Hand sanitizers were tainted by benzene. Sunscreens and dry shampoos too. Now acne treatments are joining the list of widely used consumer products found to contain high levels of the chemical linked to cancer.
Acne products from brands including Proactiv, Target Corp.’s Up & Up and Clinique have elevated levels of the carcinogen, an independent testing laboratory said in a petition filed with the US Food and Drug Administration late Tuesday. The lab asked the FDA to recall the affected treatments — all of which contain the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide — while regulators investigate.
Benzene is a natural component of gasoline and tobacco smoke and can cause leukemia in high amounts, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over the past three years