
L'Oreal has recalled all US batches of La Roche-Posay's "Effaclar Duo" acne treatment lotion due to concerns over contamination with benzene, a known carcinogen.
Effacela Duo Acne Spot Treatment, a product sold under the brand name La Roche Posay, contains benzoyl peroxide. Under certain circumstances, such as when exposed to high temperatures or UV rays, this ingredient can degrade into carcinogenic benzene.
L'Oreal's withdrawal comes a year after Vailsure, an independent laboratory in Connecticut, raised the alarm that many products on store shelves containing benzoyl peroxide contained high levels of benzene.
It's unclear how many products are affected by the recall, but La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Duo acne spot treatment cream is no longer available for purchase on La Roche-Posay's website.
Benzene has been classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the 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.