FDA recalls some acne treatment products over benzene levels

Skincare products recalled over cancer concerns

FOX 13's Kylie Jones explains the product recall for certain acne treatments after many products were tested for levels of benzene.

TAMPA, Fla. - The FDA issued a retail recall of several popular acne treatment products due to elevated levels of benzene.

Some of the acne treatment products that were recalled by the FDA.

The FDA tested 95 acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide for possible benzene contamination.

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Doctors say benzene has been linked to certain cancers.

Dig deeper:

The FDA says more than 90% of the tested products had undetectable or low levels of benzene, but it issued the recall for six of the tested products.

The recalled products include La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment, Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser, Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief Cream Benzoyl Peroxide 5%, Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator, SLMD Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Lotion and Walgreens Tinted Acne Treatment Cream.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment, which was recalled by the FDA.

What they're saying:

The FDA says the companies voluntarily agreed to take action to recall certain products because of elevated levels of benzene.

"The benzene is not added to these products," Christan Martone, a certified physician assistant with USF Health, said. "It's just a process that breaks down those acne ingredients over time, just of the benzoyl peroxide."

Martone also recommends properly storing products containing benzoyl peroxide. The breakdown of this ingredient can happen faster if the products are kept in the sun or at warmer temperatures.

Part of the FDA recall on six popular acne treatment products.

"Check the expiration because the skin products that they found, or the acne products that they found with the higher benzene, were closer to the end of life, in terms of their expiration," AdventHealth's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Doug Ross said.

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The FDA says the cancer risk from using these products is very low.

"Benzene, though, has been shown to cause leukemia and other blood cancers if, you know, if the exposure is significant," Ross said.

Ross said the long-term effects are unclear, but you would have to use a large amount of these products for decades to increase the risk of cancer.

"The FDA has been working hard to reduce benzene exposure in multiple different products, whether it be drugs or in over-the-counter type stuff like sunscreen or facial products, other things, because benzene can get absorbed into the skin," Ross said.

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Ross says people can be exposed to higher levels of benzene through other everyday activities, such as car exhaust or pumping gas.

"The trick is to try to minimize your exposure to benzene," Ross said. "But, we're trying to minimize our exposure to a lot of different carcinogens. You don't stop using suntan lotion even though it has a small amount of benzene."

Big picture view:

Doctors say there's still a lot of research to be done on the long-term side effects of benzene.

However, they say short-term use of benzoyl peroxide products in small amounts isn't cause for concern.

FILE: Woman applying cream to face.

Martone says she still recommends the products as long as they have low or undetectable levels of benzene.

"This is really making sure that these products don't have harmful ingredients so that long-term use doesn't translate to any cancer risk," Martone said.

Martone says there are other alternative acne treatment products that you can use.

"There are many other products that we can give for acne that's prescription, and there's also over-the-counter formulations such as salicylic acid," Martone said.

What you can do:

She encourages people to talk to their dermatologist if there's a concern.

You can find information about the recent FDA recall and recalled products here.

The Source: FOX 13's Kylie Jones collected the information in this story.

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