FAQs: Benzene in acne products containing benzoyl peroxide
For over 50 years, dermatologists have been prescribing benzoyl peroxide to treat acne and other skin conditions
It’s one of the most commonly used acne treatments.
Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most effective and commonly used acne treatments. You’ll find it in prescription and non-prescription acne medications. It’s also found in medications used to treat rosacea and hidradenitis suppurativa.
Over the past year, dermatologists and other experts have been talking about the connection between benzoyl peroxide and benzene, a substance that can cause cancer. To help you make sense of this talk and what it means to your health, we’ve summarized the key findings and facts for you.
Why is benzene found in some acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide?
Benzene is not an intended ingredient. Benzoyl peroxide can break down into benzene, especially when:
Exposed to high temperatures
Stored (remains in a container) for a long time
How was benzene found in acne products?
In March 2025, the FDA announced that it tested 95 acne products containing benzoyl peroxide. Here’s what they found:
More than 90% of the products tested had undetectable or extremely low levels of benzene.
Six products had elevated levels of benzene.
As a result of this and other testing, the manufacturers of 7 products voluntarily recalled their products.
What does the FDA’s recall mean for consumers?
If you have one of the recalled products listed in the table on this FDA page, the FDA wants you to know that this is a retail-level recall. This means that retailers are instructed to remove the recalled products from store shelves and online marketplaces.
The FDA has not instructed consumers to take any specific action.
To emphasize the message that consumers don’t necessarily need to do anything, the FDA added, “Even with daily use of these products for decades, the risk of a person developing cancer because of exposure to benzene found in these products is very low.”
This advice is consistent with findings published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. These findings have been reassuring, reporting that regular use of acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide is:
Not linked to higher levels of benzene in the blood.
Not linked to an increased risk of developing cancer.
Research is ongoing
Current research on this topic is limited. Scientists continue to study the potential risk to human health caused by regular use of products that contain benzoyl peroxide.
What can you do to use benzoyl peroxide safely?
Keep in mind that to date, there is no clear evidence that acne products containing benzoyl peroxide have dangerous levels of benzene.
If you are concerned about using a product that contains benzoyl peroxide, the AAD recommends the following:
Store products that contain benzoyl peroxide according to instructions on the package. In general, this means storing products at room temperature or cooler (e.g., refrigerated).
Replace products that contain benzoyl peroxide every 10-12 weeks.
Throw out products exposed to higher temperatures (e.g., greater than 78°F).
Talk with your dermatologist if your treatment plan includes benzoyl peroxide and you would like to avoid this ingredient. Your dermatologist can help you find another treatment.
If you are treating acne on your own and have concerns about benzoyl peroxide products, consider other acne-fighting ingredients. Options include adapalene, salicylic acid, or azelaic acid. You can also speak with a board-certified dermatologist.
AAD will keep you updated
The AAD is committed to providing science-based information to help you make informed decisions about your skin, hair, and nail health. To keep you informed of the latest findings on this issue, we will continue to update this page.
Related AAD resources
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References
American Academy of Dermatology. “American Academy of Dermatology statement on benzoyl peroxide in OTC personal care products.” Issued March 24, 2025. Last accessed March 25, 2025.
Barbieri JS, Streicher JL, et al. “Benzene in benzoyl peroxide: How worried should we be?” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2024 Oct;91(4):772-3.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Limited number of voluntary recalls initiated after FDA testing of acne products for benzene; findings show a small number of products with elevated levels of benzene contamination.” Issued March 11, 2025. Last accessed March 14, 2025.
Veenstra J, Ozog D, et al. “Benzoyl peroxide acne treatment shows no significant association with benzene-related cancers: A multicenter retrospective analysis.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025 Feb 20:S0190-9622(25)00330-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2025.02.038. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39986390.
Written by:
Paula Ludmann, MS
Reviewed by:
John S. Barbieri, MD, MBA, FAAD
Roopal V. Kundu, MD, FAAD
William Warren Kwan, MD, FAAD
Last updated: 3/25/25