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An independent lab petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to recall popular prescription and over-the-counter acne treatments after testing showed the products contained \u201cunacceptably high\u201d levels of benzene, a chemical linked to cancer.<\/em><\/p>\n High levels of benzene, a chemical linked to cancer, can form in many\u00a0popular acne treatments<\/a>\u00a0containing\u00a0benzoyl peroxide<\/a>, according to a new report by independent testing laboratory Valisure.<\/p>\n Valisure tested dozens of prescription and over-the-counter products, including popular brands Proactiv, Clinique,\u00a0Clearasil<\/a>\u00a0and Target Corp.\u2019s Up & Up, and found they can contain \u201cunacceptably high\u201d levels of the carcinogen.<\/p>\n Testing also revealed that benzene levels increase when the products are handled or stored at higher temperatures \u2014 such as left in a hot car or stored in a steamy bathroom.<\/p>\n The lab\u00a0filed a Citizen Petition<\/a>\u00a0with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), sharing the results of its analysis and asking the FDA to recall the products and suspend their sales while regulators investigate the issue further.<\/p>\n Acne is one of the most common skin conditions in the U.S., affecting up to\u00a050 million people per year<\/a>\u00a0in the U.S. Approximately\u00a085% of adolescents<\/a>\u00a0experience the condition at some point.<\/p>\n Acne medications containing benzoyl peroxide, which breaks down into benzene, are commonly recommended by\u00a0dermatologists<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0health websites<\/a>\u00a0as an easily accessible over-the-counter treatment.<\/p>\n The\u00a0American Academy of Dermatology guidelines<\/a>\u00a0strongly recommend benzoyl peroxide for treating acne topically.<\/p>\n Benzene<\/a>, long known to be carcinogenic, is a popular chemical solvent commonly used in\u00a0chemical<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0pharmaceutical industries<\/a>\u00a0and found in trace amounts in substances ranging from cleaning products to cigarette smoke and\u00a0gasoline<\/a>. It evaporates quickly, so much human exposure can come from the air.<\/p>\n According to the World Health Organization, \u201cthere\u2019s no safe level<\/a>\u201d of exposure to benzene in the air we breathe.<\/p>\n Breathing or otherwise absorbing benzene over time can lead to\u00a0leukemia and other blood disorders<\/a>, according to the FDA.<\/p>\n \u201cValisure, a New Haven, Conn.-based testing laboratory, filed a petition with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which said that it tested 66 different products whose main ingredient is benzoyl peroxide, a topical antiseptic found in creams and face washes that are\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/69qBP4NY5P<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) March 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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