![]() In July, Johnson and Johnson voluntarily recalled a number of its aerosol spray sunscreens, including all Neutrogena® Ultra Sheer® aerosol products, citing very low levels of benzene detected in some of the products. Why did Johnson and Johnson recall some of its sunscreens? For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits the amount of benzene that gasoline can contain and, separately, the allowed amount in drinking water. Multiple organizations regulate benzene contamination levels in mass-produced chemicals. Any benzene found in sunscreen is most likely due to contamination that occurred during the manufacturing process.īenzene has been linked to blood cancers, and in large quantities, it is unsafe for human exposure still, humans are regularly exposed to trace amounts of benzene in products like gasoline, cigarette smoke, and even glue. ![]() What is benzene contamination in sunscreen? How dangerous is benzene?īenzene is not an ingredient in sunscreen, but rather a chemical that is used in the manufacturing process for products like pharmaceutical drugs and synthetic materials. Thankfully, the list of benzene-contaminated sunscreens is published online, as well as a much longer list of sunscreens that were found to contain no detectable benzene at all. But a May 2021 statement from Valisure, an independent lab, warned the public that cancer-causing benzene was detected in 78 of 294 drug-store sunscreens it tested, leading many of us to ask, how can I be sure that my daily sunscreen is safe?Īn independent lab detected benzene, a known carcinogen, in dozens of popular drug-store sunscreens. Please take my recommendations for products above and always remember to practice safe sun.You’ve likely heard that you need to be wearing sunscreen every day, both to keep your skin looking young and to protect you from ultraviolet (UV) radiation that can lead to skin cancer. Avoidance of benzene-containing products is easy enough. “Alongside seeking shade and full skin coverage, sunscreen continues to provide great benefit. “Literature shows the massive benefit of wearing sunscreen and the protective effects that it has on the skin,” Miller added. Natural sunscreens with ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which physically block the sun’s dangerous rays, are also safe, especially for people with certain skin conditions who hope to avoid certain chemicals, Miller said. Of note, we also suggest SPF30 or greater and broad-spectrum sunscreen,” he said. ![]() “EltaMD’s investigation found no benzene in their products. He also highly recommends EltaMD, which Christie Clinic carries. Miller said that brands such as Banana Boat, Coppertone and Coola were found to be “safe and have minimal, if any, benzene.” It is most commonly used in plastics, resins, fibers, rubbers, dyes, drugs, and pesticides. “It is believed that it was a contaminant found in the sunscreens as a result of the manufacturing process or created through a chemical reaction. “Benzene is not a desired or intentional ingredient in sunscreen,” Miller said. Miller added that many of those products were aerosol-based. CVS also pulled their products that were on Valisure’s petition from their floor. Companies like Johnson & Johnson pulled some of their Neutrogena - Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, Cool Dry Sport aerosol sunscreen, Invisible Daily Defense aerosol sunscreen and Ultra Sheer aerosol sunscreen - and Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen products from the shelves. ![]() With its findings, Valisure petitioned the FDA to recall or to request recalls of the products that are 0.1 per million and above. Sun damage can lead to skin cancers as well as photoaging of the skin.”Ī May 2021 report from Valisure in which 294 products from 69 companies were tested showed that 27-percent of samples “contained detectable benzene and some batches contained up to three times the conditionally restricted FDA concentration limit of 2 parts per million (ppm).” “Sunscreen is absolutely crucial to protecting your skin from the dangerous effects of the sun. “Please don’t let these benzene findings in sunscreen deter you from wearing sunscreen,” he said. After trusting the benefits of sunscreen for decades, news that several sunscreen brands had benzene, a chemical linked to blood cancers such as leukemia, left many consumers curious as to whether or not sunscreen is the safest way to protect their skin from UV rays.Ĭhristie Clinic dermatologist Will Miller, PA-C, said sunscreen is still the best bet.
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