Valisure detects human carcinogen in benzoyl peroxide acne treatments

After extensive testing, Valisure has found that benzene can format in high levels of benzoyl peroxide acne treatment products. 

Benzoyl peroxide, which is regulated by the FDA, in on-market products can form more than 800 times the conditionally restricted concentration limit of two parts per million for benzene. This indicates that the problem applies to products currently on the market, the company said. 

Findings from Valisure also found that high levels of benzene were not only detected inside benzoyl peroxide products but also in the air around these incubated products and show that benzene can leak out of some packages and pose a potential inhalation risk. 

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Brands tested by Valisure include ProActiv, PanOxyl, Cerave, La Roche-Posay, CVS Health’s own brand and Walgreens’ own brand among others. 

“This discovery of benzoyl peroxide’s fundamental instability and formation of benzene is substantially different than Valisure’s previous findings of benzene in sunscreens, hand sanitizers and other consumer products," said David Light, Valisure’s co-founder and president. "The benzene we found in sunscreens and other consumer products were impurities that came from contaminated ingredients; however, the benzene in benzoyl peroxide products is coming from the benzoyl peroxide itself, sometimes at hundreds of times the conditional FDA limit. This means the problem broadly affects benzoyl peroxide products, both prescription and over-the-counter, and necessitates urgent action.” 

In light of this news, Valisure has launched a citizen petition urging the FDA to take action on these benzoyl peroxide acne products by encouraging an investigation and market withdrawal of these items.