NEW YORK: A new analysis of acne creams and cleansers found dozens, including popular products such as Proactiv and Clearasil, contain high levels of a chemical linked to cancer.
The findings confirm some of an earlier study that received criticism for its methods, putting more pressure on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action on products widely used by American teenagers.
Researchers tested more than 100 benzoyl peroxide acne products available at major retailers in six states. They found about a third were contaminated with high levels of benzene, a chemical that can cause cancer.
Proactiv contained 18 times the amount of the potent carcinogen allowed in US drugs, the analysis published on Oct 7 in the Journal Of Investigative Dermatology found. A CVS brand face wash had 13 times the levels considered safe by the FDA.
“The results presented here suggest that a substantial portion of the BPO (benzoyl peroxide) acne treatment market currently contains unacceptably high levels of benzene in products sitting on the shelf,” the study’s researchers wrote in their analysis.
Researchers included New Haven, Connecticut-based Valisure laboratory and professors from Yale and Long Island universities.
In recent years, unhealthy levels of benzene have been found in all sorts of consumer products, raising questions about the FDA’s oversight.
Researchers at Valisure initially uncovered the issue with acne creams and cleansers in another analysis earlier in 2024 and in March filed a petition with the FDA to recall those it had found with high levels of benzene.
At the time, the agency said it would work to verify Valisure’s claims before acting. In July, a spokesperson told Bloomberg it was still conducting research.
The lab’s earlier study received pushback for testing products kept at high temperatures, around 50 deg C. In their follow-up, researchers kept products at room temperature. Unlike the initial analysis, this study was peer-reviewed, giving it another level of rigour.
While some of the acne creams and cleansers were still found to contain high levels of the chemical, around 70, including Clean & Clear and Neutrogena products, did not contain benzene levels above the US limit when they were not exposed to heat.
A few, including some Clearasil offerings, contained the carcinogen in amounts just above the US limit of two parts per million.
The study published on Oct 7 also found benzene levels in acne treatments could significantly rise when exposed to ultraviolet light at body temperature, indicating users could face increased risk while in the sun.
A spokesperson for CVS Health said the company is committed to ensuring its products are safe. A spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser Group, maker of Clearasil, said it is confident the product is safe. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, which bought Proactiv maker Taro Pharmaceutical Industries in June, did not respond to requests for comment.
The FDA first told drugmakers in 2021 they should test certain products for benzene. This would include those that are made with hydrocarbons such as benzoyl peroxide, an agency spokesperson said. None of the companies responded to questions about whether they have tested their products for benzene.
“I think we’re going to see a little more careful attention from the manufacturers,” said Dr Christopher Bunick, a Yale University dermatology associate professor and a co-author on the study.
