The products tested included popular brands like Proactiv, Clearasil and PanOxy, as well as products from Clinique, Target, Walgreens and Walmart.
The Environmental Protection Agency classifies benzene as known to cause cancer in humans. There is no safe level of human exposure.
Valisure previously detected benzene in tests of sunscreens, hand sanitizers, antiperspirant and deodorant, antifungal treatments, and spray shampoos and conditioners. The earlier benzene contamination led to product recalls from major manufacturers, including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and Unilever.
In 2023, the FDA re-issued a statement alerting manufacturers to the risk of benzene contamination and warned that any drug containing more than 2 parts per million, or ppm, benzene was adulterated and should be recalled. According to the agency, a daily exposure of 2 ppm in products represents a 1 in 100,000 risk for cancer, that is, a potential for 3,000 Americans to develop cancer over their lifetimes.
Valisure’s test results suggest that use of products formulated with salicylic acid or adapalene is the best way to avoid benzene exposure related to acne treatments.