“Cancer-causing items Skin Care Brands like La Roche-posay” Skincare safety alert: Major brands recall products with benzene levels 800x over federal limits. Check your bathroom for these dangerous skin products.

The companies agreed to participate in the recall “due to elevated levels of benzene” identified via third-party testing.

La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo acne treatment was voluntarily recalled in the United States by L’Oréal.  One of the top cosmetic firms voluntarily withdrew a face treatment because it may contain a cancer-causing ingredient.

L’Oréal has recalled all Effacer Duo acne drugs in the U.S. after Valise’s independent testing. According to the study, products containing benzoyl peroxide, such as those recalled, may ultimately create benzene, a chemical suspected of causing skin cancer.

The study did not directly address Effacer Duo, although it was shown in a picture of the studied goods.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled several acne-treatment cosmetics, including popular skincare brands La Roche-Posay and Proactive.

Recent FDA testing of 95 benzoyl peroxide-containing acne treatments indicated probable contamination with benzene, a cancer-causing toxin.

Stores have been instructed to remove the products from the market to carry out this recall at the retail level. It is uncertain when they will be available again.

One year earlier, Valisure, an independent laboratory in Connecticut, discovered that certain brands’ benzoyl peroxide, a common component used to address blemishes, had benzene levels up to “800 times that federal concentration limit in treatments.”

Major skincare companies like Estée Lauder and L’Oréal own multiple of these brands, including Clean & Clear Pore, Sandra Dee M.D., Galderma, Vie Naturelle, Ecuate, Differin, Humane, Oxy, Encube, Nixa Skincare, Dr. Song, Cerave, Mylan, Zapzyt, Urban Skin Rx, Rugby, Perrigo, Glenmark, Oceanside, Teva, Sandoz, Replenix, Prasco, M.A.D Skincare, Aspexia, and Daylogic.

La Roche-Posay has recalled its Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment due to trace quantities of benzene found in a single sample. The business removed the few remaining units of the existing formula from retailers while working closely with the FDA.

Benzene, a carcinogen, is mostly used as a solvent in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The FDA and L’Oréal have removed the recipe from stores, and a new one is in the works. Benzene exposure has been linked to serious health problems, including leukemia and other blood cancers.

The FDA has released the results of a recent agency test that found benzene contamination in 95 acne treatments that used benzoyl peroxide. The FDA decided that a limited number of these goods, including those manufactured by La Roche-Posay, should be recalled at the level. Following the testing, further products were recalled.

The product, which costs around $35 ($27), is suspected of containing benzene, a known carcinogen.

Benzoyl peroxide (BPO), a component in the U.S. version of Effaclar Duo, kills bacteria to aid in acne treatment. Because the substance is not discovered in goods sold in the United Kingdom, the recall is ineffective.

Under specific conditions, such as high temperatures, BPO is known to degrade into benzene.

It comes barely a year after a different laboratory discovered substantial levels of benzene in a variety of acne treatments from Clinique and Clearasil.

“In careful partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we have taken the initiative to withdraw the few remaining units of the existing formula of Effacer Duo from retailers,” L’Oréal stated.

FDA issues recall notices for face care products from firms like La Roche-Posay Proactive or Walgreens because of potentially cancerous chemicals found lately. The EPA identified high levels of benzene after testing 95 acne remedies that included benzoyl peroxide. Some retail-level product recalls are necessary now. Companies willingly agreed to participate fully in this endeavor.

What is benzene?

Benzene refers to a highly flammable cyclic hydrocarbon compound. FDA says combustion of coal, oil, and cigarette smoke releases benzene into the atmosphere, amidst sundry industrial processes like dyes and detergents. Benzoyl peroxide is safe for acne prevention, but inactive pharmaceutical ingredients like carbolic or hydrocarbon-based components somehow yield benzene during synthesis. These compounds are linked to benzene contamination and are seldom used in pharmaceutical manufacturing due to their toxic properties.

What kinds of hazards exist?

The National Library of Medicine reports that the risks of benzene exposure vary depending on the degree and duration of exposure. Lower exposure levels may cause symptoms such as headaches, lightheadedness, and weariness.

According to the FDA, long-term exposure may lead to blood disorders and malignancies such as leukemia. Even after decades of continuous use, the risk of acquiring cancer from benzene exposure is quite low. Several goods, including sunscreens, antiperspirants, and hand sanitizers, have been recalled due to benzene contamination.

What are the skincare items that have been recalled?

The FDA has issued the whole list of recalled items, including lot numbers and expiration dates:

• April 2025: La Roche-Posay Effacer Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment (MYX46W).
• September 2025: Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser (23 09328).
• March 2026: Walgreens Tinted Acne Treatment Cream (49707430).
• March 2025: SLMD Acne Lotion with Benzyl Peroxide (2430600).
• July 2025: Smoothing Exfoliator will be available in (V4204A).
• Proactive Emergency Blemish Relief Cream 5% benzoyl peroxide Proactive Skin (V3305A, V3304A).

How should you proceed if you use these products?

As part of the recall, the FDA has instructed merchants to remove Proactive items from retail shelves and online marketplaces.

It does not, however, provide users guidance on what to do with products they already possess. Customers may return recalled products to Proactive Customer Care for swaps or refunds.

The FDA advises customers to inspect their goods and discard those that are beyond their expiration date, since some products are soon to expire.

Because it is committed to ensuring that pharmaceuticals are safe and effective, the FDA will monitor benzene levels in medications and respond quickly if quality issues arise.

A year before the recalls, Vailsure, an independent laboratory in Connecticut, cautioned that a substantial proportion of goods on store shelves containing benzoyl peroxide, also had considerable quantities of benzene.

Following an FDA review, La Roche-Posay offers customers the option of returning Effacer Duo, an award-winning spot treatment that includes the bacteria-killing chemical benzoyl peroxide. Most beauty stores offer the product, reducing the number and severity of pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and acne blemishes. It contains 5.5% benzoyl peroxide.

L’Oréal has taken the proactive step of working closely with the FDA to remove the last few units of the current formula from retailers. Furthermore, this option allows for seamless transition to the revised Effacer Duo formula, which has been in development since 2024 and will soon be available to clients.

Despite its popularity, Effacer Duo has received high praise from consumers, who believe it clears pores and avoids the development of blemishes.