Popular skin care brand L’Oreal is pulling one of its acne products due to concerns about a cancer-causing chemical potentially present in it.
L’Oreal is recalling its Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment, the skin care company wrote in a statement sent to Bloomberg.
Sold under the company’s La Roche-Posay label, Effaclar Duo features benzoyl peroxide, a widely used ingredient in acne treatment known for its ability to kill bacteria.
In the statement sent to Bloomberg, L’Oreal officials claim testing found trace levels of benzene in one lot of its acne cream.
Benzene is a chemical found in gasoline and tobacco; large amounts of the chemical can cause leukemia.
A study by Valisure, a Connecticut laboratory, indicates that benzoyl peroxide can decompose into benzene under specific conditions. The research reported finding benzene in almost 100 popular acne treatment products that include 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 wrote in a statement to Bloomberg. L’Oreal told the news outlet that they’re developing an improved formula for Effaclar Duo.
Effaclar Duo has been removed from online listenings on the La Roche-Posay website, Amazon, CVS and other popular retailers.