Cancer-causing benzene found in Clinique and Clearasil acne treatments

U.S. independent laboratory Valisure detected benzene in products from Estée Lauder's Clinique, Target's Up & Up and Reckitt Benckiser's Clearasil. Valisure has filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the regulator to recall the product, conduct an investigation and revise industry guidance. The FDA has not yet responded to the petition.

Benzene has also been detected in products including Proactiv, PanOxyl, Walgreens' acne soap bar and Walmart's Equate Beauty acne cream, according to the Connecticut-based company. Valisure's test results indicate that BPO products on the market may form benzene at concentrations more than 800 times the FDA concentration limit.

High levels of benzene were detected not only inside BPO products, but also in the air around incubated BPO products, suggesting benzene may be leaking from some product packaging and posing a potential inhalation risk. Exposure to benzene through inhalation, oral administration, or through the skin may cause cancers such as leukemia and bone marrow blood cancers, as well as potentially life-threatening blood disorders.

The beauty industry has seen a spate of benzene scare recalls related to aerosol products in 2021-22, including dry shampoo and spray sunscreen from brands like Banana Boat; Unilever's Dove and Tresemmé; and Procter & Gamble's Pantene , Aussie and Herbal Essences etc.

However, David Light, co-founder and president of Valisure, says these historic issues are less severe than current BPO acne products and that the culprit is an intentionally added ingredient. “This finding of fundamental instability of benzoyl peroxide and formation of benzene is significantly different from Valisure's previous findings of benzene in sunscreen, hand sanitizer and other consumer products."

"The benzene we find in sunscreen and other consumer products is an impurity from contaminated ingredients; however, the benzene in benzoyl peroxide products comes from benzoyl peroxide itself, sometimes hundreds of times the FDA's conditional limit.

"This means this issue affects benzoyl peroxide products broadly, including prescription and over-the-counter products, and requires urgent action."