FDA Says to Get Rid of These Antiperspirants Containing Cancer-Causing Chemicals
If you are a fan of aerosol antiperspirant sprays and deodorants, you should check to see if the one you are using is part of a voluntary review issued by Procter & Gamble (P&G).
The recall comes after a citizen filed a petition with the FDA last month that more than half of the batches of antiperspirant sprays and deodorants they inspected contain benzene , a chemical that found in large quantities can cause cancer . Here’s what you need to know.
Why are these antiperspirants remembered?
It all started when Valisure, a company that tests the chemistry of medicines and health products, ran a series of tests on aerosol deodorants and antiperspirants. They found that of the 108 batches of products tested, 59 (or 54%) of them had benzene levels in excess of 2 ppm approved by the FDA.
Technically, back in 2018 , the FDA stated that because benzene is a class 1 solvent with “unacceptable toxicity,” it should not be used to make health products. But then a pandemic broke out, and the agency temporarily eased restrictions on the chemical, setting a 2 ppm limit for liquid hand sanitizers.
What products are subject to recall?
Valisure’s tests included 30 different brands, but according to CNN , P&G is the only company to recall its benzene-containing products; In particular, the review applies to 17 types of Old Spice and Secret antiperspirants.
A complete list of products tested by Valisure and found to contain more than 2 ppm benzene can be found in the company’s petition to the FDA . Examples include products from other well-known brands such as Tag, Sure, Equate, Suave, Right Guard, Brut, Summer’s Eve, Right Guard, Power Stick, Soft & Dri, and Victoria’s Secret.
If you have purchased any of the Old Spice or Secret products included in P & G’s recall, the company is instructing consumers to stop using them, throw them away, and contact their customer service (call 888-339-7689, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 6:00 PM EST) to learn how to get reimbursed for eligible products.