L’Oréal has urgently recalled one of its popular La Roche Posay face creams over fears it contains a cancer-causing chemical.
The cosmetics giant stuck a ‘do not use’ alert on its dermatologist-backed acne treatment and moisturiser Effaclar Duo in the US following talks with American health chiefs.
It is feared the product, which costs around $35 (£27), is contaminated with benzene, a known carcinogen.
The US formulation of Effaclar Duo contains the ingredient benzoyl peroxide (BPO), which kills bacteria to help treat acne. The recall does not affect the UK as the substance is not present in the products on British shelves.
But BPO is known to breakdown into benzene in certain conditions, including warm temperatures.
It also comes just a year after an independent lab detected high levels of benzene in several acne treatments from brands including Clinique and Clearasil.
In a statement, L’Oréal told Bloomberg: ‘In close coordination with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we have proactively decided to remove the limited remaining units of the current formula of Effaclar Duo from retailers.
‘This decision also enables a seamless transition to our new and improved Effaclar Duo formula, which has been in development since 2024 and will be available to consumers soon.’
The cosmetics giant stuck a ‘do not use’ alert on its dermatologist-backed acne treatment and moisturiser Effaclar Duo in the US
It is feared the product, which costs around $35 (£27), is contaminated with benzene, a known carcinogen
In the US, benzene is considered a ‘Class 1 solvent’ that ‘should not be employed in the manufacture of drug substances, excipients, and drug products because of their unacceptable toxicity’, according to the FDA.
Inhaling or absorbing the chemical into the skin over a long period of time can have devastating health effects because it causes cells in the body to work incorrectly.
Overexposure to benzene can also affect the body’s ability to produce enough red blood cells, which can lead to anemia, as well as blood cancers like leukemia.
It can also wreak havoc on the immune system by altering blood levels of antibodies and killing off white blood cells.
Inhalation of a high concentration of benzene in the short term can cause a myriad of adverse effects such as dizziness, headaches and even an irregular heartbeat.
The recall comes just a year after US lab Valisure revealed it had detected ‘unacceptably high levels’ of benzene in several over-the-counter and prescription acne treatments that use the ingredient benzoyl peroxide.
Additionally, some of the products contained more than 800 times the federally recommended limit.
Affected products include several acne creams from Clinique, Clearasil, Target’s Up & Up, and Walmart’s Equate Beauty acne treatment.
The recall comes just a year after lab Valisure revealed it had detected ‘unacceptably high levels’ of benzene in several over-the-counter and prescription acne treatments that use the ingredient benzoyl peroxide
Valisure also filed a petition with the FDA, calling on the agency to recall the products, conduct a formal investigation, and revise industry guidance.
However, the Government body had not published an official response yet.
Last year, New York-based Dynarex Corporation recalled nearly 42,000 bottles of baby powder for possible contamination with asbestos, a cancer-causing mineral.
Meanwhile in 2021, New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson recalled five of its aerosol sunscreen items after discovering levels of benzene in some of the samples.
In the UK, some benzoyl peroxide products are available on prescription only. This is because they contain other medicines such as antibiotics or retinoids — exfoliants.
Others can be purchased over the counter with a pharmacist’s guidance.
