Cancer-causing chemical found in skincare brands including Target, Proactive, Clearasil

High levels of a chemical known to cause cancer have been found at "unacceptably high levels" in popular acne products from brands like Proactive, Target's Up & Up, Clinique, and Clearasil, according to a recent report by independent laboratory Valisure.

Benzene, a known human carcinogen, was found to develop in products with benzoyl peroxide, a chemical used to treat acne, at a level of over 800 times the concentration limit of 2 parts per million set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the March 6 report said. The drug product was found to be "fundamentally unstable" especially when stored at high temperatures.

The report found a Proactiv product left in 158 degrees Fahrenheit of a hot compact car resulted in the detection of benzene at around 1,270 times the Environmental Protection Agency’s calculated threshold for increased cancer risk.

"There is not a safe level of benzene that can exist in any skin care product, over the counter or prescription," Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Dermatology at Yale University, said in a statement for Valisure. "The current data on BPO degrading into high levels of benzene is extremely concerning given its prominent use in skin care, and this study should serve as another wake-up call for improved manufacturing and quality control of consumer healthcare products."

The report also found that benzene can leak out of packaging and "pose a potential inhalation risk" to consumers, according to the report.

The company sent a citizen petition to the FDA on Tuesday describing its report and requesting "recalls and a suspension of sales for products containing the active pharmaceutical ingredient benzoyl peroxide."

An FDA spokesperson told USA TODAY the agency is reviewing the petition and the 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."

Benzene exposure

A colorless, flammable liquid, benzene is a widely used chemical to make rubbers, dyes, detergents, plastics and pesticides. The chemical is also naturally occurring, like forest fires. A major source of benzene exposure is tobacco smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A major health effect of long-term benzene exposure is on the blood, specifically bone marrow and a decrease in red blood cells, according to the CDC. The Department of Health and Human Services has linked long-term benzene exposure in the air to causing leukemia.

Valisure tested 175 prescription and over-the-counter acne treatments for the report and discovered 99 products containing benzoyl peroxide. Ninety-four of the products were found to have benzene "without any elevated temperature incubation."

Benzene was not detected in acne products that use salicylic acid or adapalene.

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'Necessitates urgent action'

In 2022, benzene was also discovered in certain dry shampoo products and, in 2021, contaminated sunscreens. Last December, the FDA issued a warning to drug manufacturers regarding the potential risk of benzene contamination in products such as hand sanitizers following another Valisure report.

"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," David Light, Valisure's co-founder and president, said in a statement. "This means the problem broadly affects benzoyl peroxide products, both prescription and over-the-counter, and necessitates urgent action."

The FDA has also raised concerns about Valisure's testing methods, asserting that the laboratory should adhere to the same processes as drug manufacturers, according to Bloomberg.

In a statement on Wednesday, Reckitt, a company that manufactures the popular skincare brand Clearasil, said its products "when used and stored as directed on their labels as intended, are safe."

"The products and their ingredients are stable over the storage conditions described on their packaging which represent all reasonable and foreseeable conditions. The findings presented by an independent lab today reflect unrealistic scenarios rather than real-world conditions."

Target and Alchemee, the parent company of Proactiv, did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

The American Academy of Dermatology told USA TODAY it is reviewing the petition and is awaiting on the FDA for information and "next steps."

In the meantime, experts say to hold off on using acne products with benzoyl peroxide.

"If you are concerned about using acne products containing benzoyl peroxide, opt for other options such as topical retinoids, salicylic acid, or azelaic acid, or speak with a board-certified dermatologist," Terrence A. Cronin, Jr., MD, FAAD, President of the American Academy of Dermatology, told USA TODAY in a statement.

Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, agreed and told USA TODAY that "generally benzoyl peroxide is considered a safe product, unless you are storing these agents in hot places, using them for long periods of time after storage, in general, should not be a problem."

The chemical is "one of the oldest and most common agents used in over-the-counter products," he added.

"Certainly, until further information is found, stay away from the products on the list. We should also always realize that we have to take care of our products (and) follow the instructions for storage. Generally, you want to keep products in a cool place, and in general, we want to keep as many chemicals, as a whole, off of our skin and out of our body."

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected].