If you bought any Neutrogena or Aveeno sunscreens lately, you may want to dispose of it immediately as Johnson & Johnson just issued a recall on multiple brands. On Wednesday, the company discovered that five of its sunscreens contained low sample levels of benzene (a chemical that can cause cancer with repeated exposure).
During the summer months, it’s important to check if your sunscreen expired and incorporate the best facial sunscreen or face moisturizer with SPF into our beauty routines to protect our skin. If you own one of the recalled sunscreens—Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen, and four types of aerosol Neutrogena sunscreens: Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, CoolDry Sport aerosol sunscreen, Invisible Daily Defense aerosol sunscreen, and UltraSheer aerosol sunscreen—you should stop using them immediately.
The recall includes all SPF, can sizes, and sun protection levels. The sunscreens were also distributed nationwide.
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In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said the “use of these products would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences,” but chose to recall the products “out of an abundance of caution.” The company is also advising consumers to use an alternative sunscreen to help protect themselves from sun damage and treat sunburns.
Traces of the chemical were discovered after testing from an independent laboratory. It’s still unknown how the chemical got into the sunscreens, but Johnson & Johnson is currently investigating the matter as well as working to get contaminated formulas off store shelves. The company has also notified the Food and Drug Administration of the contamination.
How dangerous is benzene?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chemical is highly flammable and is widely used in the environment (often emitted into the atmosphere through the smoke of forest fires and found in some plants and animals. Exposure can occur through inhaling it, ingesting it, or getting it on skin and clothing. Symptoms also vary depending on the person, but repeated exposure can lead to cancer, damage to the immune system, and prevent cells from functioning properly.
If you own one or more of the contaminated sunscreens you can call Johnson &Johnson’s Consumer Care Center at 1-800-458-1673. More information can also be found on Aveeno and Neutrogena’s website.
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