Independent US laboratory Valisure revealed alarming levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene in select acne treatments, including those from brands such as Estee Lauder's Clinique, Target's Up & Up, and Reckitt Benckiser-owned Clearasil, according to a report by Reuters.
Valisure, based in New Haven, Connecticut, has petitioned the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recall these products, conduct a thorough investigation, and revise industry guidelines.
Estee Lauder's shares experienced a 2% decline following the disclosure. Benzene was also detected in other acne treatment products, including Proactiv, PanOxyl, Walgreens' acne soap bar, and Walmart's Equate Beauty acne cream, among others, as reported by Reuters.
Valisure cautioned that benzene levels could exceed acceptable limits in both prescription and over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide acne treatment products. Reckitt, Clearasil's parent company, disputed the findings, stating they were based on unrealistic scenarios rather than real-world conditions.
Estee Lauder emphasised the safety of Clinique's benzoyl peroxide product when used as directed.
Reuters reached out to Target and Walmart for comment but did not elicit a response, and the FDA has yet to respond to Valisure's petition. The presence of benzene in acne treatment products presents a significant departure from previous instances where benzene was detected as an impurity in contaminated ingredients.
David Light, Co-Founder and President of Valisure, highlighted that in this case, benzene originates from the benzoyl peroxide itself.
Valisure's tests indicated that some products could contain benzene levels exceeding the FDA's concentration limit by more than 800 times.
