Overview

• The FDA has issued a retail-level recall for six acne treatment products containing benzoyl peroxide due to elevated benzene levels.
• Products affected include La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator, and Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser, among others.
• Benzene, a known carcinogen, can cause leukemia and other cancers with prolonged exposure, though the FDA emphasizes the risk from these products is very low.
• The recall follows FDA testing of 95 acne treatment products, with only six found to have elevated benzene levels, likely from manufacturing byproducts.
• Consumers are not required to take action, but retailers are instructed to remove the affected products from shelves immediately.