As U.S. Allergies Grow, So Does Market for New Products

Imagine breathing air without much dust, smoke or other pesky contaminants. Imagine coughing up thousands of dollars to do so.

An expanding roster of companies are bringing out devices said to reduce the irritants in household air. The products are aimed at the growing number of people allergic to dust, molds and pets.

At least a dozen firms tout expensive, high-tech air cleaners. Vacuum manufacturers are hawking powerful and costly machines said to suck up the smallest of contaminants. DuPont has pillows that can withstand the hot-water temperatures needed to destroy microscopic pests living in bed linens.

What’s more, at least eight mail-order firms peddle a range of anti-allergy products through catalogs distributed by allergists to their patients. Amid the frequently glowing claims, the catalogs sell such items as “smoke grabber” ashtrays and face masks for any occasion (cold weather, driving in traffic, gardening or housecleaning).

Not to be left out, auto manufacturers are also installing high-tech devices. Ford Motor Co. has spent more than $100 million to advertise car models containing its “micron air filter.”

Although there are no reliable estimates on the size of the market for allergy-control products, apparently it’s nothing to sneeze at. Sales of air cleaners alone topped $250 million last year, an increase of 14%. One leading catalog company reports sales of about $20 million, up from nothing 15 years ago.

“It seems like everyone who makes a coffee maker is getting into the business,” said Ken Krugman, chief executive of Allergy Asthma Technology, a Chicago-based mail-order firm.

Manufacturers and retailers attribute the sales growth to concerns about indoor air quality and a sharp rise in asthma, a chronic respiratory disorder often linked to allergies.

“People are more conscious of closed-building syndrome and more aware of the dangers of lack of circulation and clean air,” said Pam Green, a product manager at air cleaner manufacturer Holmes Inc.

What few people may realize is that there is no conclusive evidence about the benefits of some of the more expensive devices. The air-cleaner business, for example, has been bedeviled by exaggerated claims.

Ford and its advertising agency, Young & Rubicam, settled Federal Trade Commission charges that they had hyped Ford’s air filter. The FTC said the auto maker and the ad agency falsely claimed the filter could remove “virtually all pollutants from the cabin.”

Young & Rubicam settled similar charges in 1985 over a household air cleaner that claimed to “remove substantially all or most formaldehyde gas and tobacco smoke.”

Many air-cleaner makers use a rating system developed by the Assn. of Home Appliance Manufacturers to help consumers sort out the claims. But experts say that even cleaners that live up to their makers’ claims can be of little use for certain household allergies. Nonetheless, such products appeal to allergy sufferers seeking relief from itchy noses and watery eyes or worse.

Elizabeth Friedman, 37, encases her mattress and pillow in vinyl to control dust and runs an air cleaner in her bedroom and home office in West Los Angeles.

“These measures are the first line of defense,” said Friedman, who also takes medication to control allergies to dust and mold that sometime prompt asthma attacks.

Friedman’s arsenal is modest compared with equipment amassed by some indoor allergy sufferers. One loyal Asthma & Allergy Technology mail-order customer in Beverly Hills purchased six air cleaners at $300 apiece, two sets of pillow and mattress covers--one set is for use in hotels--and a face mask to filter out cigarette smoke on overseas flights.

According to government statistics, dust, molds and pets are among the leading causes of allergies, which affect an estimated 50 million Americans. Although exact figures aren’t available, experts believe household allergies are becoming more widespread. They blame energy-efficient construction that permits little ventilation and a sedentary lifestyle that keeps Americans indoors for an average of 22 hours a day.

Experts link indoor allergies to a worrisome increase in asthma, especially among children. Government figures show that the prevalence of asthma among children has increased by about 40% since 1980, today affecting 4.8 million youngsters. Together with 9.8 million adult asthmatics, they form a sizable market for allergy-control products designed to help people control the sources of irritation around their homes. Catalogs, distributed mostly through allergists, brim with descriptions of devices intended to control dust and moisture, from humidifiers to nose masks to mold-detection kits.

Hoping to boost their credibility with consumers, several companies have hooked up with nonprofit groups. Air-cleaner maker Honeywell has a tie-in with the American Lung Assn. Holmes is linked to the Asthma & Allergy Foundation.

Dawn Marvin of the foundation said the Washington-based group has been “bombarded with inquiries” from corporations about tie-ins, including DuPont, for its pillow, and Clorox, whose bleach can be used to kill molds.

“We are a good conduit to the consumer,” Marvin said.

But several manufacturers are looking beyond the allergic. Norelco is introducing an air cleaner it says is specifically designed to filter out tobacco smoke. Holmes is bringing out a combination air cleaner/sound machine that can play so-called pink noise or ocean waves.

“It’s a total environmental control product,” said Holmes product manager Green.

Beyond gimmicks is the question of usefulness. Many of the newest products target dust allergies--for good reason. Scientists say such allergies are caused by microscopic pests called dust mites, which, unlike molds and pets, are hard to avoid. They thrive in all but the driest of climates and are ubiquitous in the carpets, bedding and upholstery of Southern California homes.

Many allergists recommend mattress and pillow covers, such as those used by Friedman, because they trap dust mites where they breed. They say certain types of vacuums can also be useful, because they can suck the mites from carpets and trap them in filter bags. But some experts say air cleaners are of little use because the mites are too heavy to float in the air for long.

“My personal bias is that they are almost worthless,” said Dr. Robert Hamilton, an allergy specialist and researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Yet purveyors of air cleaners promise results nothing short of miraculous. In its catalog, National Allergy Supply of Athens, Ga., says “it’s possible” that a certain brand of air cleaner can “take care of . . . allergy symptoms all by itself.”

Allergy Asthma Technology recommends air cleaners for dust allergies, because mite particles “remain in the air even after you’ve treated your . . . bedding” with mattress and pillow casings. Both companies distribute their catalogs to consumers through allergists, who receive no compensation for doing so, according to the companies.

Experts say air cleaners are useful against pet allergies, because dog and cat dander linger in the air. “It is useful, but it must run continuously and have the capacity to cover the room,” said Dr. Martin Chapman, an allergist and researcher at the University of Virginia.

Said Pasadena allergist Dr. Michael Glovsky: “Unless you have an air-tight room, once you open the door, all the stuff from the rest of the house is going to blow back in.”

Experts speak more favorably about vacuums that trap dirt in tightly woven bags and use high-tech filters to keep contaminants from blowing back into the room. In a sign that demand is growing, Eureka is introducing a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filter, the largest consumer vacuum company to do so. The allergy-control niche has long been dominated by companies that service the commercial marketplace, such as Nilfisk.

“It makes sense to me that it would work; a vacuum that would trap all the particles is probably a useful device,” said Hamilton of Johns Hopkins. But at prices of up to $500, using a HEPA vacuum, Hamilton said, “is not as crucial an issue as basically covering mattresses and bedding.”