Cancer-Causing Benzene in Popular Acne Raises Serious Health Issues
A common ingredient found in acne products has been uncovered recently. Some acne products may contain concerning levels of benzene, a known carcinogen, including some widely-used acne treatments. A potential recall of some affected acne products and further investigation into the matter is currently pending with the FDA. The breakdown of benzoyl peroxide into benzene has been known for some time, but hadn’t been thoroughly investigated in consumer products such as acne treatments and creams.
Benzoyl Peroxide or BPO and Benzene in Acne Products
Benzoyl peroxide (also known as BPO) acne products are freely available on popular retailers such as Target and over the counter have exceeded benzene levels considered safe, according to the FDA’s guideline of 2 parts per million (ppm) in many products. For example, the following acne products have been found to contain levels of the carcinogenic substance at much higher levels than acceptable for consumption:
– Proactiv’s 2.5% BPO cream: Up to 1,761 ppm of benzene
– Target’s Up & Up 2.5% BPO cream: Up to 1,598 ppm
– Clinique’s 2.5% BPO cream: Up to 401 ppm
– Clearasil’s 10% BPO cream: Up to 308 ppm
These levels are significantly higher than the FDA’s 2 ppm limit, with some products containing almost 900 times the allowed amount. Benzoyl Peroxide is a common substance used to treat acne products, and used in a larger list of consumer products, such as sunscreen.
What is Benzene?
This compound is naturally present in gasoline and tobacco smoke. It’s classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, meaning it’s known to cause cancer in humans. Prolonged high-level benzene exposure is associated with an increased risk of leukemia and other blood disorders.
Product Breakdown and Stability Testing
Benzene in popular consumer acne products stems from the breakdown of benzoyl peroxide itself under relatively high temperatures indoors, rather than from contaminated ingredients as seen in previous cases involving sunscreens and hand sanitizers such as in previous benzene open class action lawsuits, which led to significant class action settlements, such as this shampoo class action with IGK products.
By testing and subjecting the acne care products to higher temperatures to simulate how they might break down over time. This testing revealed even higher benzene levels, with some products showing dramatic increases:
– Proactiv’s cream reached 1,761 ppm
– Target’s cream hit 1,598 ppm
– Clinique’s treatment rose to 401 ppm
– Clearasil’s cream jumped from 2 ppm to 308 ppm after exposure to high temperatures
Widespread Impact
The dangers of benzene and benzoyl peroxide in acne products is extremely concerning, considering how often Americans use and buy benzoyl peroxide acne treatments. Acne may affect more than 50 million Americans annually, with 85% of those aged 12 to 24 experiencing some form of acne. The American Academy of Dermatology even recommends benzoyl peroxide as a top treatment for acne.
Sales of over-the-counter acne treatments in the U.S. topped $1 billion in 2023, nearly doubling from $593 million in 2019. This massive increase in usage amplifies concerns about potential benzene exposure.
Regulatory Response from FDA into Acne BPO Products
Several companies whose products are implicated as containing dangerous levels of the benzene chemical, including Target, Estee Lauder (Clinique’s parent company), and Reckitt Benckiser (Clearasil’s manufacturer), have not yet responded.
Political Implications
U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut has called the findings “deeply troubling” and emphasized the need for greater FDA authority to act swiftly when dangers in prescription or over-the-counter drugs are identified. DeLauro has previously pushed for legislation that would give the FDA the power to recall drugs directly, rather than relying on voluntary recalls by companies.
Consumer Advice
While regulatory bodies and companies investigate these findings, you may want to consider alternative acne treatments that don’t contain benzoyl peroxide until the FDA resolves this issue and confirms whether or not it is safe to consume acne products containing benzoyl peroxide, assuming you store it in a cool, room-temperature area. For now you may want to switch to well-known safer acne products containing salicylic acid, for example, which were not found to have elevated benzene levels.
The discovery of high benzene levels in popular acne treatments adds to a growing list of consumer products found to contain this dangerous carcinogen, such as hand sanitizers and sun screens. Stay tuned here on AcneAdvocate.com for updates from the FDA and class action lawsuits as to the safety of BPO acne products.
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