Popular award-winning spot treatment recalled over 'cancer-causing chemical' fears

A voluntary recall issue has been served for a popular La Roche-Posay product in the US after it was found among 66 leading skincare buys containing "potentially unhealthy" levels of a cancer-causing chemical.

It comes one year after an independent lab in Connecticut, Valisure named a number of brands who had products with a contamination of benzene up to "800 times the federal concentration limit in treatments" in their benzoyl peroxide - which is a common ingredient known to fight blemishes.

Among those named were Clean & Clear, Clear Pore, Sandra Dee M.D., Galderma, Vie Naturelle, Ecuate, Differin, Humane, Oxy, Encube, Nixa Skincare, Dr. Song, CeraVe, Mylan, Zapzyt, Urban Skin Rx, Rugby, Perrigo, Glenmark, Oceanside, Teva, Sandoz, Replenix, Prasco, M.A.D Skincare, Aspexia and Daylogic, many of which are owned by skincare giants including Estee Lauder, and L'Oreal.

None of these companies will have set out to have benzene in their products, and it remains a mystery as to how it ended up there, but as specific testing is not required, it may have slipped through the net quite easily.

La Roche-Posay

For those not aware of the effects of benzene, it's been linked to a decreased number of red blood cell levels and an increased risk of leukemia. Not only that, but it can have damaging effects on the central nervous system and may affect reproductive organs.

Now L'Oreal, who own La Roche-Posay, are giving the customers the chance to return Effaclar Duo, an award-winning spot treatment which contains bacteria-killing benzoyl peroxide, off the back of an FDA review.

"Our best spot treatment for acne reduces the number and severity of acne blemishes, pimples, blackheads and whiteheads," states the description of the product, which is available to purchase at most beauty stores, and vows for visible results "in three days".

It's made up of 5.5 per cent benzoyl peroxide.

In close coordination with the FDA, we have proactively decided to remove the limited remaining units of the current formula of Effaclar Duo from retailers," L’Oreal told Bloomberg on Monday (10 March).

"This decision also enables a seamless transition to our new and improved Effaclar Duo formula, which has been in development since 2024 and will be available to consumers soon."

A lot of people will be disappointed too, as it's racked up rave reviews over the years.

"I put this on overnight on my spots and blemishes and then wake up the next morning with the spot barely visible! My skin also feels so much less clogged and wayy smoother", one person wrote in a five-star review just yesterday (10 March).

"Fantastic product improves pores and completely stopped any form of blemishes appearing", another posted.

The recall does not currently affect the UK or other overseas territories.

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