier is the area where you spend the most time or that is a source of pollution. As air moves through the filter, contaminants and particles are captured, and clean air is expelled into the living space. It can detect one in homes, offices, stores and stores, cleaning the air while people try to remove impurities and allergens from the air they breathe. Over the years, the Federal Trade Commission has taken action against several manufacturers of air purifiers, including brands such as Honeywell and Oreck, for baseless allergy relief claims or for announcing that their devices removed virtually all impurities from the indoor air that people breathed.

A HEPA filter is a type of mechanical air filter; it works by forcing air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and tobacco smoke. It's not the cockroach itself that can cause an allergy outbreak, but what they leave behind - droppings, small scales on their bodies, and saliva - can be inhaled and allergies worsen. So we looked for air purifiers with HEPA filters that used activated charcoal or similar purification ingredients to help filter out allergens such as pet hair, pet dander, pollen, and smoke.