I once had a receptionist who would come in each day saturated in the most hideous, cloying, sweet perfume. I told the office manager to discuss it with her, as it gave me a headache. The office manager tried to be diplomatic, and told her that nobody was permitted to wear perfume/cologne.
Up until the time she was canned (for all of her other negative traits) she warned her coworkers that they were not permitted to wear scents. Her coworkers, of course, knew the real story.
So what you’re saying, vetbridge, is that we should all play along and tell norinew that, uh, yeah, we all get those notices too about not wearing perfume and we’re sure it’s nothing about her in particular? Gotcha. 
brossa, it appears that I was posting my reply about the nail polish at the same time that you were posting yours. As for the perfume, what you say makes sense, but what about the person driving me not wearing any? I cannot imagine that the friend who’s driving me would be wearing so much cologne that I’d pick up enough of hers that it would be a problem hours later in post op.
Quercus, yes, and we all got notices about bathing regularly and using deodorant. That memo wasn’t directed at you, I swear. 
Your surgeon or anaesthetist may be particularly allergic to perfumes. We have a doctor working at our hospital who has that problem, so all her patients get the type of instructions you got, even for routine office visits.
In the Western Maryland Health System (from whence said folder comes), there are two hospitals, with no more than maybe four anesthesiologists between them; so you may have something here.
Actually, some very shiny clear nail polishes can do this, too.
To be on the safe side, it’s best to skip any nail polishes on the day you have surgery. (And any day I have surgery, I really, really wanna’ be as far on the safe side as I possibly can!)
Yeah, I paint my nails maybe twice a year; I see no reason to gussy myself up for the doctors and nurses! I mean, who the hell can look good when they’re unconscious, trussed up like a turkey and wearing a plastic face mask anyway? Not only do I not give a damn about looking good for the surgery, experience tells me I won’t give a damn for several days afterwards, either.