rewrite this title L’Oreal Recalls Popular La Roche-Posay Acne Treatment Over Cancer-Causing Chemical

L’Oreal S.A. has recalled all U.S. lots of its Effaclar Duo acne treatment due to concern that it may contain benzene, a known carcinogen.

Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment, a product sold under the brand name La Roche-Posay, contains benzoyl peroxide. In certain circumstances, like when exposed to high temperatures or UV, this ingredient can degrade into the carcinogen benzene.

L’Oreal’s recall comes one year after Vailsure, an independent lab in Connecticut, sounded the alarm that many products on store shelves that contain benzoyl peroxide also contain high levels of benzene.

Those findings prompted Vailsure to urge the Food and Drug Administration to recall the contaminated products.

In a statement to Health, a La Roche-Posay spokesperson said the company found trace levels of benzene in one lot of La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment.

“Although these trace levels do not pose a safety risk, we are committed to upholding the highest quality standards,” the spokesperson said. “Therefore, 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 recalled all lots of its La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo acne treatment in the U.S.

It’s unclear how many individual products are affected by the recall, but La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment is no longer available for purchase on the La Roche-Posay website.

No other La Roche-Posay product, including the Effaclar Duo cleanser, has been recalled.

La Roche-Posay’s decision to recall the acne treatment “also enables a seamless transition to our new and improved Effaclar Duo formula,” the spokesperson told Health, “which has been in development since 2024 and will be available to consumers soon.”

L’Oreal voluntarily recalled its La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo acne treatment due to the presence of benzene, a known carcinogen.

Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment—and many other acne treatments on store shelves—contain benzoyl peroxide, an ingredient known to help treat acne. However, benzoyl peroxide can degrade into the carcinogen benzene at high temperatures or from UV exposure.

In March 2024, independent laboratory Vailsure released a report on the presence of benzene in benzoyl peroxide-containing acne treatment products currently on the market. According to the report, these products can contain over 800 times the limit for benzene set by the FDA.

These findings prompted Vailsure to petition the FDA to “recall and suspend sales of benzoyl peroxide from the U.S. market.”

A September 2024 study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology also investigated benzene in products made with benzoyl peroxide and found that out of more than 100 products sampled from six states, roughly one-third contained high benzene levels.

Benzene is a colorless liquid chemical that quickly evaporates when exposed to air. It’s formed by both natural processes and human activities—in the case of acne treatment products, benzoyl peroxide can degrade into benzene.

The chemical is classified as a known human carcinogen by The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

According to the American Cancer Society, exposure to benzene has been linked to a higher risk of certain cancers, including leukemia and blood cancers.

According to the statement to Bloomberg, L’Oreal has removed any remaining units of La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo from retailers. The product is no longer available for purchase.

Though multiple news outlets have reported on the recall, L’Oreal S.A. has not shared a press release on the affected product or what customers should do if they have it at home.