List of Face Products With Chemical Linked to Cancer

Significant levels of a cancer-causing chemical have been detected in a number of acne treatments sold by leading skincare brands, an independent testing laboratory announced on Wednesday.

Valisure, based in New Haven, Connecticut, said it detected benzene—a known carcinogen—at more than 800 times the federal concentration limit in treatments produced under brand names including Clinique, Target, Clearasil and Proactiv.

It comes after lab testing showed that potentially unhealthy levels of the chemical were found in sunscreens and dry shampoos. Valisure has filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recall the products and conduct its own investigation.

An FDA spokesperson told Newsweek it was "committed to ensuring drugs Americans use are safe" and that the "agency acts on information provided from a variety of sources, such as that provided by Valisure, but such data must be verified as accurate and reproducible before it can be utilized to make regulatory decisions such as recommending product sale suspensions and recalls."

A spokesperson for Clearasil manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser said it was "confident that all Clearasil products, when used and stored as directed on their labels, are safe" and argued that the findings "reflect unrealistic scenarios rather than real-world conditions."

Newsweek also approached Target, Proactiv owner Taro Pharmaceutical and Estee Lauder, which owns Clinique, via email for comment on Wednesday.

Valisure said it tested 175 acne treatments available on the market, 99 of which contained benzoyl peroxide. In those that did not contain the chemical, no benzene or a negligible amount was detected, while in 94 of those that contained it, benzene was detected.

It not only found benzene present in many of the products but also in the air around them, posing an inhalation risk. When it tested the stability of five products under increased temperatures, it found that benzene gas could leak out of the packaging or make it burst when kept at 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit).

Benzene can cause skin and eye irritation but can also cause genetic defects and cancer. Prolonged or repeated exposure to the chemical can cause damage to the organs.

Experts have said that it is a common industrial chemical that is present in many settings—for instance, it is what gives gasoline a sweet smell—but remains a health threat and becomes more problematic the more someone is exposed to it.

Benzene can also form from combustion and was found during air monitoring at the site of last year's East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment and fire.

Valisure said that benzene could form from the degradation of benzoyl peroxide products at "unacceptably high levels." Chip Phillips, the lab's CEO, said that "the potential harm posed by benzene exposure cannot be ignored, and only underscores the critical need for independent quality assurance."

While benzene has been detected in other cosmetic treatments, Valisure President David Light said its presence in acne products was "substantially different" from the other cases, as in those it came from impurities and contaminated ingredients.

"The benzene in benzoyl peroxide products is coming from the benzoyl peroxide itself," he added.

Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut described the discovery as "deeply troubling," warning: "Benzoyl Peroxide products saturate the current market, and millions of consumers are unknowingly using a product that increases their exposure to life-threatening carcinogens."

The Reckitt spokesperson told Newsweek: "The safety and quality of our products is our top priority and we work closely with regulators around the world to ensure our products are safe and effective for their intended use.

"Clearasil products and their ingredients are stable over the storage conditions described on their packaging which represent all reasonable and foreseeable conditions."

Valisure included 66 acne treatments which it found had elevated levels of benzene in its petition. These included those sold by pharmacy chains Walgreens and CVS, as well as under brand names PanOxyl, Neutrogena, La Roche Posay, Clean & Clear, Clear Pore, Dr. Lin and Acne Free. It also tested a number of prescription treatments.

Other brands named in the petition were: Harris, Sandra Dee M.D., Galderma, Vie Naturelle, Ecuate, Differin, Humane, Oxy, Encube, Nixa Skincare, Dr. Song, CeraVe, Mylan, Zapzyt, Urban Skin Rx, Rugby, Perrigo, Glenmark, Oceanside, Teva, Sandoz, Replenix, Prasco, M.A.D Skincare, Aspexia and Daylogic.

A spokesperson for Valisure told Newsweek that it was "possible that multiple products by the same brand were tested multiple times" and that it did not include all the initial screening data in the petition.

Following Valisure's announcement, the share price of Estee Lauder dropped 3 percent, Reuters reported.

The FDA spokesperson said it would "continue to provide updates to the public regarding benzene in drug products, as appropriate." They added that it generally did not comment on pending petitions, and when it did, it would respond directly to the petitioner and post that response on the public docket.

Update 3/6/24, 11:10 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include further details and comment from a Valisure spokesperson.

Update 3/8/24, 3:00 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from spokespeople for the FDA and Reckitt Benckiser.