More than 90% of tested acne products had undetectable or extremely low levels of benzene, according to new data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
When the FDA tested 95 acne products containing benzoyl peroxide (BPO) for possible benzene contamination, it concluded that a limited number of products should be recalled at the retail level.
The FDA initiated independent testing following receipt of third-party testing results submitted to the agency that raised concerns about elevated levels of benzene in certain acne products containing BPO.
The new FDA testing results indicate fewer products with benzene contamination than the third-party findings.
The companies listed below voluntarily agreed to take action to recall certain products due to elevated levels of benzene. The recalls are being conducted at the retail level, not the consumer level. This means retailers are instructed to remove products from store shelves and online marketplaces but does not specifically instruct consumers to take actions regarding products currently in their possession.
Even with daily use of these products for decades, the risk of a person developing cancer because of exposure to benzene found in these products is very low.
| Product | Lot number(s) | Expiration date |
| La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment | MYX46W | April 2025 |
| Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser | 23 09328 | September 2025 |
| Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief Cream Benzoyl Peroxide 5% | V3305A; V3304A | October 2025 |
| Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator | V4204A | July 2025 |
| SLMD Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Lotion | 2430600 | March 2025 |
| Walgreens Tinted Acne Treatment Cream | 49707430 | March 2026 |
Additionally, the manufacturer of another BPO acne product, Zapzyt Acne Treatment Gel, agreed to voluntarily recall this product due to the elevated level of benzene found during its own testing.
The FDA’s testing used validated test methods and assessed all BPO products identified by third-party laboratories as having elevated benzene levels that FDA was able to purchase at the time of testing, as well as additional marketed products.
The FDA tested a total of 95 acne treatment products containing benzoyl peroxide and found six products with elevated levels of benzene. FDA notes that some of these six products are approaching their expiration dates and recommends consumers check their products and throw away products that are beyond their expiration date.
The FDA intends to publish the full results of its testing, including data and information on testing methods, in one or more peer-reviewed journals in the coming months.
The FDA has continued to raise concern that use of unvalidated testing methods by third-party laboratories can produce inaccurate results leading to consumer confusion. Specifically, such methods may result in much higher reported levels of contaminants such as benzene than are actually present in tested products. It is critical that third-party laboratories reporting their results to consumers use validated methods so their results are reliable.
The FDA is committed to ensuring drugs Americans use are safe and effective and will continue its efforts to monitor the issue of benzene in drugs and proactively take actions when quality issues arise. The agency continually gains additional knowledge about drugs which allows it to identify and quickly address previously unknown risks. FDA will communicate new information regarding benzene in drugs as it becomes available.
The agency encourages health care professionals and patients to report adverse events or quality problems to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program by:
- Complete and submit the report online
- Download and complete the form, then submit it via fax at 1-800-FDA-0178
BPO first made headlines in March 2024 when a report found high levels of benzene in certain BPO-containing acne products after incubation for days to weeks at temperatures of 37°C (99°F) and 50°C (122°F).
When this news first broke, report author Valisure, LLC, an independent testing laboratory, filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting a recall of products affected by the elevated levels of benzene to allow regulators to investigate.
