Study: Heat, Hot Weather Can Prompt Carcinogenic Chemical To Form In Certain Acne Products

OAN’s James Meyers
12:39 PM -Thursday, March 7, 2024

Researchers have discovered that high levels of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, can form in acne treatment products containing benzoyl peroxide, according to Valisure. 

The independent laboratory filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to recall products containing the chemical from brands including Estee Lauder’s Clinique, Clearasil, Target’s Up & Up, and Walmart’s Equate beauty line.

“The benzene we found in sunscreens and other consumer products were impurities that came from contaminated ingredients; however, the benzene in benzoyl peroxide products is coming from the benzoyl peroxide itself, sometimes at hundreds of times the conditional FDA limit,” he said. “This means the problem broadly affects benzoyl peroxide products, both prescription and over-the-counter, and necessitates urgent action,” David Light, Valisure’s co-founder and president, said in a statement Wednesday.

In tests that involved a wide array of benzoyl products, it was indicated that benzoyl peroxide acne medication should not be stored or handled anywhere near heat or high temperatures. For example, when these products are left in a hot car that is 150 degrees Fahrenheit or higher it can quickly generate increased levels of benzene, the lab announced on Wednesday. 

The report also showed that long-term exposure to benzene can decrease bodily cell functions and reduce red blood cell production, which can lead to blood cancers. 

However, in a statement to Reuters, Reckitt, the manufacturer of Clearasil, said that the report “reflects unrealistic scenarios rather than real-world conditions,” adding all Clearasil products were safe “when used and stored as directed on their labels.”

Meanwhile, the FDA has not responded to this latest product report released by Valisure. 

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