Sunscreen and the carcinogen benzene: What to know to protect yourself

Use of the carcinogen benzene in some sunscreen products is a growing concern. But it certainly doesn’t mean you should avoid sunscreen to protect yourself from painful sunburn and potentially deadly skin cancer, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. 

A handful of sunscreens, aerosol deodorants and other personal healthcare products have been recalled in recent years because of benzene levels. Benzene is found in auto emissions, cigarette smoke and emissions from burning coal and oil. Over time, exposure to benzene from breathing it in or absorbing it through the skin can lead to leukemia and other serious health issues. 

People are still encouraged to use sunscreen when outdoors, even on cloudy days, and reapply it every two hours, or more often as needed. The FDA recommends an SPF value of 15 or higher.

At the same time, it’s wise to stay informed about recalls. Here are some of the brands and types recalled in the last few years because of benzene.

• Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen. Jan, 30, 2023. Various batches/lots. An expansion of a previous recall of Hair & Scalp Spray.
• Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen. July 29, 2022. Three batches of Hair & Scalp Spray.
• Coppertone. Sept. 30, 2021. 12 lots of Pure & Simple baby, kids’, sport and other varieties of aerosol sunscreen. 
• Johnson & Johnson. July 14, 2021. Five varieties of Neutrogena Beach Defense, Cool Dry Sport, Invisible Daily and Ultra Sheer aerosol sunscreen and Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen. For some reason, the J&J recall doesn’t appear on the FDA’s recalls website in the section where recalls of sunscreens and other personal healthcare products are announced.

Two months before the Johnson & Johnson recall, the pharmaceutical testing company Valisure sounded the alarm about problems with benzene in sunscreens. Valisure sent a 19-page petition to the FDA asking it to recall or issue guidance on 40 different lots of sunscreen under 10 different brands because of significant levels of benzene. On page 12 of that petition, Valisure said batches of several sprays from Neutrogena had tested for more benzene than what it described elsewhere as the “conditionally restricted FDA concentration limit of 2 parts per million (ppm).”

Benzene in aerosol sprays may be occurring because of inactive ingredients such as thickening agents, propellants or other components. “FDA is evaluating the root cause of benzene contamination,” the FDA says, “and has alerted companies to the risk of benzene contamination in drug products and reminded them of their obligation to ensure their products meet appropriate quality specifications.”

Benzene also is found occasionally in other spray products. A few recalls in recent years include:

• Feb.1, 2024: TING 1% Tolnaftate Athlete’s Foot Spray Antifungal Spray Liquid by Insight Pharmaceuticals, due to the presence of benzene.
• Dec. 22, 2023: Americaine 20% Benzocaine Topical Anesthetic Spray by Insight Pharmaceuticals, due to the presence of benzene.
• Nov. 24, 2023: TING 2% Miconazole Nitrate Athlete’s Foot Spray Antifungal Spray Powder by Insight Pharmaceuticals, due to the presence of benzene.
• Sept. 17, 2022: Antica Ocean Citron Hand Sanitizer ( Alcohol ) Gel 65% by Salon Technologies, Inc., due to the presence of benzene.
• April 1, 2022: Mickey Mouse Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 68% due to presence of methanol and the Mandalorian Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 68% due to the presence of benzene, both by Best Brand Consumers Products, Inc.
• March 30, 2022:  Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant Powder and Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant Fresh by Unilever, due to presence of slightly elevated levels of benzene.
• Feb. 16, 2022:  Sure and Brut Aerosol Sprays by HRB Brands, due to the presence of benzene.
• October 01, 2021: Lotrimin and Tinactin Spray Products by Bayer, due to the presence of benzene.
• April 28, 2021:  Scented Hand Sanitizers by Scentsational Soaps & Candles, Inc., due to the presence of methanol (wood alcohol), benzene and acetaldehyde.