- Procter and Gamble recalled over 30 aerosol dry shampoo and conditioner products over concerns of cancer-causing benzene.
- Brands impacted by the recall include Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Hair Food, Waterless, and Old Spice.
- The recall is cautionary and at this time no health issues have been reported due to the recalled products.
Before you refresh your hair with a spritz of dry shampoo, you may want to check the label. Procter and Gamble Company issued a voluntary recall on over 30 products due to traces of benzene.
The expansive recall includes aerosol dry shampoos and conditioners from Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, and Waterless, in addition to the discontinued aerosol dry shampoo from Old Spice and Hair Food, according to the press release.
The impacted products are in aerosol cans and include 32 haircare products sold across the United States, both in-store and online. Details on the products and their production codes to determine if you have an impacted spray can be found in the official release. If you think you have a product that is being recalled, Proctor and Gamble says to stop use and throw away the item. Other products from these brands, like mousses, hairsprays, liquid shampoos, liquid conditioners, and styling products are not included in the list and are safe to use.
The recall is in response to reports that indicated benzene traces could be found in some aerosol products. Procter and Gamble said they found “unexpected levels of benzene” in products that should not have any. The company is attributing this to the propellant in the spray, according to the press release.
Procter and Gamble also noted that based on their research, daily exposure to benzene in the products is not at high enough levels to cause any serious health complications. Additionally, there have not been any reports of health issues due to these products at this time.
Benzene is considered a carcinogen, and if inhaled through the mouth or absorbed through the skin, it can cause cancers, such as leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow, and blood disorders that can be life-threatening, the release warns.
Benzene got a lot of press this past summer when popular sunscreen brands were recalled due to potential contamination. “After the reports of benzene being detected in sunscreen and sun care products by an independent agency earlier this year, many manufacturers started carrying out their internal tests, to get to the bottom of this benzene contamination issue,” says Birnur Aral, Ph.D., Director of the Health, Beauty and Environmental Sciences Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. “Considering the types of voluntary recalls we have seen in the last few months, this seems to be more of an issue with products in aerosol spray format as the benzene is likely being introduced to the products through the propellants which are also volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as is benzene.”
Benzene is used in plastic production and appears in gasoline and cigarette smoke and naturally in volcanoes and forest fires. It appears colorless or light yellow at room temperature, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Benzene is an organic compound known to be a carcinogen, which means it has been associated with the development of cancers,” Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City previously told Prevention.
Symptoms from breathing in benzene include drowsiness, dizziness, rapid or irregular heartbeat, headaches, tremors, confusion, unconsciousness, or even death. If you’ve accidentally consumed a food or beverage containing high levels of benzene, symptoms may include vomiting, stomach irritation, dizziness, sleepiness, convulsions, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and potentially death. Long-term exposure to benzene can lead to harmful effects on the bone marrow, anemia, and can impact the immune system, according to the CDC.
If you think you have a product that’s a part of the recall, Procter and Gamble says to stop using the product right away and dispose of it. For additional questions and reimbursement, consumers can go to the individual brands’ websites or contact customer care.
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