Urgent Recall Issued On Several Beauty Products Sold In Illinois

Those in Illinois who frequently use beauty and skincare products need to check their medicine immediately. Several popular products sold in stores across Illinois are being recalled for containing a high amount of this dangerous cancer-causing chemical.

That cancer-causing chemical is called benzene which is not only found in many acne products with benzoyl peroxide but it's released into the air through cigarette smoke, emissions from automobiles, and burning coal and oil.

The products being recalled in Illinois and across the U.S. contain higher amounts of benzene and should stop being used immediately.

Recalled Beauty Products With Cancer-Causing Chemical

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall alert this week for products from brands like Proactiv, Walgreens, and more. The recall was issued for possible "benzene contamination."

"FDA is alerting the public and industry to the results of new agency testing of 95 acne products containing benzoyl peroxide for possible benzene contamination," the release said. "FDA has concluded that a limited number of products should be recalled at the retail level; more than 90% of tested products had undetectable or extremely low levels of benzene."

The FDA said the companies have voluntarily agreed to take action to recall certain products because of the elevated levels of benzene. The recalls are being conducted at the retail level, not the consumer level.

The Products Being Recalled You Need To Know About:

There is a handful of products that Illinoisans need to be on the lookout for in their cabinets, bathrooms, or wherever else they have these products stored. According to the FDA, the skin care products below are being recalled that use benzoyl peroxide:

The FDA says even with daily use of these products for decades, the risk of a person developing cancer because of exposure to benzene found in these products is very low.