The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced recalls for several types of acne creams that tested positive for elevated levels of benzene.
Benzene is a known carcinogen that has been found in some acne products containing benzoyl peroxide.
The FDA tested 95 acne products containing benzoyl peroxide, and found 6 with elevated levels of benzene. More than 90% of tested products had “undetectable or extremely low levels of benzene.”
The following products are being recalled due to benzene:
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment (Lot Number MYX46W, Expiration Date: April 2025
- Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser (Lot Number 23 09328, Expiration Date: September 2025)
- Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief Cream Benzoyl Peroxide 5% (Lot Numbers V3305A and V3304A, Expiration Date: October 2025
- SLMD Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Lotion (Lot Number 2430600, Expiration Date: March 2025)
- Walgreens Tinted Acne Treatment Cream (Lot Number 49707430, Expiration Date: March 2026)
- Zapzyt Acne Treatment Gel
Exposure to benzene can increase the risk of cancer, but the FDA said the risk of developing cancer from using these products is very low:
“Even with daily use of these products for decades, the risk of a person developing cancer because of exposure to benzene found in these products is very low.”
The FDA recommends that consumers check their acne products and throw away any they are being recalled, or past the expiration dates.