Popular acne cream recalled over fears of cancer-causing chemical

A L’Oreal acne treatment cream and cleanser has been recalled over potential contamination with a cancer-causing chemical.

L’Oreal issued the recall of all lots of its Effaclar Duo, which is sold under its La Roche-Posay brand and contains bacteria-killing benzoyl peroxide.

It comes a year after an independent lab in Connecticut, Valisure, warned of contamination of the carcinogen benzene in products with benzoyl peroxide.

‘In close coordination with the FDA, we have proactively decided to remove the limited remaining units of the current formula of Effaclar Duo from retailers,’ L’Oreal told Bloomberg

‘This decision also enables a seamless transition to our new and improved Effaclar Duo formula, which has been in development since 2024 and will be available to consumers soon.’

Benzoyl peroxide can break down into benzene in some conditions.

Benzene is colorless and light yellow-colored and a liquid at room temperature, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It causes cancer and exposure to high levels of it over the long term can lead to leukemia, per the Department of Health and Human Services.

Effaclar Duo has 5.5% micronized benzoyl peroxide.

The product is sold online for $22.99 for the 20ml size and $35.99 for the 40ml size, according to the La Roche-Posay website.

‘Our best spot treatment for acne reduces the number and severity of acne blemishes, pimples, blackheads and whiteheads,’ states the description.

‘This acne spot treatment provides fast and visible results in less than 3 days.’

The acne treatment recall comes more than four months after New York-based Dynarex Corporation recalled nearly 42,000 bottles of baby powder for possible contamination with asbestos, a cancer-causing mineral.

And in summer 2021, New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson recalled five of its aerosol sunscreen items after discovering levels of benzene in some of the samples.

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