On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced that it is recalling five of its sunscreen products after they were found to be tainted with low levels of benzene, a potential carcinogen.
The recalled products, which are packaged in aerosol cans, include aerosol sunscreens:
- Aveeno Protect + Refresh
- Neutrogena Beach Defense
- Neutrogena CoolDry Sport
- Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense
- Neutrogena UltraSheer
The recall includes all sizes of cans and all levels of sun protection factor (SPF). These sunscreen products were distributed across the United States through retailers.
J&J said the carcinogen was found after it tested the products in its independent laboratory. The company is investigating how the chemical got into these products.
J&J said it has been working to get all lots of the products removed from store shelves, according to TODAY.
The company has urged consumers to stop using these sunscreens immediately, adding that customers can get a refund by calling J&J’s Consumer Care Center at 1-800-458-1673.
People can get more information on the recall on the websites for Aveeno and Neutrogena.
“Use of these products would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences” and that the company voluntarily decided to recall them “out of an abundance of caution,” J&J said in a statement.
The statement also added that people should use alternate sunscreens to protect themselves from melanoma, a type of skin cancer.
Benzene is one of the highly flammable and widely used chemicals. It is known to cause cancer with repeated exposure at higher levels.
The chemical is also known to damage the immune system and prevent cells from functioning properly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Benzene poisoning symptoms may include dizziness, irregular heartbeat, convulsions, and even death if exposed to very high levels.
J&J said that it has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the recall. The article was published on TODAY.
