Explainer: is the discovery of benzene in benzoyl peroxide acne products a cause for concern?
By 
Julia Robinson2024-03-12T14:30:00
Lab testing claims that the carcinogen benzene forms at potentially dangerous levels but there are doubts about the research
On 5 March, Valisure, an independent testing laboratory in the US, submitted a Citizen Petition to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting the recall and suspension of sales of benzoyl peroxide products used to treat acne.
Valisure had detected high levels of benzene – a known human carcinogen – in many benzoyl peroxide products in the US. It said that the current evidence suggested that on-market benzoyl peroxide products could produce substantial amounts of benzene when stored at above ambient temperatures.
But what does this mean for the many products this could potentially affect?