Cancer-causing shampoo withdrawn from supermarket shelves

The FDA is recalling popular shampoos that have been found to contain a carcinogen.

Unilever is recalling popular dry shampoos, including the Dove brand, after they were found to contain the chemical a substance called benzene, which can cause canceraccording to the FDA.

The recall also applies to brands such as Nexxus, Suave, Tresemmé and Tigi, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Unilever recall will affect products manufactured before October 2021.

Experts are once again raising questions about safety of personal care products in aerosol packaging, Bloomberg notes. Over the past year and a half, several sun sprays, including Neutrogena by Johnson & Johnson, Banana Boat by Edgewell Personal Care Co. and Coppertone της Beiersdorf. Spray deodorants such as Procter & Gamble Co.’s Secret and Old Spice, were also out of production by Unilever. The recall is related to the detection of benzene.

It’s not the first time dry shampoo falls under the microscope of specialists who monitor the quality of products. P&G tested its entire range of aerosol products and recalled Pantene and Herbal Essences dry shampoos in December following the discovery of benzene.

In addition, last year Procter & Gamble (PG) recalled more than 30 aerosol hair products, including several dry shampoos and dry conditioners, warning that these products may contain benzene. P&G also recalled more than a dozen Old Spice and Secret deodorants and sprays last year, warning that those products could also contain benzene.

The FDA stated that “presumably daily exposure to benzene in these products (at levels found in tests) will not cause adverse health effects.” But the agency also said that exposure to benzene can lead to leukemia and other blood cancers. While the FDA has not set benzene limits for cosmetic products such as dry shampoo, it does state that products must not contain “any poisonous or harmful substance” at all.

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