- Johnson & Johnson has voluntarily recalled several spray sunscreens over concerns they’ve been contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical benzene.
- Medical experts say benzene can be absorbed through the skin, and at very high levels, may contribute to the development of certain cancers such as leukemia.
- Though the recalled sunscreens contain very low levels of benzene, some dermatologists are concerned that over time, chronic use of these products could pose serious health risks.
Several spray sunscreens made by Neutrogena and Aveeno were voluntarily recalled by Johnson & Johnson due to contamination with a cancer-causing chemical called benzene.
can be absorbed through the skin, and at very high levels, may contribute to the development of certain cancers such as leukemia.
The sunscreens included very low levels of benzene, but some dermatologists are concerned that over time, chronic use of these sunscreens and after-sun care products could pose serious health risks.
Johnson & Johnson is advising consumers to stop using contaminated products.
According to Dr. Christopher Bunick, a Yale Medicine dermatologist and associate professor at Yale School of Medicine, hopes Johnson & Johnson’s recall will encourage other companies to improve their product quality control and produce safer sunscreens.
“It means that one of the largest healthcare product suppliers in the world is making changes to better serve and protect the sunscreen users,” Bunick told Healthline.
Here’s what’s been recalled
The following sunscreens were recalled after benzene was detected in the products after Valisure conducted independent testing on sunscreen and after-sun care products.
- Neutrogena Beach Defense aerosol
- Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport aerosol
- Neutrogena Invisible Daily defense aerosol
- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer aerosol
- Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol
Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Neutrogena and Aveeno, warned consumers to stop using these products and discard them.
Valisure tested 294 sprays, lotions, gels, and creams produced by 69 brands. Of them, benzene was detected in 78 samples.
CVS stopped selling CVS Health After Sun Aloe Vera and CVS Health After Sun Aloe Vera Spray due to benzene contamination a day after Johnson & Johnson announced the recall.
Many of the other products on the list that tested positive for benzene have not been recalled and are still for sale.
What to know about benzene contamination
Benzene is a cancer-causing chemical found in many products, including oil, plastics, and rubbers.
“We know it’s dangerous to human health — it’s a known carcinogen, and the majority of benzene in our environment comes from gasoline,” said Dr. Orit Markowitz, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of OptiSkin in New York City.
According to Bunick, who was part of a team of dermatologists that clinically reviewed Valisure’s petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before submission, some people may argue that the levels detected in the sunscreen products were very low, but Bunick is more concerned about the risks associated with long-term exposure.
One application of sunscreen includes 25 to 30 grams of sunscreen. Sunscreens also need to be reapplied every 80 to 120 minutes, especially when at the pool or beach, which means people could use 90 to 120 grams of sunscreen a day.
“Add up such exposures over years of sunscreen use, and therein lies the question facing dermatologists and sunscreen consumers — does proper sunscreen use, which is essential for preventing sun-induced skin cancers, over years of one’s lifetime lead to a chronic exposure to significant benzene levels to increase risk of blood or internal cancers?” Bunick said.
According to Bunick, this is an important question the FDA needs to investigate.
“When I think of risk around benzene contamination in sunscreens, I am thinking about the risk associated with long-term, lifetime use since that is what we are educating our children to do from a young age,” Bunick said.
What to look for in sunscreen
Valisure did identify several sunscreens that are not contaminated with benzene.
Because benzene is a contaminant and not an ingredient, it would not be listed on the packaging.
According to Bunick, there are many other effective chemical and mineral-based sunscreen options available.
Certain chemical sunscreens include ingredients that can be absorbedTrusted Source through the skin, but it’s unclear what the health implications are.
Due to the potential risks, Markowitz prefers mineral-based sunscreen lotions.
Look for a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, advises Markowitz.
You also want your sunscreen to be water-resistant and have UVA and UVB protection.
“It is important to pay attention to the water-resistance time, usually 80 minutes,” Bunick said.
Even when not in the water, it’s important to reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, and more often if you’ve been sweating, for the best protection, Bunick said.
Bunick also recommends using sun-protective clothing because it reduces the amount of sunscreen needed.
“Everything is a risk-benefit in anything that we use, including sunscreen, and therefore, we have to weigh the risk-benefit versus developing cancer and protecting ourselves from the sun compared to the risk-benefit of ingredients in chemical sunscreens,” Markowitz said.
The bottom line:
Johnson & Johnson voluntarily recalled several spray sunscreens made by Neutrogena and Aveeno due to contamination with benzene, a cancer-causing chemical.
Benzene can be absorbed through the skin, and at very high levels, may contribute to the development of certain cancers such as leukemia.
The sunscreens included very low levels of benzene, but some dermatologists are concerned that over time, chronic use of these sunscreens and after-sun care products could pose serious health risks.
